We evaluated the effects of escape extinction with and without a high-probability (high-p) instructional sequence on food acceptance and inappropriate behavior for children diagnosed with feeding problems. The high-p sequence consisted of three presentations of a response that was similar topographically (i.e., presentations of an empty nuk[R],…

Background: In recent years, the importance of a multimodal approach to the assessment of the person who stutters (PWS) has become increasingly recognized. The Behavior Assessment Battery (BAB), which is a normed test procedure developed by G. Brutten, makes it possible to assess the multidimensional facets of this disorder. The emotional and…

The association between the development of antisocial behavior, affiliation with deviant friends, and peer rejection was tested with a preventive intervention; 664 boys and girls were randomly assigned to a universal classroom-based intervention targeting disruptive behavior or a control condition. Peer nominations of antisocial behavior, friends'…

Children are not born responsible but must learn this from persons with greater maturity and wisdom. Unfortunately, contemporary culture is one in which many adults and youth are blatantly disrespectful toward one another. Disrespect toward children is so commonplace. As such, large numbers of youth are disconnected from adults. In this article,…

The Healthy Steps for Young Children Program (HS) is designed to provide support for new parents through the pediatrician's office. We present findings of the effect of HS on the quality of mother-child interaction, security of attachment, and child behavior using observational data from two of the HS sites that utilized a randomized treatment…

Time-out procedures are proven effective methods for reducing undesirable behavior in children. However, such procedures are often taught incorrectly or used improperly and are therefore of little value in reducing such behaviors. The authors present a review of literature, empirically based instruction methods, and a case scenario to assist…

The purpose of this study was to assess the concurrent criterion validity of the attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) portion of the National Institute of Mental Health Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children-IV (NIMHDISC-IV). Fifty-seven adolescent participants were divided into three groups on the basis of whether participants met…

This study examined the stability and continuity of early-identified behavior problems and the factors associated with this stability. Children and their mothers (N=125) were seen when the children were 2 and 4 years of age. Maternal reports of child externalizing behavior and laboratory observations of child noncompliance were stable from age 2…

Token economies often reduce problematic classroom behavior in preschool settings. In the present study, direct observation and teacher ratings of child behavior and treatment acceptability were utilized to evaluate the effectiveness of a token economy in a Head Start classroom. Because many teachers express concerns about the effort required to…

Examined the underlying structure and factorial validity of the Children's Playfulness Scale in evaluating preschool children's behavior. Found that factor loadings, factor variances/covariances, and error variances/covariances are invariant across calibration and validation groups, indicating the good cross-generalizability of the scale. (JPB)

Identification of strengths is considered an important part of school psychological practice. However, few instruments are available to school psychologists that allow for systematic and comprehensive evaluation of a student's emotional and behavioral strengths. School psychologists must be provided with psychometrically sound instruments that…

The author presents an overview of basic concepts of early childhood temperament and argues that child behavior is the result of the interplay between nature and culture. Due to inconsistencies in the field, temperament research and clinical application can be challenging for early childhood practitioners to interpret and apply to their daily…

Strategies for the prevention of adolescent suicide are frequently designed to identify those young people who represent a high risk in order that services and support can be effectively targeted. This study explored the experiences of parents who had lost a child through suicide. The findings suggest that the range of behaviours perceived by…

We investigated the relationships among attachment representation, social withdrawal, and depressive symptomatology in childhood. A total of 326 children aged 8 to 10 years participated in the study. Children completed a family drawing procedure to assess attachment representation, the Children's Depression Inventory and the Social Withdrawal…

Background: In this study, we investigated the early development of stress in mothers of children with Down syndrome, compared with mothers of children with developmental disabilities of mixed aetiologies. Growth modelling analyses were used to explore: (1) whether mothers of children with Down syndrome demonstrated distinct patterns of stress…