This article examines and evaluates the various ways school personnel can assist and work effectively with children with attention deficit disorders. Classroom management procedures and behavioral interventions are outlined, such as setting clear rules, using a token economy, contingency contracting, applying consequences, teaching self-management…

Examines challenges in implementing the disciplinary provisions of the 1997 Individuals with Disabilities Education Act amendments, obstacles to implementing the law's functional-assessment provision, and ways that schools might overcome these obstacles. Encourages schools to include disciplinary practices in a larger program of positive academic…

This article describes how a self-management strategy, self-recording with points, teacher praise, and encouragement, was used to increase the on-task and nondisruptive behaviors of a 6-year old African American boy with hyperactivity. The use of drug therapy to control hyperactivity is discussed and a self-recording form is provided. (Contains…

This article reviews the functional assessment paradigm in relation to students with serious emotional and behavioral disorders who have well developed cognitive abilities and linguistic skills. Based on the needs of these students, the Assessment Intervention Process, a system for facilitating the development of effective positive behavior plans…

A study investigated how positive behavior support was experienced and understood by team members (n=19) from four residential, community-based teams who achieved positive outcomes for adults with severe challenging behaviors. Findings from the study depict an overall culture of support consisting of interrelated layers of social context.…

A study examined the effect of an observation-feedback intervention on the rate of a teacher's behavior-specific praise of nine elementary students with emotional and behavioral disorders and the effect of increased rates of behavior-specific praise on students' on-task behavior, which increased when behavior-specific praise increased and…

Researchers have found no stable relationship between self-esteem and academic achievement or other desirable behaviors. In psychological studies, the most self-assured subjects were more likely to want to harm someone. Healthy self-esteem comes from achievement. Schools should support and promote accomplishment over "feel-good"…

This article describes a new training curriculum for educators, youth workers, and mentors which draws from research and best practices in positive youth development and positive behavior support. Response Ability Pathways or RAP focuses on three practical interventions: connect to others for support, clarify challenging problems, and restore…

This meta-analysis examines patterns of sex differences in teacher-initiated teacher-student interactions. While extensive research has examined factors that influence student evaluations of effective and ineffective teachers, this study examines whether teacher-initiated interactions with students, such as praising or blaming, vary as a function…

Positive Behavior Supports (PBS) experts were surveyed to examine their perceptions of the treatment acceptability of commonly used decelerative consequence-based behavioral procedures. Findings illuminate the paradigm shifts that have occurred over the course of the careers of PBS experts and the factors that have contributed to these personal…

Schools have widely used suspension and related punitive practices, in spite of their proven ineffectiveness. This article discusses the role of Aggression Replacement Training (ART) as part of a schoolwide positive behavior support initiative. Grounded in theory and research, ART focuses on the proactive teaching of acceptable behaviors to…

The purpose of the present study was to extend previous research on reinforcer assessment by comparing effectiveness of stimuli identified by two preference procedures on teaching figure coloring to three children with disabilities in Turkey; and to find out what special education teachers think about social validation of the two preference…

Some research suggests a rise in challenging behaviors among children in early care and education. Among the findings are a high rate of removal from preschool classrooms for behavior problems, a possible link between early non-maternal care and aggressive behaviors in preschool, and concerns from teachers that too many children arrive at school…

Investigating variables associated with the school success and educational resilience of urban youth of color should be a high priority because of the persistent achievement gap in the United States. The current study examined individual and peer factors' relation to the school engagement of 132 seventh- and eighth-grade students from a diverse…

An anxiety desensitization method is presented which counters over-arousal through strenuous muscle stretch-tense, deep breath, release-relax and positive suggestion sequences; and uses positive adaptive images to replace negative cognitions and to promote confidence. The addition of the stretch-tense and positive images components are expected to…