This study examined the prevalence and clinical correlates of sexually inappropriate behaviors in 499 youth treated at a public psychiatric hospital over a 5-year period. Those with histories of sexually inappropriate behaviors had higher rates of being sexually abused or physically abused/neglected and more frequently had behavior disorders,…

This article analyzes research on children's perceptions of emotional and behavioral difficulties. Virtually all studies concur that peers hold negative views of externalizing behavior problems. Findings suggest that professionals need to target peer-identified behavioral and social skill goals and develop programming aimed at normalization to…

Associations between major or minor offending and developmental factors, family characteristics, environmental characteristics, and problem behaviors and symptoms were examined with 180 youth having severe emotional disturbance. Minor offending was associated with increasing age and parental incarceration. Major offending was associated with…

Knowledge and attitudes about Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) were compared for 167 public high school students, 166 incarcerated adolescents, and 151 emotionally disturbed adolescents. AIDS knowledge was moderately high for all, but misunderstandings about transmission and high-risk behaviors were noted. Teenagers with emotional…

Schools must increasingly deal with children who brandish weapons and exhibit antisocial or violent behavior. Psychologists agree that young children are very susceptible to violence and that stored violent images can warp their interpretation of reality. To combat youth violence, many schools have adopted antiviolence curricula and conflict…

This article addresses issues of power residing within various special education processes that result in processes of hegemony and domination in the lives of children considered to have emotional disturbances. A critical theory approach is proposed which is explicitly political and stresses the need to value the child's personal history and…

A behavior specialist working in a class for students identified as severely emotionally disturbed shares the dialog journal writing of an eighth-grade male student and notes the boy's self-evaluation regarding his special education label, his searching questions, his relationship to others, his growing self-esteem as a writer, and his family…

This article addresses how Part III of the 1993 Education Act (England) and differences in types of disabilities may affect the time required to complete student assessments and required statements of special educational needs (SEN). Differential needs of students with emotional and behavioral difficulties are noted, as are both the threats and…

This paper argues for considering the uniqueness of each student with serious emotional/behavioral disorders when deciding on placement. A full continuum of alternatives should be considered, including the possibility that a self-contained class with a low student/teacher ratio may be the least restrictive setting needed to produce successful…

Behaviors of 66 youth, 8 to 18 years old, with emotional and behavioral disorders that put them at risk for placements outside their homes and/or communities were investigated. Behaviors most predictive of at-risk status were physical aggression, extreme noncompliance, peer interactions, and extreme verbal abuse. (Author/SW)

Ratings of 224 students with serious emotional disturbances by 40 teachers indicated that conduct disorders were very prevalent, were correlated with other problematic aspects of temperament and classroom competence, and co-occurred with other types of behavioral problems. Implications of the study for making eligibility decisions for special…

Students (ages 8-17) in a hospital psychiatric unit used telecommunications to communicate with students in special education classrooms in several states. Benefits of participation in the electronic mail project included making bias-free impressions, improving grammar, and increasing letter length. This paper examines program operation and…

Effective treatment programs for students with serious emotional and behavior disturbances have used several approaches, including continuous assessment and monitoring of progress; systematic, consistent, data-based interventions; provision for practicing new skills; treatment matched to problem; multicomponent treatment; programing for transfer…

This paper discusses the assessment of psychiatric and behavior disorders occurring in people with developmental disorders and the problems arising when such behavior results in offenses against the law. The paper argues that a multidisciplinary approach is needed in such cases, given the complex interaction among possible brain pathology,…

This article presents findings from a report on educational services for students with emotional and behavioral disturbances. It describes problematic findings related to curriculum, behavior management, and mental health services and considers alternatives to prevailing current practices. (Author/DB)