Rates of self-injurious thoughts and behaviors are elevated among autistic youth, yet research is limited to caregiver report or single-item questionnaires. Investigation of specific suicidal thoughts, triggers, and disclosure is needed to improve risk assessment and interventions. The current study characterized self-injurious thoughts and…

Background: Studies suggest that prosocial behavior, having high empathy and engaging in behaviors intended to benefit others, may predict mental health or vice versa; however, these findings have been mixed. The purpose of the current study was to examine the bidirectional relationships between prosocial behavior and dimensions of psychopathology…

The prevention of emotional and behavioral problems (EBP) in preschool children requires the development of a collaborative process between parents and teachers. The basic principles of successful collaboration between teachers and parents include a cooperative, non-judgmental and non-stigmatizing approach to parents and children, as well as equal…

Food insecurity is one of the less researched problems that poses a challenge to schools in South Africa. This qualitative study seeks to holistically explore this problem as it adopts Maslow's hierarchy of needs and Vygotsky's sociocultural theory as the lenses of exploration. In addition to socio-cultural beliefs on food and academic…

This research study examined the effect of positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS) on the nature of student-teacher relationships, emphasizing classroom behavior dynamics. The study evaluated the connections between students in grades preK-12 and their teachers in a southeastern state in the USA, focusing on the implementation of…

Childhood adversity takes a toll on lifelong health. However, investigations of unpredictability as a form of adversity are lacking. Environmental unpredictability across multiple developmental periods and ecological levels was examined using a multiethnic, longitudinal birth cohort (1998-2000) oversampled for unmarried parents. Data were from the…

Background: Parenting is a primary mechanism through which children develop. Much is known about how parenting influences development over time; it is also critical to know what shapes specific aspects of parenting, particularly for families with higher socioeconomic risk. Objective: The current study examined how parenting stress, child behavior…

Supporting parents in foundational positive behavior support strategies for use with their child is a commonly employed method to improve child behavior in natural contexts, including the home. Parents have learned and implemented a variety of strategies with integrity; however, there is limited research regarding the maintenance of skills.…

The heterogeneity of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) clinically and aetiologically hinders intervention matching and prediction of outcomes. This study investigated if the behavioural, sensory, and perinatal factor profiles of autistic children could be used to identify distinct subgroups. Participants on the autism spectrum aged 2 to 17 years and…

Developing conscious control and self-regulation skills in the early years is an important factor in child development, although there is limited application of cognitive strategy-based approaches with young children in both clinical and non-clinical settings. This study investigated the Conscious Control Curriculum (3Cs), an approach to teach…

Purpose: Sleep problems are common in neurodevelopmental genetic disorders (NGD), with impacts on daytime functioning amplified in these individuals. However, despite their prevalence and clinical impact, correlates of sleep difficulties in this group remain poorly characterized. This study used a large cohort of individuals with several rare NGDs…

Law enforcement officers (LEOs) may use physical force unnecessarily or escalate problem behavior when attempting to gain the compliance of individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) (Copenhaver & Tewksbury in American Journal of Criminal Justice 44:309--333, 2019). Although specialized training may remedy this problem, the relatively…

Differential reinforcement of other behavior (DRO) is a commonly used reinforcement-based system for reducing problem behavior. DRO systems are particularly useful in that they are effective for the treatment of maladaptive behavior and can be individualized based on the needs of the learner. One possible way to enhance the effectiveness of DRO…

Teachers face problem behaviors among children in classrooms of different types and they use positive or negative strategies or both to handle the problem behavior. The objective of the study was to examine to what extent the metacognitive skills of teachers and teacher trainees help in handling problem behaviors of secondary school children…

Frontal asymmetry (FA), the difference in brain activity between the left versus right frontal areas, is thought to reflect approach versus avoidance motivation. This study (2012-2021) used functional near-infrared spectroscopy to investigate if infant (M[subscript age] = 7.63 months; N = 90; n = 48 male; n = 75 White) FA in the dorsolateral…