The current study outlines the successful behavioral assessment and treatment of compulsive behaviors in a high-functioning adolescent with autism. After a functional assessment suggested that compulsive behavior was maintained by both social--negative and social--positive reinforcement, we demonstrated effects of functional communication…

Using Consensual Qualitative Research, researchers examined teachers' experiences in the student referral process, specifically how they determined when and to whom a referral should be made. Results indicate that teachers actively work to engage students and families in strong relationships to avoid referrals and that certain behaviors are more…

Developmental support agencies support many adults with intellectual disabilities in the community. Unfortunately, these adults often exhibit high rates of challenging behaviour, which present significant pressures on these service providers. Agencies need to develop effective means of increasing their capacity to provide quality support. Previous…

Universal screening for social, emotional, and behavioral risk is an important method for identifying students in need of additional or targeted support (Eklund and Dowdy in School Mental Health 6:40-49, 2014). Research is needed to explore how potential bias may be implicated in universal screening. We investigated student demographics as…

Maternal depression is a well-established risk factor for the development of depression in offspring. As such, reducing maternal depression may be key to effective prevention efforts to reduce offspring's depression. Based on the broad risk represented by maternal depression, examining cross-over effects of parent-focused interventions on maternal…

Teachers spend a significant amount of time redirecting students, addressing problem behaviors, and transitioning the class, leading to less instructional time. The Color Wheel System (CWS) is a classroom behavioral management intervention that uses clear, specific rules for different activities. It can be implemented in a variety of classrooms…

Several literature reviews have indicated the effectiveness of visual schedules (VS) to increase engagement and decrease problem behavior related to transitions for individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, Lequia et al. (2012) noted that VS are typically combined with multiple intervention components, making it unclear…

Differential reinforcement of other behavior (DRO) is a reinforcement schedule that commonly includes the delivery of a reinforcer following an interval during which a target behavior did not occur and extinction (i.e., the reinforcer is withheld following any instances of the target behavior). Although interventions using DRO schedules can…

Student misbehaviour presents a barrier to the successful education of students and the ability for teachers to be most effective in their classroom. The current approaches being utilized to manage behaviour in classrooms range from punitive to functional. To move school educators away from punitive measures and towards a functional view of…

Although there is robust evidence of the benefits of attachment-based parenting interventions, limited research has examined their impact on dyadic mutuality and toddler behavior problems. Given the central question in prevention research of what works for whom, and the documented relation of maternal psychological risk to parenting and…

Many students in schools may demonstrate problem behaviors and show signs of academic disengagement behaviors in schools, especially students who are educated in upper-secondary schools. Exhibition of problem behaviors may negatively affect students' academic performance. These students need to receive effective interventions, such as behavioral…

Bullying victimization, which adversely affects the physical and mental health of adolescents, may trigger bullying behaviors. This study aimed to explore the potential pathways from traditional bullying victimization to becoming a bullying perpetrator and to compare the differences between traditional and cyberbullying perpetration. This study…

Adolescent risky behaviors are often interpreted as products of self-control failures stemming from a developmental mismatch between reward processing and cognitive control systems. However, adolescents -- much like adults -- may also engage in risky behaviors because of conscious and deliberate (even if objectively poor) decisions. It is not easy…

Globally, one in three women experiences domestic violence over their lifetimes. Yet, the factors that shape adult behavior toward domestic violence remain poorly understood. We examine the effect of exposure to political violence in early stages of life on likelihood of domestic violence in marital life. Combining household level survey with…

The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) is a brief instrument developed primarily for screening children and adolescents for social-emotional learning. The SDQ contains four factors related to socio-emotional difficulties and one factor related to prosocial behaviour. However, studies of its factor structure have produced mixed results.…