Issues surrounding disciplinary exclusion of seriously emotionally disturbed children from public schools are addressed, along with applicable federal legislation, court cases, and Office of Civil Rights (OCR) opinions. Exclusion is defined as the removal from, or the prohibition of, participating in the public school program in part or entirety,…

The paper reviews research on parental effects on the child, child effects on the parent, and reciprocal effects for the child's characteristics in general and for conduct disorder in particular. Evidence is cited which suggests validity of both the adult-to-child and child-to-adult effects model. Addressing the question of where the preponderant…

The chapter outlines an approach to teaching behavior-disordered students to follow the largely unwritten rules of being "good students." A section on research and theory addresses attributions and perceptions, dependence, study skills, and social skills training. Assessment philosophy and procedures are reviewed, including the collection of…

A 1980 study of special education teachers' reports on the availability and usefulness of several types of assessment information for emotionally disturbed/behaviorally disordered students was replicated and results compared. Overall progress was found, with notable increases in availability for types that teachers consider educationally relevant,…

The article examines strategies for preventing suicide in the secondary schools. Cognitive, social, and ethical barriers to prevention are described, and a model curriculum-based primary prevention program is presented. A discussion of secondary prevention focuses on students at risk and counseling approaches such as direct counseling or peer…

This monograph presents some of the current developments in curriculum and instruction for students with emotional/behavioral disorders. After an introductory chapter, Chapter 2, "Multicultural Education and Students with Emotional/Behavioral Disorders" (Xu Di, Susan Stewart, and Martha Lisner), discusses how teachers can use culturally…

First addresses the use of destructive labels to describe students with behavior disorders, including negative multiassessment practices, weakness-focused Individualized Education Plans (IEPs), punitive management programs, disparaging remarks, and behavioral descriptions that accentuate student weaknesses. It then suggests ways to promote dignity…

Addresses the use of functional assessment in making treatment decisions with students having emotional/behavioral disorders. Discussion covers indirect and direct measures of the relationship between the target behavior and variables maintaining the behavior. Strategies for selecting and verifying hypothesis-driven treatment decisions are…

This article describes use of "comic strip conversations," a type of social story adapted for younger students or those with limited verbal communication skills. It utilizes simple symbols, stick figures, and color to identify key elements of a social interaction. Three steps to implementing the technique are explained and illustrated with…

This article for teachers provides basic information on psychiatric disorders and treatments. It covers oppositional defiant and conduct disorders, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, depression or other mood disorders, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia or other psychotic disorders, and autistic spectrum disorders. Insets provide additional…

A project combined precision teaching techniques and a flashcard approach known as SAFMEDS, with 4 students with learning disabilities or behavior disorders, age 14-18. Project results determined that the techniques provided students with necessary skills to pass the school district's minimum competency test in the area of local, state, and…

This study organizes items from seven behavior rating instruments into as few behavior clusters as possible. Methods used include card sort activities and a panel of experts examining items to establish their subgroup placement. Findings indicate a method for organizing behavior descriptors into clearly defined subgroupings and unifying behavior…

This article analyzes four federal court cases dealing with the use of reductive interventions to manage the behaviors of behaviorally disordered students in public schools. Definitions and principles of corporal punishment, suspension, expulsion, and timeout are outlined; and the legal status of these punishment procedures is explained.…

This article focuses on current theories and practices in educating students with behavioral disorders, including the intrapsychic, psychoeducational, and structured/behavioral models. The history of the field is reviewed and a practical way of viewing behavior from a theoretical perspective is offered, with examples connecting theory and…

Presented is a form which uses an ecological approach to the assessment of emotionally disturbed and behavior-disordered children and their families. The form covers demographic information, family relationships, child's developmental and medical history, child's school history, service treatment history, typical day descriptions, and behavior.…