The paper considers the nature of support and counseling needed by parents of emotionally disturbed/behavior disordered adolescents. Seven potential areas of conflict for the adolescent are identified and explained with the intention of providing parents with greater understanding of their children's lives. Crises are explained to include conflict…

A teacher of behaviorally disordered children notes the unease which members of her profession feel towards therapy and urges that principles of psychotherapy be reexamined for possible incorporation into instruction. Four premises are addressed: (1) that excluding counseling and psychotherapeutic interventions limits the helping role of teachers;…

The authors discuss the nature, use, and application of behavioral rating scales for students with behavior disorders. An annotated list of eight behavioral rating scales is included. (CL)

Special education for the behaviorally disordered is described as being at an adolescent stage of development. The current state of the profession is compared with such characteristics of adolescence as overestimation of abilities and importance, underestimation of needs, lack of tolerance for ambiguity, and uncertain identity. (Author/JW)

Rational-emotive education integrates the cognitive, behavioral, and emotional aspects of personality and encourages behavior disordered students to discuss and work through their problems. Teachers need to display warmth, empathy, and be active-directive to help students manage their feelings and behaviors. (CL)

This article introduces three papers on life space interviewing, by reviewing the history of the method as originated in Fritz Redl's "When We Deal with Children" (1966). The fundamentals of the technique's therapeutic applications for children with behavioral disorders, initial reactions to the technique, and ongoing debate are…

The Oak Park and River Forest High School (Oak Park, Illinois) Behavior Disordered Program Continuum has attempted mainstreaming of behavior-disordered students in a systematic, gradual manner. This paper describes the program, defines the role of support personnel and the unique role of the mainstream facilitator, and presents mainstreaming…

Discusses solvent abuse, or the inhalation of chemically intoxicating vapors from consumer products that are otherwise safe when used as intended. Presents a list of products typically abused by children, the statistics which indicate that this problem is on the rise, and the physical warning signs that parents and teachers should not overlook.…

This article describes the use of structured interviews to obtain information on which to base hypotheses about the functions of students' behavior disorders and the effectiveness of alternative interventions to teach new behavior. Phases and purposes of the structured interview are illustrated with several examples. (DB)

This article reviews general classes of variables which help to maintain aberrant behavior including attention seeking, sensory and perceptual consequences, and access to materials or activities. Suggestions for a methodology providing a comprehensive functional analysis are offered which include descriptive analysis, hypothesis forming,…

Offers guidelines to assist school personnel in addressing pica, an eating disorder involving consumption of nonedible substances frequently observed in people with mental retardation. Guidelines are organized around principles that stress surveying the situation, selecting treatments (behavioral, nutritional, and/or medical), and considering the…

This article introduces this special issue focused on application of guidelines based on the consensus of experts to the treatment of psychiatric and behavioral problems in persons with mental retardation. It explains the method of developing the guidelines, the limitations and advantages of the guidelines, and the organization of the guidelines.…

This article provides a review of current literature on the comparative validity of different functional assessment and analysis strategies. It describes functional assessment as an outcome-driven process and explains observational assessment strategies and using assessment information to plan interventions. A proposed process for teachers and…

This booklet provides a synthesis of the literature and practical suggestions on dealing with violence and aggression in the schools. It is designed to help educators develop the skills to become more competent in preventing and responding to aggressive and violent acts. Particular attention is given to application of a transdisciplinary model.…

This paper discusses the role of social workers in uncovering the learning problems that contribute to the inappropriate school behavior of students classified as severely emotionally impaired. Case studies are used to illustrate students' weakened self esteem, the marked discrepancy between verbal and performance scores, the presence of factors…