This paper reviews the functional properties and procedural variations of differential reinforcement for the reduction of behavior disorders in individuals with developmental disabilities. The paper proposes that limited success may be a result of the arbitrary relationship that exists between reinforcers and target behaviors when behavioral…

This article examines the body of case law which has developed over the appropriate use of various timeout procedures (e.g., exclusion, seclusion/isolation) of students with behavior disorders. Seven guidelines for the legally correct application of timeout procedures are offered. (DB)

This literature review of family factors associated with externalizing behavior disorders such as hyperactivity and aggression in preschoolers found that: (1) preschoolers with externalizing disorders had families who were more likely than comparison families to have at least one type of negative characteristic; and (2) family characteristics were…

Review of the literature on early development of typical and abnormal stereotyped and self-injurious behaviors found that such behaviors usually reach a maximum at age 2 and then decline but may increase again when the child reaches school age. Findings suggest that the second year may be a sensitive period for emergence of abnormal stereotyped…

Research and programs in gifted education and programs for students who exhibit emotional and behavioral disabilities (EBD) do not often consider students who display violent or other negative behaviors and also exhibit gifted and talented behaviors. A qualitative analysis of responses to an interview with one such individual reveals information…

This article introduces a special issue focusing on antisocial behavior in schools. It summarizes following articles on the prevention of violence and other antisocial behavior and concludes schools need to replace shortsighted, reactive approaches to student discipline with approaches that address the causes of antisocial behavior. (Contains…

This article discusses underlying causes for the increase in crime and drug and alcohol use rates in Russian youth. The need for practical help from political and administrative authorities, better coordination of interadministrative prophylactic activities, preventative programs, and fruitful use of positive international experiences in fighting…

Research has uncovered a large number of risk factors that can place a child at risk for showing severe antisocial and aggressive behavior and to be diagnosed with conduct disorder. In this paper, recent research is outlined that has organized these risk factors into distinct pathways, each involving somewhat distinct causal processes, through…

The present paper reviews the literature regarding time-out interventions employed in home, school, and clinical settings. Characteristics examined include types of time-out, populations and settings, legal implications, and research implications. Policy recommendations for teachers, parents, and clinicians regarding time-out interventions are…

This study conducted a descriptive analysis of the research literature on teaching social skills to youth with behavioral disorders. Analysis focused on studies which used a single-subject research design. The 22 articles, representing 38 separate studies, were analyzed in terms of: (1) nature of independent variables; (2) distribution of…

An extensive review of the adolescent runaway literature indicated inconsistent findings regarding the presence, severity, and chronicity of psychopathological behavior among this high-risk group. Three experiments were conducted to address these issues using one personality measure, the Personality Inventory for Children (PIC). The results of the…

The paper proposes a model which combines traditional metacognitive explanations for the acquisition of social skills in behaviorally disordered adolescents with situationally specific environment variables. Research is reported suggesting that newly learned social skills may not generalize to a wider variety of real life situations because social…

A review of 25 epidemiological studies of behavior disorders from 16 foreign countries indicated prevalence rates for children in other countries were much higher than those in the United States and were more in harmony with the incidence figures for adult populations both in the United States and in other countries. (Author/CB)

Originally developed to treat antisocial behavior, multisystemic therapy (MST) has emerged as a leading evidence-based treatment for serious emotional disturbance in children and adolescents. This manual presents the MST approach to working with this challenging population. Delineated are ways to develop and implement collaborative interventions…

The present study was directed at evaluating the relationship between ADHD, ODD/CD, and other diagnoses in children who exhibit aggressive behavior. Six hundred eighteen children (436 boys and 182 girls), ages 9 to 13 participated in the project. Two hundred eight children (164 boys, 44 girls) were diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity…