In the face of rising white nationalism, multicultural education is simply not enough. In addition to suggestions for curriculum and instruction, in this article the author suggests that teachers, parents, administrators, and students need to be organizing to push back against this tide of racism, sexism, and xenophobia and find ways to concretely…

The number of children estimated to suffer mental health disorders, and therefore, creating the need for special education services for children with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD), is between 5% and 25% of children under the age of 18 (Brauner & Stephens, 2006). Admittedly, not all children with EBD have been identified and served,…

Responds to M. Stanton's comments on the current author's original article. One of the puzzles of motivational interviewing is why it works at all. How can it be that an individual interview or two yields change in a long-standing problem behavior even without any effort to alter social context? The time involved is such a tiny part of the…

This article explores the views of several UK officials on the concepts of performativity and the culture of performance on knowledge management. In his recorded statement in a new BBC4 series, Chancellor Gordon Brown stated that the markets provide opportunities for prosperity, but equally they are not automatically equated with the public…

Elder abuse has received attention among professionals only recently; consequently, guidelines for identification and intervention strategies for the professional in the clinical setting remain speculative and untested. Because the problem of family violence is multidimensional, no professional can be expected to meet the needs of every member of…

This commentary outlines considerations in assessing (and programing for) social validity to attain results that are valued by client audiences. It discusses the objectives and contexts of several types of social validation, procedures for conducting a social validation, and questions addressed by researchers in assessing social validity. (JDD)

There are at least three aspects to the psychological impact of acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) on children. First is the psychological response of the child with AIDS; second, the response of the child in a group at high risk for AIDS; and third, the psychological response of children in general to the perceived threat from AIDS.…

This response to Drash et al. discusses these issues: the historical context of total habilitation of the retarded; the need for a clear conceptualization of intelligence and social adaptation; and the obstacles of society, the profession, attitudes, and the human service structure to the intensive pedagogic matrix required for total habilitation.…

This commentary on assessing the social validity of behavior-change programs examines which groups should be included in the assessment, whether social validity assessment should be required, and whether new methods are needed. The paper notes that social validation should be an interactive process between researcher and consumer. (JDD)

This literature review focuses on the overrepresentation of African-American males in special education. The most prevalent factors that contribute to this epidemic are poverty and the perceptions of teachers, their attitudes towards African-American men and the lack of their cultural understandings. Not only does this literature review focus on…

Discussed are characteristics of the modern Canadian family and the social context within which the issues of adolescent pregnancy and adolescent sexuality arise. Various options for families and related ambivalent attitudes toward such personal freedoms are described. The historical evolution of western industrialized society is briefly sketched,…

This article challenges applied behavior analysts to use their knowledge of consumer behavior and effective educational strategies to provide consumers with useful information, thereby enabling them to make informed decisions. This will decrease the misconceptions that many consumers have about behavior analysis, thus improving the social validity…

Young people in trouble can be seen as passive victims of circumstance who are in need of help; as individuals responsible for their own behavior who need to be punished; or as sufferers from medical conditions who require treatment. This paper will examine the history of policy relating to pupils with social, emotional and behavioral difficulties…

A review of current theory and practice regarding social skills training for children with behavior problems precedes the proposal of a different approach to social skills training, which takes into account the effects of social perception biases of peers which may hinder mainstreaming attempts. (Author/CB)

The original authors address several concerns expressed in four responses to their article: terminology; the need for expert and intensive pedagogy (including early intensive language training); pessimistic attitudes; the need for caution in setting total habilitation as a goal; and a research model. (KM)