Attachment disorders are a relatively rare condition affecting children. This is particularly true for those who are adopted or living in foster care, and are thought to be attributed to an interruption in the bonding between a child and his or her caregiver. Attachment disorders are divided into two distinct categories: a predominately withdrawn…

Richard Simpson is professor of special education at the University of Kansas (KU). Dr. Simpson's duties at KU have included roles of staff psychologist, teaching associate, assistant professor, project director, associate professor, professor, and chairperson for the Department of Special Education. He has directed numerous University of Kansas…

Sheldon Braaten career has focused on children and youth with significant behavior and emotional challenges. His career has spanned experiences from a mental health therapist, special education teacher, school administrator, and university professor. Sheldon founded the Behavioral Institute for Children and Adolescents and initiated the…

The use of behavioral skills training (BST) to educate 3 adolescent boys on the risks of lighters and fire setting was evaluated using in situ assessment in a school setting. Two participants had a history of fire setting. After training, all participants adhered to established rules: (a) avoid a deactivated lighter, (b) leave the training area,…

It is well documented that applied behavior analysis (ABA) approaches to intervention for young children with ASD have a strong evidence-base. Although federal special education law mandates that early intervention services and supports be implemented within the natural environment to the maximum extent appropriate, many young children with ASD…

Students with behavior disorders often require specific interventions to improve their behavioral outcomes. Common interventions to use with these students include teaching appropriate behaviors, focusing on positive behaviors, noting the start of behaviors and intervening early, and providing appropriate reinforcements. To enhance the…

Relying on external supports to shape the behaviors of students with emotional/behavioral disorders (EBD) is risky as these classroom supports may not generalize to internal strategies that students can use independently in the community. Two special educators approached building self-determination skills in their students with EBD from different…

An increasing challenge for many secondary special education teachers is preparing students for the writing demands in postsecondary settings. The self-regulated strategy development (SRSD) model of writing instruction, considered an evidence-based practice, is an effective strategy for enhancing the writing skills of students with disabilities,…

Intervention for behavioural and psychiatric disorders in people with intellectual disabilities often only takes place once these conditions are well established and more resistant to change. As an alternative, this paper promotes a public health prevention model and maps out opportunities for intervention at primary, secondary and tertiary…

Collaboration between special educators and transition coordinators is important to lower recidivism rates among juvenile offenders with disabilities. This column provides best practice transition guidelines and urges special education teachers, special education coordinators, and transition coordinators in juvenile correctional facilities to…

Occupational therapists have a long standing history of working side by side teachers to enhance the writing skills of children. More recently, therapists are now promoting literacy and sharing their expertise with fellow professionals. This review will highlight research and resources occupational therapists can utilize to facilitate the literacy…

Researchers have demonstrated the positive outcomes of using video self-modeling (VSM) with students with emotional behavior disorders (EBDs). VSM typically refers to teacher-created videos demonstrating desired skills or behaviors where the student is the video model performing the skill at a level higher than his or her typical display. The…

Perseveration comprises repetition of actions, verbalization, and interacting with objects in an alternate manner, and exists throughout the lifespan of people with autism spectrum disorder. The article discusses perseveration in autism, autism and its incidence in public schools, description of perseveration in the classroom, significance,…

As part of an ongoing oral history project, a conversation was held with Dr. Mary Margaret Kerr on the past, present, and possible future of the field of providing services to children with emotional-behavioral disorders. Dr. Wood stresses the increasing importance of providing an interdisciplinary approach to meet the needs for children or, as…

Skills related to social-emotional learning (SEL) are essential for college and career readiness. Failure to use appropriate skills for SEL in school is often linked to several negative academic outcomes, including rejection by school community members, academic deficits, and higher rates of problematic behavior. Social skills interventions are…