Mental disorders are diagnosable conditions characterized by changes in thinking, mood, or behavior (or some combination of these) that can cause a person to feel stressed out and impair his or her ability to function. These disorders are common in adolescence. This "Adolescent Health Highlight" presents the warning signs of mental disorders;…

Students with emotional and behavioral disorders are at great risk for long-term negative outcomes. Researchers and practitioners alike acknowledge the need for evidence-based, preventive, and early intervention strategies. Accordingly, in this chapter an expanded view of prevention is presented as a series of data driven decisions to guide…

The emphasis or focus of a professional association often shifts imperceptibly over time in ways that neither its membership nor its leadership seems able to recognize until pivotal events compel it to do so. The historical shift from psychodynamic to behavioral approaches in special education for children with emotional or behavioral disorders…

The purpose of the present chapter is to provide an overview of issues facing families of children and youths with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD). We argue that although much is written about families of individuals with disabilities, comparatively little is known about families with children in this category. We suggest that the…

This document provides policy recommendations of the Council for Children with Behavioral Disorders regarding the use of physical restraint procedures in schools. It includes (a) an introduction, (b) a declaration of principles, and (c) recommendations regarding the use of physical restraint in school settings. Explanation or elaboration of…

This article outlines the conceptual and empirical basis for an inference-based approach (IBA) to treating obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The IBA considers that in most cases the obsessional process begins with an initial doubt (e.g., "Maybe my hands are not clean"; "Perhaps the door was not locked"; "There's a chance I made an error"; "I…

Students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) present unique programming challenges to school personnel because of the wide variability of clinical symptoms and the high rates of emotional and/or behavior disorders (EBD) that can affect learning outcomes. Currently, there is little empirically based guidance to assist in determining the support…

Social skills are prerequisite to academic performance and success in school. Training of these skills is particularly important for students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) who have social deficits and struggle maintaining appropriate and accepted behavior in and outside of the classroom. Educating through the "physical" model is a…

This article presents an introduction to "The Behavior-Analytic Origins of Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy: An Example of Behavioral Neurorehabilitation," by Edward Taub and his colleagues (Taub, 2012). Based on extensive experimentation with animal models of peripheral nerve injury, Taub and colleagues have created an approach to overcoming…

Early adolescence is the period where the transition from child to adult takes place gradually. A major physical and cognitive change during this period is accompanied by social and emotional development. The growth spurt in this period makes them stronger and plays an important role in developing self identities. The journey through this crucial…

Recent trends toward the inclusion of students with disabilities mean that a majority of students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) now spend at least 40% of their day in general education settings. With this change in location, teachers in general education settings are now asked to perform tasks that were not given much emphasis…

Nicholas Long is one of the nation's foremost leaders in the field of reeducating troubled children and youth. During a career that has spanned more than 50 years, he has created and administered model psycho-educational treatment programs, authored or coauthored seven texts and more than 100 articles, and developed video series about working with…

It's a call every principal dreads: A student loses control and is endangering himself or herself, other students, teachers, and staff. Responding quickly--and appropriately--requires clear thinking, comprehensive training, and knowledge of sound policies and techniques. Even then, seclusion and restraint practices can be controversial. A recent…

Traditional diagnosis treats behavior problems as "disorders" in the individual rather than "discord" in relationships. From an ecological perspective, a "problem" involves behavior that hurts self or others. Three global patterns of problems are: Inconsiderate of Others, Inconsiderate of Self, and Low Self-Worth. Strength-based assessment…

This article describes the application of a behavioral parent training program, Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT), in the treatment of behavior disorders in young children. PCIT is unique in that it works with both the child and parent in treatment and it focuses on improving the parent-child relationship as a means to improving parent and…