For students with emotional disability (ED), school can be a stressful experience marked by disapproval, rejection, isolation, and shame. Staff serving these students in a large school district received Response Ability Pathways (RAP) training. This article summarizes positive impacts on behavior, as well as ongoing challenges in changing school…

Approximately 14 to 17 percent of adolescents today self-harm, deliberately cutting, burning, or bruising themselves. Most self-harming adolescents use the behavior as a coping strategy to get immediate relief from emotional distress or other stressors in their lives. Stressors include fitting in with peers, activity and homework overload, fears…

In this article, the authors present an overview of a Web-based electronic system for behavioral-progress monitoring. Behavioral-progress monitoring is necessary to evaluate responsiveness to behavioral interventions, the effects of positive behavioral support, and the attainment of individualized education program goals and objectives. The…

Generally recognized as the standard work in its field, "Behavioral, Social, and Emotional Assessment of Children and Adolescents" provides a comprehensive foundation and guide for conducting conceptually sound, culturally responsive, and ecologically oriented assessments of student social and emotional behavior. It is aimed at graduate…

The authors begin this article by introducing a student, Andy, who has emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD). Andy is the kind of student who needs to be given more responsibility for his own behavior. In this article, the authors illustrate why and how that can be done. The authors focus predominantly on the strategy of self-monitoring and how…

Many students with emotional and behavioral disabilities do not receive the social skills training required for success in inclusive school settings or life after graduation. Teachers often cite lack of training and motivation as factors explaining this. This article describes a teaching sequence that enables students to create and utilize their…

As many as 9 in 10 justice-involved youth are affected by traumatic childhood experiences. According to "Healing Invisible Wounds: Why Investing in Trauma-Informed Care for Children Makes Sense," between 75 and 93 percent of youth currently incarcerated in the justice system have had at least one traumatic experience, including sexual…

Trisha Waters presents the theoretical basis for Therapeutic Storywriting Groups, an outline of how they work in practice and a summary of the research report commissioned by SERSEN to evaluate their impact on pupils' learning. The article finishes with a short case study of a nine-year-old boy who is on the special educational needs register for…

This brief synthesis provides a summary of intervention practices that are supported by empirical evidence for promoting adaptive social-emotional behavior of young children in group contexts (e.g., pre-K classrooms; child care settings). The focus of the synthesis is on toddlers and preschool children who are identified as having disabilities or…

Asian Americans are commonly perceived as the diligent and high-achieving "model minority." This positive stereotype has negative consequences for this ethnic minority group because it trivializes their social and mental health problems. This image of success has made many overlook the true nature of the struggles many Asian American families have…

Children who have experienced relational trauma present a host of problems and are often diagnosed with psychiatric disorders and then medicated. But there is evidence that commonly used drugs interfere with oxytocin or vasopressin, the human trust and bonding hormones. Thus, psychotropic drugs may impair interpersonal relationships and impede…

When the Commission on Children At Risk--a group of 33 children's doctors, research scientists, mental health and youth service professionals--presented to the Nation its report on the crises of deteriorating mental and behavioral health of children in the US, the 83-page report was entitled "Hardwired to Connect: The New Scientific Case for…

Using the new "emerging adulthood" developmental period (Arnett, 2000) as a theoretical framework, this article emphasizes the challenges faced by emerging adults (17- to 24-year-olds) enrolled in adult education. First, emerging adulthood as a developmental period and the additional difficulties experienced by youths with emotional,…

African American males are overrepresented among youth in special education identified as having emotional and behavioral disorders. Compared to other youth in special education, they have the least access to needed services and the worst social and academic outcomes. Little empirically supported guidance exists to inform the development of…

Providing child-centred play opportunities and re-creating early attachment experiences facilitates a child's social and emotional development, as well as giving time and space for self-expression and relaxation. Play therapists provide these conditions after lengthy and intensive training. Para-professionals are now being trained and supported in…