Notes that working with students who have behavioral problems requires that professionals immunize themselves against burnout. Sees healthy adult mentoring as probably most salient human factor that helps at-risk youth make better choices. Contends that development of trust through bonding enables such youth to leave safety of their self-defeating…

Discusses the implementation of a charter middle school serving at-risk students in Louisiana and intended to provide an alternative to expulsion. Reviews the school's objectives, school governance and charter law compliance, educational program, accountability, and preliminary progress. Considers the level of attainment for each of 13 goals for…

An entirely different approach is needed regarding the way in which troubled learners are perceived and approached. The removal of traditional punitive methods has left many educators unequipped for youth showing destructive behavior. This article reviews the shift towards a restorative approach within education in the Western Cape, South Africa.…

We examined the interrater reliability of the "Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths-Mental Health" (CANS-MH) scale among researchers and between researchers and clinicians. All children presenting to a treatment facility for either protective or mental health needs were eligible to be included in the study. As part of standard assessment…

The development of preventive interventions targeting adolescent problem behaviors requires a thorough understanding of risk and protective factors for such behaviors. However, few studies examine whether different cultural and ethnic groups share these factors. This study is an attempt to fill a gap in research by examining similarities and…

We compared threats of violence made by K-12 students in special education (120 cases) or general education (136 cases) in schools that were implementing threat assessment guidelines for managing student threats of violence (Cornell, Sheras, Kaplan, McConville, Posey, Levy-Elkon, et al., 2004; Cornell & Sheras, in press). Students in special…

We examined contextual factors that may affect the impact of physical discipline on later child behavior problems among high-risk Black and White families. We examined race, parental warmth, and early child problems as potential moderators of the discipline-behavior problem link. The sample included 442 White and Black children and their…

Objective: To discover the outcomes for children placed late for adoption (between 5 and 11 years old) from public care and to establish which factors predict poorer outcome. Method: Data were collected prospectively (1993-2003) from a representative sample of domestic U.K. adoptive placements (N = 108) at the start of placement, at 1 year, and 6…

This paper reports the preliminary findings of a county-wide study of alcohol and other drug (AOD) behaviors and influences among 2,229 randomly selected students in grade 8, 10, and 12. The discussion focuses on behavioral, cognitive, and environmental predictors of AOD behaviors. The paper highlights a refined study of the influence of peers,…

Findings from a study of the etiology of alcoholism and conduct disorders that involved 3-year-old sons of alcoholic fathers are reported. The study focused on intact nuclear families with a son who was 3 years old at the time of initial data collection and a father who was diagnosed as definitely or probably alcoholic. Alcoholic families were…

This paper describes a study of African-American families (N=10) that have one son in placement in a youth facility. The paper investigates the social context of behavioral problems among these Detroit youth, exploring the challenges faced by low-income minority families. Participants in the study described critical events in their lives, and…

A study of 370 male and 2,681 female adolescents with a history of sexual abuse found that males were at higher risk than females for poor school performance, delinquent activities, extreme use of alcohol and marijuana, and sexual risk taking. Female victims showed higher risk for suicidal ideation and behavior, frequent use of alcohol, and…

Tested whether adolescent internalizing and externalizing problems, heavy alcohol use, fathers' parenting, and family conflict varied over time with fluctuations in fathers' alcohol impairment. Found that adolescent symptomology and family environment did not vary over time as function of different trajectories of paternal alcohol impairment.…

Examines the cross-situational patterns in rural and urban communities at school entry. Results show child behavior at school was heavily influenced by exposure to aggressive models and deviant peer support experienced by children in urban as compared to rural schools. This leads to higher rates of school conduct problems for children in urban…

There is mounting evidence that the majority of severe and chronic problem behaviors demonstrated by school-aged children and adolescents stem from behavior patterns that are established during early childhood. Without early identification and proactive prevention/intervention among young children at risk, problem behavior is likely to continue to…