In the 25 years since the publication of the article reprinted in this issue of "Behavioral Disorders", a tremendous amount of research and opinion has been published on the topics of functional analysis, functional assessment, and assessment-based interventions. In this commentary, we reflect on the context in which our original work…

Special education teachers have one of the most challenging and stressful jobs in public education, which often leads to increased burnout. High levels of burnout have, in turn, been related to lower levels of fidelity of implementation in delivery of evidence-based behavior interventions. The purpose of this position paper is to (a) propose…

Dr. Tim Lewis provides his reflections on his career working as a researcher-teacher to address the issues of children with challenges. Dr. Lewis also provides his advice for those entering the field.

George Sugai is the Carole J. Neag Endowed Chair in Behavior Disorders in the Neag School of Education at the University of Connecticut. He previously served on the faculty at the University of Oregon and the University of Kentucky. At Connecticut, Dr. Sugai and colleagues established the Center for Behavioral Educational and Research…

This article presents an interview with James Kauffman, a professor emeritus of education at the University of Virginia, where he has been chair of the Department of Special Education, associate dean for research, the Charles S. Robb Professor of Education, and the William Clay Parrish, Jr. Professor of Education. Dr. Kauffman is a former teacher…

The author of this commentary responds to an article titled "How We Might Make Special Education for Students with Emotional or Behavioral Disorders Less Stigmatizing," by J.M. Kaufmann and J. Bader, who maintain that identifying youth as having emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) and providing treatment for them is viewed to be…

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,…

Dr. Mary Margaret Wood is best known for developing psychoeducational programs that integrate mental health and special education interventions for children with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD). Developmental Therapy (DT) includes comprehensive assessment of student behavior, communication, social, and cognitive development,…

This commentary includes a brief discussion of issues raised by the articles and systematic review contained in this special issue addressing technology applications for persons with severe developmental disabilities. Topical areas include a discussion of: (1) a need to compare "high tech" with "low tech" applications, (2) procedural fidelity, (3)…

This paper offers a commentary on the articles in the special series on cognitive behavior therapy with older adults (Carmin, 2012-this issue), noting the commonalities found across discussions of diagnostic interviewing and cognitive-behavioral assessment and treatment for late-life insomnia, depression and suicide risk, PTSD, and OCD. These case…

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…

"Response-to-Intervention" (RTI) refers to a framework for providing support to struggling learners in the general education setting. To date, RTI models have focused primarily on reading intervention and typically utilize a three-tier approach. RTI models are designed to provide high-quality instruction using evidence-based best…

This paper offers modifications to the position of Horner and others (EC 232 976), including tying the level of approval required for an intervention to the seriousness of the behavior problem. The paper proposes that the debate over the use of "aversives" is finished, and attention should now be turned to how best to use positive…

In response to Horner and others (EC 232 976), this paper notes earlier recommendation of procedural safeguards to protect client rights and encouragement of positive procedures to increase adaptive skills but questions whether a positive but slow intervention is more ethically valid than more quickly effective "aversive" interventions…

The original authors (EC 232 976) respond to reactions (EC 232 977-980) concerning their proposals regarding nonaversive behavior management. Noted is the optimistic support for people with severe problem behaviors and the expansion of variables considered when building a support plan. Stressed is the need for nonaversive support technology based…