This article reviews the psychopharmacological treatment of aggression, mood disturbances, and self-injurious behavior in persons with autistic disorder. It highlights the use of dopaminergic drugs, serotonergic drugs, opioidergic drugs, adrenergic drugs, thymoleptic drugs, and glutamatergic drugs for their potential utility in treating…

Evaluation of the Early Screening Project in a Head Start classroom-wide mental health identification and intervention over a 12- week period found that eight children identified as being at high risk for emotional/behavioral disorders prior to intervention either significantly improved or maintained their pre-intervention functioning. No…

Describes a successful school and classroom enhancement package specifically designed to prevent the development of serious antisocial behavior in children. Details the critical school-based processes related to the emergence of antisocial behavior that guide the intervention design and some preliminary positive outcome data on program…

This action research presents data about an online Master of Arts in Education (MAE) in Learning and Behavior Disorders (LBD), P-12 at Western Kentucky University. During extensive program revisions, the program developed a collaborative assessment model while preparing more than 300 special education personnel for work in rural schools.

This set of transparency masters provides information on a study of 52 adolescents with behavior disorders. The study assessed the value of teaching basic reading skills to at-risk 8th- to 10th-graders who were reading below the 4th grade level. Students were divided into three groups based on IQ level. The adolescents attended a foundation course…

These symposium papers describe various aspects of the Camp Logan, South Carolina, program, a therapeutic summer residential program for children, ages 8-14, who have significant behavior problems. The philosophy and advantages of the therapeutic camping model are discussed, e.g., structure during the summer, controlled though informal…

This issue of the quarterly publication focuses on Fostering Success in School and Beyond for Students with Emotional/Behavioral Disorders. Editorial introduction notes that today's K-12 educators must effectively work with increasingly diverse populations in their classrooms, including educating students identified as having emotional/behavioral…

This paper presents preliminary evidence for the effectiveness of a model of care designed to provide safe and effective services in both short-term shelter and short-term staff secure detention programs. Boys Town short-term crisis shelter programs were designed to provide a safe and therapeutic environment for homeless and runaway youth in need…

This paper discusses the results of a study that investigated the effectiveness of a comprehensive school-based service program in Texas. The "School for the Future" project was a 5-year demonstration project in 4 Texas cities that was designed to develop and coordinate health and social services though targeted schools in low income,…

This paper presents principles that should be considered in planning and interpreting studies of outcomes of interventions with children receiving mental health services. Principles to consider when planning outcome studies include recognizing that "outcome" refers to multiple rather than single domains and choosing outcome domains that…

This report discusses the outcomes of a study that investigated whether a self-contained (SC) or pull-out (PO) intervention model was the most effective and most supportive of children's behavioral gains over the course of the entire 1996/1997 year. Data were collected by reviewing the clinical records of children (ages 6-14) who participated in…

Describes the Alternative School Program (ASP) in Willington (Connecticut), a pull-out program that uses a "core group" team approach to provide special services for students with behavior problems. It explains the program's methodology (facilities, operating principles, and the core group concept); its results (documentation of ASP…

Nineteen adolescents (ages 13 to 17) attending a British special school for children with special educational needs and emotional/behavioral difficulties attended a four-day outdoor development program. Qualitative and quantitative methods were used to evaluate outcomes in the three areas of group cohesion, tension/anxiety levels, and physical…

Some behavior disordered children drift from agency to agency, with little continuity or communication among services. The price paid is a high one, not only in dollars, but also in terms of negative personal, family, professional, and community consequences. A sense of interagency collaboration needs to be revitalized. (JW)

A modified cooperative learning methodology was implemented with 12 boys at a residential treatment center for oppositional adolescents. Despite their volatile behavior, limited self-control, deficient prosocial skills, and lack of group experience, they responded positively to the experience. The model is felt to effectively enhance cooperation,…