This manual is based on a 3-year, federally funded program, Project FASTER (Functional Assessment Services for Transition, Education, and Rehabilitation), that developed functional assessment procedures and provided assessment services to adolescents and adults with learning or behavioral disorders who were involved in school-based transition…

The need for valid and reliable neuropsychological assessment procedures for differential assessment of learning disorders in children is emphasized. The neuropsychological procedures outlined are based on the theory that learning acquisition represents a hierarchy of information processing skills. A hierarchical model along with related…

Assessment of social skills is not viewed as an encapsulated diagnostic process but as one with ongoing impact on intervention programs. Assessment procedures which have developed from behavioral and social learning approaches to treatment appear to be reliable and useful. (Author/CP)

Presents the ideas and educational activities of the TRIANGLE intervention program for both hearing-impaired or deaf infants and their mothers. The program encourages children's integration into the community and into school, offers classes on everyday learning activities at home, provides counseling and audiological assessment for parents and…

This article on the Brown Attention-Deficit Disorder (ADD) Scale for Adolescents and the Brown ADD Scale for Adults describes the tests' recommended uses, administration, components, standardization, reliability, and validity. The self-report measures are designed for initial screening, as one part of a comprehensive diagnostic assessment, and for…

This article reports on DISCOVERY, a conceptual model for a clinical system of early detection and early intervention in cases of autism that has been implemented in Yokohama, Japan. Longitudinal data from 49 children who participated in a program during 1987-1990 indicate 32 were still being followed in 1999. (Contains references.) (Author/CR)

Discusses the ethnic-related differences in mental hospitalization admittance rates, diagnoses, and length of treatment. Explores reasons other than ethnic origin that may account for these differences, including socioeconomic standing, access to alternative services, bias in practitioners' assignment of diagnostic labels, and differential stigma…

The paper describes the University of Florida Multidisciplinary Diagnostic and Training Program (MDTP) which emphasizes multidisciplinary teaming in services to exceptional students, their teachers and parents, and university students. Presented are evaluation data on MDTP functions, and a discussion of the implications of a university-based…

This review of mental health service provision to people with mental retardation in Australia addresses: role of public and private agencies, adequacy of services, lack of trained medical personnel, overemphasis on diagnosis, separation of diagnosis from treatment, lack of coordination among departments, inadequate services for moderately and…

An approach to the diagnosis of pervasive developmental disorders is presented that considers the difficulties in relationships and communication secondary to sensory and motor processing deficits. These difficulties are conceptualized as Multisystem Developmental Disorder (MSDD), and case vignettes illustrate typical patterns of MSDD and…

This study examined self-assessments of 40 medical residents and competence expectations of 4 primary care internal medicine faculty and 10 medical specialty faculty. Specialty faculty members reported higher expectations for diagnostic performance than did faculty in primary care. Involvement of residents and faculty members in developing…

This study analyzed diagnostic profiles of 151 children with disabilities receiving Head Start services. Three clinical clusters emerged which described the children along demographic, developmental/medical, family/home, and academic dimensions. Far more children with learning disabilities (26%) and serious emotional disturbances (29%) were…

A study compared effects of two methods of teaching geriatric dentistry: traditional approach based on readings, and computer-assisted simulation of patient interaction and clinical decision making. Although subjects (n=20) showed no significant differences by treatment, computer-trained students had statistically nonsignificant higher performance…

Reviews concerns related to diagnoses in delivery of mental health services, specifically, application of the principles of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Health Disorders (DSM-III-R) to African-American children. An alternative diagnostic model is proposed, and recommendations are made for enhancing the diagnostic process. (SLD)

Mental health services are delivered to children in many settings, including inpatient psychiatric facilities. In 1997, over 280,000 children and adolescents were admitted to inpatient psychiatric settings for services related to emotional or behavioral disorders. Building a bridge between hospital and school professionals is necessary to maintain…