bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Dr. Russell Gersten
Authors: Brownell Mary T. , Walther-Thomas Chriss
Published: December 2008

Russell Gersten, who graduated with a PhD from the University of Oregon, is currently a full professor at the University of Oregon and a principal investigator of several federal research grants at the Eugene Research Institute. He began his work in special education in 1967. In the 1960s and 1970s, he provided direct services to teenagers with autism and taught reading and life skills to students from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. During his tenure at the University of Oregon, Dr. Gersten has focused on effective instruction for students with learning disabilities, teacher development issues, and retention issues for special education teachers. He is widely recognized for the quality of his research and its application to special education.
Aggression and Violence By School-Age Children and Youth
Authors: Myles Brenda Smith , Simpson Richard L.
Published: December 2008

Children who commit aggressive and violent acts are seen more frequently in public school and general education classrooms. Despite the increasing numbers of these students in schools, educators report that they do not have the necessary skills to work with them. This manuscript provides teachers with basic information needed to prevent and manage aggressive children and youth, specifically information regarding stages of crises and effective strategies for each stage and prevention strategies designed specifically for public school classrooms.
A Demonstration of Resilience
Authors: Miller Maurice , Fritz Marie F.
Published: December 2008

The resilience that individuals who have learning disabilities can demonstrate is illuminated through a case study. Examples from a student's description of his school history illuminate resilience themes. The article culminates in a list of things teachers can do to instill resilience in their students, based on the findings from this case study.
Discipline and IDEA 1997: Instituting a New Balance
Authors: Zurkowski Joyce K. , Kelly Peter S. , Griswold Deborah E.
Published: December 2008

The 1997 amendments to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 1990 contain new regulations concerning short-term and long-term suspension. The new amendments strike a balance between the rights of students with disabilities and the need of all students for safe and well-disciplined schools. Changes include new protections for students with disabilities and new tools for administrators to help ensure the safety of all students. The new policies and procedures for addressing behaviors and placement of students with disabilities in interim alternative educational settings under the new IDEA are discussed.
Positive Behavior Supports in General Education Settings: Combining Person-Centered Planning and Functional Analysis
Authors: Artesani A. James , Mallar Lucy
Published: December 2008

A growing body of literature supports the use of positive behavioral supports to address challenging behaviors. This case study discusses the advantages of combining person-centered planning and functional analysis to develop and implement broad-based behavioral support plans. The support plan presented here resulted in a variety of positive outcomes, including decreased challenging behaviors, increased functional communication, improved academic performance, and expanded participation in classroom activities with educational staff and peers.
Strategies for Enhancing the Performance of Students with LD in Inclusive Science Classes
Authors: Munk Dennis D. , Bruckert Jana , Call Deborah T. , Stoehrmann Traci , Radandt Erin
Published: December 2008

Many special educators have identified science instruction as a particularly useful subject for students with disabilities. A recent increase in the discussion concerning science instruction for such students may stem from general educators' receptivity toward having students with disabilities in science classes, due in part to the perception that science instruction involves more experiential learning and less reliance on reading. Despite such favorable perceptions, both general and special educators struggle to develop and deliver effective instruction in inclusive classrooms. The purpose of this article is to present an overview of curricular and instructional adaptations, modifications, and methods that have been used to provide science instruction to students with disabilities. Strategies are described within the context of a textbook-based unit on the solar system.
Issues and Trends in Culture-Fair Assessment
Authors: Zurcher Raymond
Published: December 2008

When a test is said to be biased against one or more cultural minority groups in a society, the underlying cause can take on several different forms. Some of the more common types of cultural test bias and how they may negatively affect scores are discussed here. In addition, the author reviews the case law and federal statutes that have been a driving force behind the trend of developing assessments for special education purposes that are more “cultural neutral.” Research exploring bias issues in testing is discussed; finally, several recently published ability assessments that have been developed to accommodate a variety of different backgrounds and experiences are detailed.
Margo Mastropieri
Authors: Brownell Mary T. , Thomas Chris Walther
Published: December 2008

Margo Mastropieri has been a professor of special education at Purdue University for the past 12 years. Mastropieri has focused her research and writing on content-area instruction for students with learning disabilities (LD). Along with her colleague Thomas Scruggs, Mastropieri has written numerous publications on designing and implementing effective content instruction for students with disabilities. She is well known for her research on cognitive strategy instruction and for innovative science instruction for students with LD. Dr. Mastropieri earned her undergraduate and master's degrees from the University of Massachusetts and her doctorate at Arizona State University.
The Alternatives to Residential Treatment Study: Initial Findings
Authors: Duchnowski Albert J. , Johnson Michael K. , Hall Kimberly S. , Kutash Krista , Friedman Robert M.
Published: December 2008

The Alternatives to Residential Treatment Study (ARTS) was initiated to investigate the efficacy of several innovative, community-based, child- and family-focused service programs that serve children with serious emotional disorders and their families. This article describes the methodology developed for the study and reports the preliminary findings from a sample of subjects in the first wave of a longitudinal outcome study. The data focus on the children and their families in terms of history of problems and services, cognitive and academic levels, clinical and social functioning, impact of the youth's disability on the family, and general family functioning.
Classroom Interactions of Children with Behavior Disorders
Authors: Shores Richard E. , Jack Susan L. , Gunter Philip L. , Ellis David N. , DeBriere Terry J. , Wehby Joseph H.
Published: December 2008

The purpose of this study was to identify significant social stimuli that were associated with prosocial and inappropriate behavior of children classified as severe behavior disordered (SBD). Two children from each of 19 classrooms–10 from integrated and 9 from segregated special classrooms (for children with SBD)–were observed. One student in each classroom was defined as aggressive and one student was defined as nonaggressive. The selection yielded four groups: integrated nonaggressive without SBD ( n = 10), integrated aggressive and SBD ( n = 10), segregated aggressive and SBD ( n = 9), and segregated nonaggressive and SBD ( n = 9). An exhaustive behavioral coding system was used to record sequentially the social responses between target students and their teachers and peers. The data from each group were pooled for analysis. Lag sequential analysis was used to identify the significant antecedent and subsequent social responses of each code for each group. The results indicated that most of the teacher/child interactions were composed of teacher mands followed by student compliance, with teacher positive consequences for prosocial behavior rarely occurring. All significant antecedent and subsequent social stimuli of students' aversive behaviors were identified. Results are discussed in relation to the reciprocal–coercive interaction hypothesis (Patterson & Reid, 1970), with implications for additional research.
Conduct Disorder and Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity in Child Inpatients
Authors: Kolko David J.
Published: December 2008

This study examines the relationship of conduct disorder (CD) and attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity (ADDH) in 93 psychiatrically hospitalized children. Multiple measures of symptoms/behaviors exhibited at home and in the hospital were evaluated using 2 (CD/No-CD) × 2 (ADDH/No-ADDH) analyses. CD was related to heightened aggression/violent behavior and conduct problems at home, and greater fines for deviant behavior in the hospital. ADDH was related to parent reports of heightened inattention and hyperactivity, and in-hospital measures of inattention/hyperactivity, antisocial behaviors, poor self-control, locked seclusions, and fines. No group differences were evident in history of child abuse or suicidality. There were few CD × ADDH interactions. Home and hospital measures of aggression, depression, and suicidality were significantly correlated. Diagnostic differences, comorbidity, and the study of inpatient populations are discussed.
Does the Relationship Between Poor Reading and Delinquency Hold for Males of Different Ages and Ethnic Groups?
Authors: Maguin Eugene , Loeber Rolf , LeMahieu Paul G.
Published: December 2008

The study examines the relationship between reading and delinquency for three large community samples of first-, fourth-, and seventh-grade African-American and white boys. Reading was correlated with delinquency, independent of neighborhood, SES, ethnicity, and family involvement effects. Although more African-American boys were delinquent than white boys, the likelihood of delinquency for boys with lower reading performance was the same in each ethnic group. Older boys with poor reading performance did not have a higher probability of delinquency than younger boys with poor reading performance. Thus, the association between reading performance and delinquency appears constant over the age range studied. When attention problems was entered as a control variable, it overshadowed reading performance in its association with delinquency. The seriousness of delinquent acts linearly increased the worse the reading performance for white boys in all three grades and for African-American boys in two out of the three grades. However, this linear relationship disappeared when attention problems were taken into account.
Conduct Disorders in School
Authors: Forness Steven R. , Kavale Kenneth A. , Lopez Michael
Published: December 2008

Conduct disorders is a term that has a certain ambiguity in terms of special education eligibility for public school services. Part of this ambiguity stems from problems inherent in the current school definition of Serious Emotional Disturbance (SED) and part from the fact that conduct disorders are often found to coexist with other identifiable diagnoses in the spectrum of emotional and behavioral disorders. Comparison of SED identification rates with other special education categories and examination of selected studies on comorbidity subtypes of conduct disorders illustrate the scope of current problems in special education eligibility for children with conduct disorders. A new substitute SED definition and specific early identification techniques are suggested as possible solutions.
Lag Sequential Analysis as a Tool for Functional Analysis of Student Disruptive Behavior in Classrooms
Authors: GUNTER PHILIP L. , JACK SUSAN L. , SHORES RICHARD E. , CARRELL DEBRA E. , FLOWERS JULIA
Published: December 2008

Lag sequential analysis of individual interactions was explored as a tool to generate hypotheses regarding the social control of inappropriate classroom behavior of students with severe behavior disorders. Four single subject experiments with two students who displayed high rates of disruptive behavior in special education classrooms were completed using lag sequential analysis to identify antecedent and subsequent social events that were significantly related to their disruptive behavior. Three coded events (student handraise, teacher attention, and the “stop code”) were identified as highly related to the students' disruptive behavior. Three of the four experiments were successful in reducing the students' disruptive behavior by prescribing treatment based upon the lag sequential analysis. The results of these experiments indicated that the lag sequential analysis procedure is potentially a useful tool, but additional research is needed. The results are discussed in terms of the usefulness of the analysis procedures in contributing to the functional analysis of students' classroom behavior.
The Assessment of Depression in Children
Authors: STARK KEVIN D. , KASLOW NADINE J. , LAURENT JEFF
Published: December 2008

Evaluation of the overlap in symptomatology of depressed, anxious, and depressed and anxious children is described. Fifty-nine children from grades 4 through 7, including 14 who received a DSM-III-R diagnosis of a depressive disorder, 11 with a diagnosis of an anxiety disorder, 16 with a comorbid depressive and anxiety disorder, and 18 nondisturbed controls, completed the Children's Depression Inventory, Revised Children's Manifest Anxiety Scale, Hopelessness Scale for Children, and Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory. Diagnoses were determined by the children's responses to a well-respected semi-structured clinical interview. Results indicated that all three diagnostic groups differed significantly from the non-disturbed controls across all of the self-report paper-and-pencil measures. However, in general, the three diagnostic groups could not be differentiated based on their responses to these measures. Implications for the negative affectivity hypothesis and future research are discussed.
Influences on Teacher Referral of Children to Mental Health Services
Authors: PEARCY MICHELLE T. , CLOPTON JAMES R. , POPE ALICE W.
Published: December 2008

Sixty-four third-, fourth-, and fifth-grade teachers read vignettes describing boys and girls with (1) externalizing and internalizing disorders and (2) externalizing and internalizing problems of less severity. Teachers rated whether the child described in each vignette needed to be referred for mental health treatment and indicated whether they had referred a similar child for treatment. Teachers' ratings of need for referral did not differ for boys and girls, and there was no gender effect on the teachers' reported referral experience. However, teachers reported having referred more children with externalizing problems than with internalizing problems for treatment, even though they did not rate externalizing problems as needing referral more than internalizing problems. Such discrepancies are discussed in terms of the different effect of internalizing and externalizing problems on the classroom environment.
Externalizing Behavior in the Life Course
Authors: Z. FARMER ELIZABETH M.
Published: December 2008

This paper uses data from the National Child Development Study to study the long-term experiences of boys who display externalizing behavior problems. Analyses examine the transition from school to work by bringing together variables used in life-course analyses of the transition to adulthood (e.g., family background, individual ability, aspirations, school placements) with variables often employed in longitudinal studies of children with behavior problems (e.g., behavior problems, family difficulties, special educational services). A substantial amount of variance is accounted for by variables that are conventionally employed in life-course analyses. However, academic ability, parental aspirations, and private/grammar school placement have significantly smaller effects on some outcomes for boys who display externalizing behavior than for boys who do not display such behavior. The discussion emphasizes the importance of including both sets of factors when explaining the life-course experiences of boys who displayed externalizing behaviors.
Test-Taking Strategy Instruction for Adolescents with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders
Authors: HUGHES CHARLES A. , DESHLER DONALD D. , RUHL KATHY L. , SCHUMAKER JEAN B.
Published: December 2008

Many secondary students with EBD are mainstreamed in regular classes and are required to take tests in those classes to demonstrate their competence with regard to their mastery of the content. Unfortunately, these students often do not use strategies that would help them meet this critical classroom demand. The purpose of this study was to develop a comprehensive test-taking strategy that includes many of the test-wiseness strategies cited in the literature and to validate an instructional methodology for teaching this strategy to secondary students with EBD. Through the use of a multiple-probe across-students design, the instruction was shown to be effective in helping students to master the use of the steps of the comprehensive test-taking strategy and to apply them in a generative way to a series of novel tests. Preliminary evidence collected in targeted mainstream classes indicated that the students were applying the strategy to their regular class tests and that their scores on these tests improved. The results of this study are similar to those achieved in a companion study with students with learning disabilities, indicating that EBD and LD students can successfully receive strategic instruction together since they learned the strategy at comparable rates and achieved comparable levels of mastery and generalization.
Prereferral Intervention For Students With Emotional Or Behavioral Risks
Authors: Noll Mary Beth , Kamps Debra , Seaborn Carleen F.
Published: December 2008

The use of prereferral intervention as a component of preassessment for students referred for special education services is becoming widely accepted. Prereferral intervention is defined as systematic activities designed to allow the student to remain in the general education setting while attempts are made to increase appropriate social and academic performance. Currently a need exists for standards regarding administrative structures, delineation of who should provide prereferral services, documentation of the implementation procedures, and guidelines for evaluating procedural effectiveness (see Nelson, Smith, Taylor, Dodd,&Reavis, 1991, for a review). The purpose of the present study is to provide a description of a prereferral intervention for students with behavioral disorders (BD) and risks, using a behavioral consultation model. A brief literature review describes the current state of prereferral intervention practices and a summary of program models and outcomes. A case study of the prereferral intervention process in a local, midwestern school district is then presented. Results over a 3-year span indicate that 43% to 64% of referred students remained in the regular classrooms following prereferral intervention, 14% to 22% of cases were identified as having other disabilities, and 23% to 39% were identified as having behavior disorders, with half of those students able to continue regular classroom placement with itinerant support.
A 1-Year Follow-Up Of A Preventive Program For High-Risk Transfer Children
Authors: Jason Leonard A. , Danner Karen E. , Kurasaki Karen S. , Halpert Jane , Weine Andrew M. , Sohlberg Luann Warren , Johnson Joseph H.
Published: December 2008

Some children experiencing an unscheduled school transfer are at risk for academic and social difficulties. At-risk children enter the new school with academic lags and several life stressors, and are from lower socioeconomic status groups. The present study provides follow-up data on a group of high-risk transfer students who received tutoring in their schools or in both their schools and homes. The findings indicate that the most academic success occurred with the children who received the most intensive intervention, which involved home-plus-school tutoring.
Identifying And Assessing The Job-Related Social Skills Of Adolescents And Young Adults With Emotional And Behavioral Disorders
Authors: Bullis Michael , Evans Vicki Nishioka , Fredericks H. D. Bud , Davis Cheryl
Published: December 2008

Adolescents and young adults (ages 15 to 25) with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) experience difficulties maintaining competitive employment, in large part because of social skills deficits specific to interacting with work supervisors and co-workers in the employment settings. However, only a few studies have sought to identify the types of social interactions and behaviors exhibited by these persons in competitive work placements. This research first described job-related social behaviors for persons with EBD by following the behavioral analytic model and then used this information to develop measures of these skills. This model consisted of four sequential steps: situational analysis (job-related social interactions were identified through structured interviews of workers with EBD, professionals, and employers), generation of alternatives (possible behavioral responses to the interactions were identified by adolescents and young adults with EBD and peers without EBD), response evaluation (professionals evaluated each response alternative's effectiveness in resolving the specific social interaction), and development of the measures (the content from the previous steps was used as the basis for the measures). Two measures were developed: the Scale of Job-related Social Skill Knowledge (SSSK) and the Scale of Job-related Social Skill Performance (SSSP). The SSSK is a structured individual interview in which social interactions are posed to a person with EBD, who then states what he or she would do if involved in such a situation. These responses are recorded and then scored according to guidelines provided in the response evaluation. The SSSP is a rating scale that is completed on individuals by a third-party judge about each individual's social skill performance in work placements. The measures were field-tested and psychometric analyses conducted. Both the SSSK and the SSSP exhibited more than acceptable item and reliability indices and discriminated between groups of persons with and without EBD.
Treatment Foster Care
Authors: Moore Kevin J. , Chamberlain Patricia
Published: December 2008

Currently, there is a severe lack of midrange community-based treatment models for adolescents with severe emotional and behavioral disorders (SED) (Wells&Whittington, 1990). The Treatment Foster Care (TFC) program has the potential to expand the development of such models for these youths. The aim of TFC is to provide a community-based, relatively nonrestrictive treatment in a setting where youths are not separated from nondisabled peers or isolated from their own families. TFC can be used before youths with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) are placed in more restrictive institutional treatment settings. In addition, TFC appears to be a promising model to include when out-of-home and/or out-of-community placements are considered for children and adolescents with EBD. This article presents the program components and research direction of the Oregon Social Learning Center's TFC program for adolescents who have SED and need out-of-home care. The article concludes with a case study of a typical program intervention in an educational setting.
Parental Bonding, Family Systems, And Environmental Predictors Of Adolescent Homelessness
Authors: Schweitzer Robert D. , Hier Sally J. , Terry Deborah
Published: December 2008

A multicausal model of adolescent homelessness is proposed, based upon the notion that homeless youth suffer from emotional, social, and cultural deprivation. The model was tested in a sample of homeless adolescents ( n = 54) and a similar, but not homeless, control group ( n = 58). Emotional deprivation was assessed on the Parental Bonding Inventory (Parker, Tupling,&Brown, 1979), whereas social and cultural deprivation were assessed on the Family Environment Scale (Moos&Moos, 1981). The homeless adolescents were found to be significantly more deprived emotionally, socially, and culturally than the controls. The results indicate support for a deprivation model of adolescent homelessness with implications for public policy and intervention planning.
Teaching Preschoolers with Autism to Self-Monitor Their Social Interactions: An Analysis of Results in Home and School Settings
Authors: Strain Phillip S. , Kohler Frank W. , Storey Keith , Danko Cassandra D.
Published: December 2008

This study examined the effects of a self-monitoring intervention on the social interactions of 3 preschool boys with autism. A multiple baseline across both school and home settings was used to examine several experimental conditions. First, each child with autism participated in daily 5-minute play activities with one nondisabled peer or sibling during an initial baseline period. Following their conduct of social skills training, teachers and parents implemented an intervention that encompassed adult prompting, edible reinforcement contingent on children's positive exchanges, and target children's self-monitoring of their own social behaviors. Three primary results were obtained. First, the self-monitoring package increased each target child's interactions with his peers and/or siblings. Second, the school and home procedures produced comparable impacts on some dimensions of children's social behaviors, but other outcomes were affected differentially. Finally, both adult prompts and reinforcement were successfully reduced or faded within the school and home intervention settings.
Measuring Worker Cognitions About Parents of Children with Mental and Emotional Disabilities
Authors: Johnson Harriette C. , Cournoyer David E. , Fisher Gene A.
Published: December 2008

The development of an instrument for assessing workers' beliefs about parents of children receiving mental health--related services is presented. The instrument contributes to the study of parent--provider collaboration, an area that has received increasing attention in the field of child mental health. Test-retest reliability and confirmatory factor analysis are reported. Five factors emerged: parent blame, giving information, parent validation, use of psychotropic medications, and instructing parents how to help their children. Multiple regression of each factor on demographic variables and on respondents' preferred theoretical orientations showed differences in beliefs about parents among workers who endorsed psycho-dynamic, family systems, cognitive--behavioral, neuropsychological, or existential--humanistic models.
The Use of Flexible Service Dollars in Rural Community-based Programs for Children with Serious Emotional Disturbance and Their Families
Authors: Dollard Norín , Evans Mary E. , Lubrecht Jody , Schaeffer Dale
Published: December 2008

It is commonly agreed that flexible service dollars are a crucial aspect of tailoring services to meet the unique and changing needs of children with serious emotional disturbance and their families. This is particularly true in isolated rural areas. The need for a common terminology that distinguishes among the philosophy of individualized care, the programmatic components of such systems, and the types of flexible-funding mechanisms that facilitate such approaches are discussed. The uses of flexible service dollars in North Idaho and upstate New York, along with some case studies, are presented to highlight the similarities in the needs of families in both states; namely, economic supports, transportation, social-recreational, and respite services. Finally, the elements that contributed to successful use of service dollars are identified, and a call for additional research on outcomes associated with individualized care is made.
Competence and Behavioral Problems in 6- to 12-Year-Old Children in Flanders (Belgium) and Holland
Authors: Hellinckx Walter , Grietens Hans , Verhulst Frank
Published: December 2008

The Child Behavior Checklist (Achenbach, 1991) was used to obtain data on 1,120 Flemish and 1,122 Dutch children, ages 6 to 12 years. These data were analyzed in a cross-national comparison. Several small differences between nationalities were found for competence: Dutch children scored significantly higher on the Activities scale, whereas Flemish children scored significantly higher on the School scale. There were considerable similarities between the two samples for problem behavior. No differences between Flemish and Dutch children were found on total problem scores. Cross-national differences on problem items were smaller and less numerous than differences for sex, age, or socioeconomic status. Although the Flemish and the Dutch societies have very strong affinities, some unusual differences in problem behavior and competence between children of the two societies are noted. This cross-national comparison contributed to the research on standardized assessment procedures of behavioral and emotional problems in children.
Social Networks in Mainstream Classrooms
Authors: Farmer Thomas W. , Hollowell Julie H.
Published: December 2008

This study examines the social networks formed in mainstreamed classrooms that contained students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD). The sample consisted of 20 students with EBD and their classmates in 16 third- through sixth-grade classes ( N = 406). A group-administered interview gathered information on classroom social networks and on peer-assessed behavioral characteristics. Teachers completed the Teacher Report Form for students with EBD. Although they were significantly higher in peer-assessed aggression and disruption and lower in cooperation than general education boys, boys with EBD tended to associate with peers at a level comparable to that of general education boys. The peer clusters containing boys with EBD were characterized by high levels of peer-assessed aggression and disruption and low levels of peer-assessed cooperation, leadership, and academic performance.
Building The Research Base For Children's Mental Health Services
Authors: Kutash Krista , Duchnowski Albert J. , Sondheimer Diane L.
Published: December 2008

The recent history of research on the service delivery system for children and adolescents who have serious emotional disabilities and their families is summarized. The article provides an overview of the changes in the response by the children's mental health system to this population, with an emphasis on developments in service delivery system and service demonstration research and evaluation efforts. The role of research is examined in terms of its critical importance in improving the system of care for these children and their families.
Multisystemic Family Preservation Therapy
Authors: Scherer David G. , Brondino Michael J. , Henggeler Scott W. , Melton Gary B. , Hanley Jerome H.
Published: December 2008

The increase in the number of serious offenses by adolescents, particularly among minority populations, has drawn attention to these difficult-to-treat youths. This article provides preliminary findings from the Diffusion of Multisystemic Family Preservation (MFP) Services Project, which conducted work with rural African-American and White families who have a chronic or violent adolescent offender at imminent risk for incarceration. Analyses assessed the impact of multisystemic therapy on family functioning (parental monitoring, family communications, family structure, etc.) and on the problem behavior of the delinquent adolescent (conduct problems, aggression, and criminal activity). In general, the MFP group demonstrated improvements in amount of problem behavior and mother psychological distress, and in aspects of family functioning following treatment. These results generally replicate the previous successes that MFP has shown in the treatment of samples of serious juvenile offenders in urban areas.
Effectiveness Of Intensive Case Management For Homeless Adolescents
Authors: Wagner Victoria , Sy Jennifer , Weeden Kim , Blanchard Trish , Cauce Ana Mari , Morgan Charles J. , Moore Elizabeth , Wurzbacher Kathryn , Tomlin Sandy
Published: December 2008

This article describes the Seattle Homeless Adolescent Research Project (SHARP), a research demonstration program with a goal of implementing and evaluating an intensive mental health case management program for homeless adolescents. This new program, Project Passage, is based on nine primary components: (a) assessment, (b) planning, (c) linkage, (d) monitoring or tracking, (e) advocacy, (f) counseling or the therapeutic relationship, (g) treatment teams, (h) crisis service, and (i) flexible funds. Case load was limited to no more than 12 cases, so that adolescent-centered, individualized services could be delivered. Youths were randomly assigned to Project Passage or a “regular” case management program. A 3-month follow-up found that both groups demonstrated significant improvements in mental health outcomes and social adjustment; however, youths in Project Passage evidenced lower levels of aggression and greater satisfaction with their quality of life.
Development And Evaluation Of Treatment Foster Care And Family-Centered Intensive Case Management In New York
Authors: Evans Mary E. , Dollard Norín , Kuppinger Anne D. , Wood Virginia M. , Armstrong Mary I. , Huz Steven
Published: December 2008

In response to a national call for states to shift from an overreliance on restrictive treatment modalities to community-based systems of care and to the needs identified by the families of children with serious emotional disturbance (SED), the New York State Office of Mental Health has developed Family-Centered Intensive Case Management (FCICM) as part of a research demonstration project. FCICM is intended to empower and support families with children with SED. Staffed by a case manager and parent advocate, FCICM includes respite care, flexible service money, parent support groups, and behavior management skills training. In this study, which had positively controlled experimental conditions, children who were referred for treatment foster care in three rural New York counties were randomly assigned to FCICM or treatment foster care. The present article compares and contrasts the program elements of FCICM and the treatment foster care models, provides an overview of the research design and methods, describes the children and families served, and examines program implementation issues.
Connecting Low-Income Families To Mental Health Services
Authors: Koroloff Nancy M. , Koren Paul E. , Elliott Debra J. , Friesen Barbara J.
Published: December 2008

The family associate is a parent without professional mental health training who acts as a system guide to low-income families whose children have been referred to mental health services through the Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis and Treatment program. The family associate provides emotional support, information about mental health services and community resources, and directs assistance, such as help with transportation and child care. Based on the belief that parent-to-parent support can be a powerful tool in overcoming the barriers to accessing services, the family associate role has been successfully implemented in three counties in Oregon. The family associate role and its implementation, characteristics of the families who participated, and the implications for introducing this role into traditional mental health service systems are described.
The Challenges Of Child Mental Health Services Research
Authors: Burns Barbara J.
Published: December 2008

This article presents challenges facing child mental health services research in its context as a recently developed field of research and the contributions made by six articles in this issue. These articles illustrate the two major categories of services research: systems level research and clinical services level research. The authors of these articles have documented initial results of innovative interventions at both levels and have raised several methodological issues, particularly for randomized clinical trials in naturalistic settings. Recommendations for considering issues of design and measurement in future research are discussed.
Psychiatric Inpatient Children's Family Perceptions And Anger Expression
Authors: Kashani Javad H. , Soltys Stephen M. , Canfield Lori A. , Reid John C.
Published: December 2008

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between children's perceptions of family functioning and their reported styles of anger expression. The subjects were 100 child psychiatric inpatients, ages 6 to 12 years. Children's perceptions of family functioning, social support, and anger styles were measured. Children with high and low scores on each of three anger expression scales were compared to determine whether they differed on measures of family functioning and social support. Those who reported externalizing their anger rated their families significantly lower on accord and reported poorer social support. Children who said they held in their anger rated their families significantly higher on pride and cohesiveness and reported significantly more available social support. These data demonstrate a relationship between children's perceptions of family functioning and their modes of anger expression.
Student Self-Concept Scale
Authors: Gresham Frank M.
Published: December 2008

The Student Self-Concept Scale (SSCS) is a new measure of self-concept based on self-efficacy theory and subjective task value. A multidimensional measure of self-concept, the SSCS assesses efficacy and outcome expectations across Academic, Social, and Self-Image domains. A unique rating methodology requires students to rate how confident they feel in performing tasks (efficacy expectations), their probable outcomes (outcome expectations), and how important these tasks are for them (subjective task value). The SSCS has been nationally standardized on a sample of 3,586 children in Grades 3 through 12 and there is ample evidence of reliability and validity. A case study illustrating uses of the SSCS is provided.
Depression And Anxiety In Children And Adolescents With Learning Disabilities, Conduct Disorders, And No Disabilities
Authors: Newcomer Phyllis L. , Barenbaum Edna , Pearson Nils
Published: December 2008

Depression and anxiety levels in three groups of children and adolescents, those with learning disabilities (LD), with conduct disorders (CD), and with no disabilities (ND), were measured with the student self-report scale and teacher rating scale of the Depression and Anxiety in Youth Scale. Results revealed highest self-ratings and teacher ratings in both depression and anxiety for the group with CD. Students with LD did not self-rate as more depressed and anxious than children without disabilities but were rated higher in depression by their teachers. Self-rating did not reveal, as teachers' ratings did, a progressive increase in anxiety and depression with age. Females self-rated higher than males in depression and anxiety; however, teachers rated males as more depressed and anxious than females. Special education teachers of students with CD and those with LD were more accurate than general educators in identifying students who self-rated as significantly depressed and/or anxious.
Personal, Family, And Service Use Characteristics Of Young People Served By An Interagency Community-Based System Of Care
Authors: Epstein Michael H. , Quinn Kevin , Cullinan Douglas , Cumblad Carla
Published: December 2008

In order to create a more functional system of care, agency administrators, direct service providers, the young people served, their parents, and advocates worked together to assess local needs and existing service features, and to plan required changes. This article presents data on some personal and family characteristics and patterns of service utilization of the young people served in this system of care. These data include the child's age, gender, race or ethnicity, learning characteristics, psychiatric status, and adjudications; parent marital status and employment, living arrangements for the child, and family history of risk factors; and the child's history of services and placements. Some relationships within the present data and between the present data and those of other system-of-care descriptions are discussed.
Correlates of Major and Minor Offending Among Youth with Severe Emotional Disturbance
Authors: Bryant Elizabeth S. , Rivard Jeanne C. , Addy Cheryl L. , Hinkle Kerry T. , Cowan Timothy M. , Wright Gary
Published: December 2008

Potential correlates of delinquency among 180 youth with severe emotional disturbance were examined in this study. Specifically, the goal was to explore associations between major or minor offending, based on South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) records and (a) prenatal, birth, or developmental factors; (b) family characteristics; (c) environmental characteristics; and (d) problem behaviors and symptoms. Participants were clients of the Continuum of Care for Emotionally Disturbed Children Division of the Office of the Governor in South Carolina and were in the legal custody of the South Carolina Department of Social Services. Polychotomous logistic regression modeling techniques were used to determine which variables were associated with major and minor offending, compared with youth not involved with DJJ. After adjusting for other variables, the factors significantly associated with minor offending included increasing age and parental incarceration. Factors significantly associated with major offending were increasing age, sibling incarceration, and running away.
Setting Events and Behavioral Disorders of Children and Youth
Authors: Fox James , Conroy Maureen
Published: December 2008

Students' behavioral disorders, particularly acting out behaviors (aggression, opposition, tantrums, etc.), have constituted a major area of study for researchers and a continuing challenge for teachers, school counselors, and mental health workers. A number of theoretical models have been advanced, but learning models have been particularly successful in identifying the immediate environmental events that contribute to the development and maintenance of children's behavior problems and in helping researchers develop effective, practical intervention programs. There also has been increasing recognition that a student's behavior is determined not only by the immediate social antecedents and consequences of that behavior, but also by the physical and psychological “contexts” in which those interactions occur. This article focuses on the expansion of social learning to incorporate contextual variables in an empirically and conceptually consistent fashion. Kantor's interbehavioral field model and, particularly, his concept of “setting events” are outlined. Classroom applications and implications for students with behavioral disorders are discussed through: (a) a review of procedures and instruments for assessing the effects of setting events on students' behavioral problems, (b) a discussion of methods for intervening in setting events, and (c) suggestions for future research issues in setting event assessment and intervention.
Teacher Competence, Student Diversity, and Staff Training for the Inclusion of Middle School Students with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders
Authors: Cheney Douglas , Barringer Craig
Published: December 2008

The findings from the pilot phase of Project Destiny, a 3-year research and training project concerning the knowledge and skills that middle school teachers need to educate students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) in inclusive settings, are reported. Teachers' self-ratings concerning their knowledge base and skill mastery in the area of EBD were assessed and analyzed. Results of the teacher self-assessments are reported in relation to their ratings of the diverse academic, social, and emotional behaviors of their students in these inclusive classrooms. These initial results suggest that teachers viewed themselves as having only little-to-some competence for working with the academic and behavioral challenges that students with EBD present. The Project Destiny Training Model was empirically developed from these preliminary results, and initial staff development activities in the model are discussed in terms of their value for expanding the knowledge, skills, and strategies of teachers in inclusive settings.
A Descriptive Analysis of Disruptive Behavior During Pre- and Post-Unsupervised Self-Management by Students with Serious Emotional Disturbance
Authors: Chris Ninness H. A. , Fuerst John , Rutherford Roger
Published: December 2008

A descriptive analysis of disruptive behavior was generated from filmed observations prior to and following training in self-management skills. Two junior high students with serious emotional disturbance (SED) were covertly videotaped during in-classroom and between-classroom performance in the absence of supervision. Videotapes were analyzed by descriptive analysis of conditions associated with disruptive/off-task behaviors. Descriptive analysis revealed that maladaptive behaviors were self-initiated in unsupervised settings. It also is apparent from this analysis that maladaptive behaviors were correlated with provocation by peers and with continuing disruptive interaction between students once an off-task/disruptive episode had begun. Treatment procedures were applied by way of a multiple baseline across settings design and included instruction, modeling, rehearsal, and rehearsal in the apparent absence of supervision. Self-management training features included self-assessment, self-recording, and self-reinforcement for correct approximations of on-task and socially appropriate behavior. Outcomes suggest that the descriptive analysis was predictive of the conditions correlated with problem behaviors and that on-task/socially appropriate behaviors were transferred and sustained while operating under the influence of self-management in the absence of supervision.
Correlates of Depressive Symptoms in Early Adolescence
Authors: Vitaro Frank , Pelletier Daniel , Gagnon Claude , Baron Pierre
Published: December 2008

A relatively well-documented increase in depressive symptoms has been noted among some early adolescents; however, the factors that correlate with this increase have not been identified. In the present study, 26 boys and girls whose depressive symptoms increased from ages 11 years through 13 years were compared with 26 matched control participants whose depressive symptoms remained low over the same period. Comparisons were made on behavioral, psychological, social, family, school, and biological variables. At age 11, groups differed on feelings of loneliness, self-reported number of friends, social self-perceptions, behavioral self-perceptions (boys only), global self-worth (boys only), and self-reported parent–child relationships. At ages 12 and 13, groups differed on feelings of loneliness (boys only), self-perceptions in several domains, self-reported delinquency, and several dimensions of parent–child relationships. The usefulness of age 11 variables to predict increasing depressive symptoms during early adolescence and the influence of process variables during this period are discussed.