bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Review of past and Current Pharmacological Intervention in the Treatment of Emotionally Disturbed Children and Adolescents
Authors: Wilson James E. , Sherrets Steven D.
Published: March 2018

Increasingly, seriously handicapped students are returning to the schools and the use of psychotropic medications is on the rise with these and other emotionally disturbed children and adolescents. In an effort to improve the dialogue and cooperation within the physician/educator terms an overview of the history, philosophy, current practices and a look at the future of neurochemical treatments of children with emotional and behavioral problems, is presented. A separate review of available literature concerning medication effects on cognitive functioning and test results is presented. Psycho-pharmacology is and can be a useful treatment; however, the available supporting literature that has already been developed with adults is still largely missing with children and adolescents. Guidelines for the treatment team members to help assure proper prescribing and monitoring of medications to achieve maximum therapeutic effect with minimal side-effects are reviewed.
Effects of Environmental Stimulation on Behavior as a Function of Type of Behavior Disorder
Authors: Zentall Sydney S.
Published: March 2018

Treatment for disordered child behavior has neglected investigations of antecedent stimuli by focusing almost exclusively on behavioral consequences. However, the study of antecedent stimuli (e.g., environmental stimulation) may provide not only a behavioral means of investigating the biological basis of disordered behavior, but also an understanding of children's attempts to mediate biological differences (e.g., in arousal) with environmental conditions, through the use of specific “disordered” behavior patterns. A heightened readiness to approach environmental stimulation (seen in hyperactive and aggressive children) or avoid it (seen in autistic, anxious, or withdrawn children) appears to: (1) directly control the amount of stimulus input, (2) moderate the effectiveness of behavioral consequences, and (3) facilitate the development of different attentional, perceptual-motor, and cognitive skills in these two groups of children. Behavioral and learning characteristics, as well as treatment findings and implications, are reviewed and related to a theoretical model of optimal stimulation.
The Disturbing Child: A Matter of Opinion
Authors: Algozzine Bob
Published: March 2018

The ratings of regular teachers and special education teachers were compared to determine if the former were more bothered by certain behaviors often exhibited by children. The results indicated that regular teachers rated the behaviors as significantly more disturbing than did the comparison group. “Socially defiant” behaviors were viewed as more disturbing by the entire sample. The implications of these findings, as well as future research areas, are discussed.
Teacher Competencies or Certification Competencies
Authors: Parker Linda
Published: March 2018

Teacher training institutions must be accredited to produce certifiable teachers, or else the teachers will have to be certified by the state's certification board. The question addressed by this article was: How much consistency is there between one accrediting agency's standards and various states' certification requirements? Since various authors have identified a multiplicity of competencies the teacher of the behaviorally disordered pupil needs, it would be anticipated that consistency for teacher training exists. Inconsistencies found in professional expectations lead to the conclusion that national professional standards for teachers of the behaviorally disordered should be developed and adopted.
Guidelines for Providing Services to Children Experiencing Emotional Conflict
Authors: Enright Brian E. , Higgins Karen , Sellers Julie
Published: March 2018

Enright and Linkous (1979) presented a position on serving children experiencing emotional conflict. This article follows up on the above mentioned. A workable set of guidelines for developing intervention progress is presented. The set of guidelines is a result of experiences in two special settings for children experiencing significant emotional conflict.
Completing Job Applications: Evaluation of an Instructional Program for Mildly Retarded Juvenile Delinquents
Authors: Heward William L. , Mccormick Sandra H. , Joynes Yvonne
Published: March 2018

Seven youths from a residential treatment facility for juvenile offenders served as subjects in a study designed to train minimally literate individuals to read and complete job applications. An item analysis was conducted on applications from 30 employers in a metropolitan area. Based on that analysis, a Master Employment Application was created to be representative of a typical job application; it required 35 separate items of biographic information from the prospective employee. A nine-step training program was conducted in a Visual Response System classroom, a specially designed room in which students respond simultaneously on individual overhead projectors. The training program progressed from matching items projected by the teacher to writing responses to biographic items on overhead projector transparencies of the Master Employment Application. A multiple baseline design across sets of biographic items was used to evaluate the program's effectiveness. All subjects' scores on the Master Employment Application increased as a function of the training program and were maintained in a two week follow-up. Students also increased their performance on three real job applications used to assess generalization.
Changing Behaviors Indicative of Attitudes and Emotions
Authors: Stainback Susan , Stainback William
Published: March 2018

Research has shown that the attitudes and emotions of children can be modified. However, little has been done to incorporate into schools organized and structured procedures for teaching children appropriate attitudes and emotions. The purpose of this article is to organize the findings of relevant research related to procedures for changing attitudes and emotions that have potential for classroom use.
A Teacher Training Model: The Resource/Consulting Teacher
Authors: Idol-Maestas Lorna
Published: March 2018

The model for the training of a Resource/Consulting Teacher (R/CT) at the University of Illinois is offered. R/CT's provide direct, data-based instruction in resource settings, with a planned intent to return students to regular classes. The regular class curriculum is used for instruction. R/CT's also provide consultation services to regular class teachers. The major types of consultation are: (1) systematically transferring students back to regular class; (2) offering support to regular class teachers who have students in regular class with academic and social behavior problems and; (3) assisting parents with home reinforcement and instructional systems. R/CT's share observation, student management and recording skills through an applied behavior analysis framework. Examples of data-based consultation projects that have been implemented by R/CT's in colloboration with regular class teachers are included.
Teacher Consultation: Present, Past, and Future
Authors: Lilly M. Stephen , Givens-Ogle Louise B.
Published: March 2018

An analysis of forces which have brought about increased emphasis on teacher consultation by special educators is presented. Consultation is defined, and a historical overview of teacher consultation activities in special education is provided. Finally, future issues in consultation are delineated with particular emphasis on needs in the areas of research and teacher education.
Mainstreaming Approach for Behaviorally Disordered Secondary Students in a Rural School District
Authors: Beare Paul
Published: March 2018

This study assesses the efficacy of a systematic program of intervention designed to facilitate a goodness of fit between behavior problem secondary level students and a particular rural school system. The research involved 38 identified behavior problem target students attending Middleville R-ill school district in Middleville, Missouri during the 1977–1978 school year. Two control groups were utilized, one group consisted of 224 non-target students attending Middleville junior-senior high school, the other 225 students attending a neighboring community high school. The intervention program involved teacher inservice, the implementation of a teacher staffed advocacy program and the founding of a crisis teacher program. Pre- and post-evaluation of students' school morale showed no significant changes in Target group attitude toward school. Evaluation of behavioral reaction toward school as measured by dropout rate and attendance did show definite improvement. implications of the study are that teachers may be effective advocates for problem students when assisted by trained personnel. A pressing need for more environmentally based intervention component outside school was strongly indicated.
Teaching Social Skills in Classrooms for Behaviorally Disordered Students
Authors: Lanunziata Louis J. , Hill David S. , Krause Lynn A.
Published: March 2018

Selected procedures of instruction from Social Skills in the Classroom (Stephens, 1978) were applied to class-related social behaviors of Elementary and Intermediate level Behavior Disordered students. Four classroom teachers identified two social behaviors of one student in each of their classrooms using the categories and operational definitions included in this curriculum. Data for seven behaviors were collected and analyzed. Teachers were trained to define and measure target behaviors during an in-service workshop and in-classroom training. Social modeling, contracting, and social reinforcement were the teaching strategies employed as specified in Stephens' curriculum. Improvement occurred in all targeted behaviors. Functional relationships between teaching strategies and changes in the targeted behavior were established in four of the targeted behaviors.
School Perceptions of Truant Adolescent Girls
Authors: Zieman Gayle L. , Benson Gerald P.
Published: March 2018

Due to increased misbehavior by girls there is a growing need to understand these students. Knowing how behavior-problem girls perceive school is necessary for effective educational programming. To investigate these perceptions, 15 truant junior-high school girls were interviewed in-depth. Their responses were compared to those of 15 nontruant girls and 15 truant boys. The truant girls moderately disliked school and found teachers to be unfair and excessively concerned with minor rules. Consistently, the truant girls showed less negative perceptions and less asocial behavior than the boys. The girls also differed by being more variable in behavior and attitudes. The girls more often than the boys appeared to have personal conflicts which accentuate school problems. It is suggested that schools should view truancy as a coping mechanism for avoiding discomfort in school, and that behavior-problem girls should be dealt with in an individualized manner.
Social Skills Training of Behavior Disordered Adolescents with Self-Monitoring to Promote Generalization to a Vocational Setting
Authors: Warrenfeltz R. B. , Kelly W. J. , Salzberg C. L. , Beegle C. P. , Levy S. M. , Adams T. A. , Crouse T. R.
Published: March 2018

Four emotionally disturbed adolescents in a short-term residential treatment center participated in a vocationally oriented social skill training program. Didactic instruction, provided in a classroom by a special education teacher, resulted in rapid acquisition of appropriate responses to a supervisor's instructions. However, there was no concomitant change in most students' interpersonal behavior with their work supervisor in the generalization setting. A subsequent intervention, in which students were subjected to role-play training and taught to use a self-monitoring procedure, produced generalized increases in the targeted social skill. In addition to the improvement in the students' responses to instructions, desirable collateral changes also were noted in their responses to critical feedback and to the conversational initiatives of the work supervisor. The use of a multiple baseline research design across pairs of students suggested that the generalized effects were a function of the intervention procedures. The separate effects of the role-play training and the self-monitoring procedures were not isolated in this study. However, it was proposed that the didactic and role-play training might have been responsible for the initial acquisition of the new interpersonal behavior, while the self-monitoring procedure seemed to be implicated in its generalization and maintenance.
Delinquency, Bread, and Books
Authors: Truckenmiller James L.
Published: March 2018

The purpose of this study was to examine the predictive validity of the HEW National Strategy for Youth Developments behavioral model Impact Scales in predicting delinquency. Human relationship variables rather than perceived educational and occupational access variables were the most potent predictors of Self-Reported Delinquency (SRD) and accounted for 48% of SRD variance. A multiple regression analysis of 11 variables measuring social alienation, perceived negative labeling, perceived lack of access to educational and occupational roles, self-esteem, and peer group pressure towards delinquency, on SRD, showed Normative Peer Group Pressure, Parental Rejection, Negative Labeling by Teachers, Normlessness, and Self-Esteem (negative), in that order, to be the most predictive variables. The notable lack of SRD prediction via perceived educational and occupational access variables suggests that pouring money into educational and occupational programs may not be expected to significantly diminish delinquency levels. Other results do suggest, however, that such programs may be expected to bolster the self-esteem of youth and that self-esteem is only somewhat related to SRD. Nevertheless, in combating juvenile delinquency, bread and books may not be enough.
Behaviorally Disordered Adolescents as Peer Tutors: Immediate and Generative Effects on Instructional Performance and Spelling Achievement
Authors: Stowitschek Carole E. , Hecimovic Anton , Stowitschek Joseph J. , Shores Richard E.
Published: March 2018

This study was a formative evaluation of a peer tutoring package. The purpose was to investigate the effects of a peer tutoring package on the instructional performance of behaviorally disordered adolescents, directly trained by their teachers, and subsequent effects on the performance of their learners. Generative effects of the peer tutoring procedures were observed in successive peer tutor-learner dyads not directly trained by teachers. This study used an across subject multiple baseline design to study peer instructional behavior during daily training sessions and concomitant learner spelling performance. Results showed that learner performance on daily spelling tests increased considerably when intervention in the form of peer instruction occurred. Peer use of the instructional strategy varied greatly but all peer tutors consistently used the recordkeeping and graphing strategies as presented in the peer teaching package.
Using Social Comparison Procedures in Educating Behaviorally Disordered Pupils
Authors: Epstein Michael H. , Cullinan Douglas
Published: March 2018

Social comparison is an applied behavior analysis evaluation procedure that may help educators evaluate whether or not an improvement in classroom functioning has practical value to the treated pupil. This paper describes how to use the social comparison procedure. As an illustration, a case is presented in which the effects of a reading program on the performance of a behaviorally disordered pupil was evaluated through social comparison. Practical implications are offered pertaining to the use of social comparison in education programs for such pupils.
Relationships of Sociometric Status and Characteristics of Emotional Disturbance
Authors: Hutton Jerry B. , Roberts Timothy G.
Published: March 2018

The relationship between characteristics of emotional disturbance and the sociometric status of elementary school students was studied. The subjects were 70 nonhandicapped middle-class students enrolled in the first, third, and fifth grades. The Teacher Checklist of School Behavior (TCSB), an instrument based on Bower's (1969) characteristics of emotional disturbance, was completed by the teachers and a peer nomination sociometric was administered. The Pearson correlation coefficients were low but suggested a significant relationship between sociometric status and the TCSB. The strongest relationship (r = .718) suggested that the students who were rated by their teachers as exhibiting the most frequent aggressive interactions were rated by their peers as those by whom they would least like to sit. It appears that there is a significant relationship between sociometric status and characteristics of emotional disturbance, even in a sample of non-handicapped students.
Procedures and Policies for Regulating Field-Based Behavioral Technology
Authors: Woods Thomas S.
Published: March 2018

Discussions of policy development and regulation within the human service professions usually begin with statements of principle and basic philosophy. These in turn generally focus upon issues of accountability and client rights—indeed, the reconciliation of accountable professional practices with an enlightened view of individual rights would seem to be the ultimate objective of any internal or external body which seeks to regulate the helping professional. This paper specifically addresses efforts which have been made to monitor and control the applications of behavioral technology. It begins with a brief review of accountability from a behavioral perspective. Following this, the viewpoints of writers on the rights of clients who are subject to behavioral interventions are presented. Finally, three state/provincial efforts at creating policy and guidelines are examined from the above perspective. Strengths and shortcomings of the existing regulation machinery, in light of current knowledge, are then highlighted.
The Social Competence Intervention Project: Developing Educational Procedures for Teaching Social Interaction Skills to Handicapped Children
Authors: Day Robert M. , Fox James J. , Shores Richard E. , Lindeman David P. , Stowitschek Joseph J.
Published: March 2018

Social interaction with other children is a critical aspect of a child's development. Many handicapped children display pronounced deficits in this area of development. The Social Competence Intervention Project (SCIP) addressed the problem of social withdrawal of handicapped children by meeting four goals. These were (a) identify social behaviors that are likely to set the occasion for a positive social encounter, (b) evaluate the effectiveness of critical social initiations when used by handicapped children, (c) develop empirically valid teaching procedures, and (d) translate the results of the experimental studies of the first three goals into teacher training materials.
Modifying the Least Restrictive Environment to Facilitate the Integration of Severely Emotionally Disturbed Children and Youth
Authors: Newman Rebecca K. , Simpson Richard L.
Published: March 2018

An analysis was conducted of positive interactions initiated by regular class students with severely emotionally disturbed children and adolescents as a function of two attitude modification treatment conditions. Regular class students were exposed to either information about handicapped persons or the information condition plus structured experiences with severely emotionally disturbed pupils assigned to the same school. Although tentative, results suggested that subjects provided information only responded most positively with the severely disturbed. In addition, first and second grade students and females appeared to respond more favorably to the handicapped population. Implications drawn from these data were that procedures for facilitating the integration of severely emotionally disturbed children and youth into less restrictive settings may need to involve procedures for positively modifying the attitudes of regular class students toward the handicapped.
The Effects of Differential Labeling on Professional Concepts and Attitudes toward the Emotionally Disturbed/Behaviorally Disordered
Authors: Feldman David , Kinnison Lloyd , Jay Robert , Harm Robert
Published: March 2018

An investigation was undertaken to ascertain whether preservice and inservice educators' perceptions of the emotionally disturbed/behaviorally disordered would be influenced within a multidimensional framework by differentially labeling the target group. The results strongly suggest that the ED/BD categorical label was a significant factor in the mainstreaming potential, overall life chances, and educability for each target group.
Teaching Behaviorally Disordered Students to Increase Teacher Attention and Praise in Mainstreamed Classrooms
Authors: Morgan Daniel , Young K. Richard , Goldstein Stuart
Published: March 2018

The purpose of this study was to substantiate the findings of previous research regarding the efficacy of training behaviorally disordered students to recruit reinforcement and assistance from teachers. This study extended those findings by investigating the effect of systematically fading external experimenter reinforcement of students for prompting and praising teachers in the regular classroom. Utilizing a multiple baseline design across subjects, three behaviorally disordered students were systematically trained to prompt teachers for help, praise teachers after receiving help, and prompt teachers for approval on their academic and social performance. Results indicated that all three subjects were able to modify the amount of teacher help they received in the regular classroom. After experimental interventions were removed, both student and teacher behaviors were maintained over baseline levels.
An Investigation of the Educative Effects of Overcorrection on the Behavior of an Autistic Child
Authors: Bierly Carolyn , Billingsley Felix F.
Published: March 2018

A short overcorrection procedure involving appropriate play with target toys was used to consequate the stereotypic manipulation of objects by an autistic child in a free play situation. The effects of this procedure on both stereotypic behavior and appropriate play were examined using an ABAB design. In order to evaluate the educative value of the procedure, separate data were collected on appropriate play with target toys and on appropriate play with all other toys available. It was found that: (a) The overcorrection procedure was an effective decelerator of the stereotypic manipulations; (b) inverse covariation occurred between level of stereotypic behavior and appropriate play; and (c) increases in appropriate play with target toys were similar to increases in play with other toys. The results indicate that overcorrection does not necessarily possess educative value. This study provides support for the hypothesis that observed increases in appropriate behavior during overcorrection interventions are due to the increased reinforcement value of alternative activities in general, that may accompany the suppression of stereotypic behavior.
A Comparison of One-to-One versus Couplet Instruction with Autistic Children
Authors: Handleman Jan S. , Harris Sandra L.
Published: March 2018

Alternatives to one-to-one teaching for severely developmentally disabled children are being investigated. The present study compared individual and couplet instruction with 4 autistic children. Each child was taught four sets of nonverbal imitation items, two sets in each condition, and probed for generalization of their partner's responses. Results indicated that couplet training had a disruptive effect for 2 of the children as compared to one-to-one instruction. One child learned responses faster when provided with couplet training than when instructed individually. The 4th child displayed little differences between the two training conditions. In all cases, the percentage of partner's material learned during couplet instruction was consistently low. While one-to-one instruction may be effective for teaching basic skills, for some children these skills can be taught as well when they are paired with other students. Couplet training can also facilitate the transition of children to less restrictive environments.
The Criterion of the Least Dangerous Assumption
Authors: Donnellan Anne M.
Published: March 2018

Currently, educators lack longitudinal data measuring both the qualitative and quantitative outcomes of various educational interventions used with handicapped students. As a result, there is no reliable standard to use when designing instructional programs which meet the “criterion of ultimate functioning ” (Brown, Nietupski, & Hamre-Nietupski, 1976). The criterion of the least dangerous assumption is presented as an interim standard to use until such data are available. The criterion of the least dangerous assumption holds that in the absence of conclusive data educational decisions ought to be based on assumptions which, if incorrect, will have the least dangerous effect on the likelihood that students will be able to function independently as adults. The use of the criterion of the least dangerous assumption in instructional program design, parent involvement, and student evaluation of students with autism is illustrated.
The Effectiveness of Drug Treatment for Severe Behavior Disorders: A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Kavale Kenneth A. , Nye Chad
Published: March 2018

This investigation reviews 70 studies examining the efficacy of drug treatment for severe behavior disorders. Meta-analysis, the analysis of analyses, is the methodological procedure used to statistically integrate the findings from individual studies. General findings indicate a modest positive effect for drug intervention. In addition, subsets of data aggregating behavioral, cognitive, and physiological outcomes are examined. Finally, variation for drug effects in terms of subject characteristics and design variables are investigated. The generally positive findings suggest that drug treatment represents an important option for the treatment of severe behavior disorders.
Acceptability of Behavioral Interventions Used in Classrooms: The Influence of Amount of Teacher Time, Severity of Behavior Problem, and Type of Intervention
Authors: Witt Joseph C. , Elliott Stephen N. , Martens B. K.
Published: March 2018

This article explored factors related to teacher judgments that an intervention is either acceptable or unacceptable for use in typical classroom environments. The acceptability of various interventions was assessed by having 180 preservice and student teachers read case studies involving a classroom intervention and then judging the acceptability of the intervention according to five factors — whether the intervention was considered generally acceptable, whether it posed undue risk to the child, whether it required excessive teacher time, whether it had negative effects on nontarget children, and whether it required such high levels of teacher skill that the typical teacher could not implement it. The major outcomes of the study included: (a) the determination that acceptability of a classroom intervention is not a unitary concept, rather it embodies five components; (b) the construction of a reliable instrument for assessing the acceptability of classroom interventions; and (c) the finding that various interventions differ markedly in their acceptability. Results are discussed in terms of relevance to developing interventions that are effective and yet can be utilized by regular classroom teachers.
Relationships among Observed Classroom Behavior and Three Types of Teacher Ratings
Authors: Cosper Miriam R. , Erickson Marilyn T.
Published: March 2018

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between teachers' ratings of their students' behavior and direct observational data. The subjects for the study were 63 male pupils from eight first-grade classrooms. The O'Leary, Kaufman, Kass, & Drabman (1970) disruptive behavior code was used to collect observational data during a 3-week period. Teachers were asked to rate each child on three rating scales: the Quay-Peterson Behavior Problem Checklist, the Miller School Behavior Checklist, and a scale involving frequency estimates of the nine O'Leary et al. code behaviors. Data analysis revealed considerable independence of the major types of measurement (direct behavioral observation vs. global ratings). The findings are discussed in terms of their implications for the assessment of children in classroom settings.
A Comparison of Label-Induced Expectancy Bias in Two Preservice Teacher Education Programs
Authors: Johnson Lawrence J. , Blankenship Colleen S.
Published: March 2018

The purpose of this study was to determine whether a special education minor would reduce the likelihood of preservice elementary teachers developing negative expectancies regarding students labeled behaviorally disordered. Participating as subjects were 12 students from the Specialized Instruction program (SI) and 12 students from the Elementary and Early Childhood Education ElEd) Department at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign campus. The investigation was divided into two phases. In phase one, subjects filled out the Distributing Behavior Checklist (Algozzine, 1978), a measure of tolerance towards behavior problems. In phase two, subjects viewed two videotapes. Each tape focused on an average second grade boy in a reading group. Subjects were told that one of the videotaped boys was behaviorally disordered. After each videotape, subjects completed the Behavior Problem Checklist (Quay & Peterson, 1967) as a measure of bias. Results indicated that both groups had similar tolerances toward behavior problems and rated the student labeled behaviorally disordered more negatively. However, the bias effect was more pronounced in the ElEd group. Tolerance, teacher education program, and knowledge of the experimental intent accounted for 32% of the variance in expectancy bias.
A Multiple Baseline Analysis of an Interpersonal Skills Training Program for Depressed Youth
Authors: Schloss Patrick J. , Schloss Cynthia N. , Harris Lenora
Published: March 2018

Recent literature has emphasized the prevalence of reactive depression among school-aged populations. To date, there has been a relative absence of empirical demonstrations which may contribute to teachers' resources in working with this population. The present investigation evaluates the impact of a social skills training package including modeling, behavior rehearsal, feedback, and contingent reinforcement on the interpersonal responses of three depressed youth. A multiple baseline analysis demonstrates that changes in specific responses are associated with the introduction of treatment in those areas. Natural environment assessments reveal that performance gains generalized to self-contained classrooms. Maintenance data are mixed. These findings are discussed with reference to future applied research and training priorities.
The Reduction of Aberrant Vocalizations with Auditory Feedback and Resulting Collateral Behavior Change of Two Autistic Boys
Authors: Gunter Phil , Brady Michael P. , Shores Richard E. , Fox James J. , Owen Sherri , Goldzweig Irwin R.
Published: March 2018

The effects of auditory stimuli, provided by music played on a small portable cassette player with headphones, on the aberrant vocalizations of two autistic boys was investigated in this study. A multiple baseline design was used to assess the effectiveness of the intervention across three regularly occurring school activities for each subject. The results indicated that the intervention was effective in reducing vocal stereotypies of one subject across all activities and for the second subject, in two activities. Social validity measures confirmed the effects of the intervention, the importance of decreasing the behavior, and that the intervention itself was not stigmatizing. The data suggested that at least some stereotypies may be controlled by their sensory consequences and that an intervention need not produce negative side effects.
Teachers' Ratings of Students' Behaviors: What Constitutes Behavior Disorder in School?
Authors: Cullinan Douglas , Epstein Michael H. , Kauffman James M.
Published: March 2018

Behaviorally disordered and nonhandicapped students of both sexes and three age levels were assessed for adjustment problems, using a teacher-completed checklist. This permitted prevalence estimates for each of the adjustment problems represented on the checklist and for total problems, separately for behaviorally disordered and nonhandicapped students in each of the six age-sex subgroupings. Statistical comparisons of prevalence were made in each of these age-sex subgroupings as well. Finally, the value of a cutoff score procedure based on total problems was examined as a method for identifying the behaviorally disordered student. Results show that on most of the checklist items significantly more behaviorally disordered students experienced problems than the nonhandicapped students. Among the behaviorally disordered students, there were relatively few differences between sexes and age levels. Problems noted for the behaviorally disordered appear to be compatible with the PL 94-142 definition of seriously emotionally disturbed. Using a cutoff score based on total problems seems to have merit for some age-sex subgroups.
Social Interaction Patterns of High and Low Status Behaviorally Disordered Students within Self-Contained Classroom Settings: A Pilot Investigation
Authors: Maheady Larry , Sainato Diane M.
Published: March 2018

The purpose of the present investigation was to provide information regarding the social interaction patterns of behaviorally disordered students in self-contained special education programs. The highest and lowest sociometrically rated students in each of three elementary, self-contained special education programs were observed during free play time for 5 minutes each day over a 4-week period. The quantity (frequency), quality (positive or negative), and reciprocal nature of their social interactions with classroom peers were recorded. Results of this investigation indicate that, for the most part, social interactions among behaviorally disordered youngsters were both positive and reciprocal in nature. In addition, no discernible differences were noted between the target-initiated social behavior of high and low status students. However, specific differences were found in peer social behavior that was directed toward the target subjects. High status students were the recipients of (a) higher rates of peer initiations, (b) greater percentages of positive social initiations, and (c) fewer negative social contacts. Low status children, on the other hand, encountered fewer peer-initiated contacts, and of these, a greater percentage were negative in nature. Implications for future research are discussed.
Effects of Self-Instructional Training and Strategy Training on a Mathematics Task with Severely Behaviorally Disordered Students
Authors: Davis R. Wayne , Hajicek Joseph O.
Published: March 2018

Seven distractible students were given instruction regarding a basic competency in mathematics, the skill to multiply decimal fractions. The effects of two treatment approaches were compared. Strategy training consisted of modeling and prompting attention behaviors and the employment of a specific strategy for solving the problems. Although accuracy rate improved, there were no reliable changes in attention using this procedure. Self-instructional training consisted of modeling, prompting, and the use of self-verbalizations to guide behavior. Attention and accuracy rate improved significantly following self-instructional training. The results provided evidence that self-instructions can enhance performance of distractible students directly in the context of an academic task.
The Behavior Objective Checklist: Reliability and Validity with Child Psychiatric Patients
Authors: Moore Steven R.
Published: March 2018

The present study assesses the reliability and validity of the Behavior Objective Checklist (BOC) with child psychiatric patients. The BOC is a 137-item problem behavior checklist in which each item addresses a specific measurable problem behavior for consideration as an IEP short-term objective. The 27 participants were psychiatric day- or inpatients who attend preschool to sixth grade self-contained behavioral disorder classrooms in a residential program. Four certified teachers of the behaviorally disordered and four paraprofessionals also participated in the study. A percent agreement analysis indicated an average test-retest reliability of 87% and an average interrater reliability of 77%. A Pearson Product Moment Correlation was used to determine concurrent validity and yielded a correlation of .69 with another behavior problem checklist.
Differences in Teacher Tolerance: An Illusory Phenomena?
Authors: Safran Stephen P. , Safran Joan S. , Barcikowski Robert S.
Published: March 2018

Regular and special educators (92) completed the Teacher Tolerance Scale to identify group differences in levels of tolerance for behavior problems commonly found in the regular class. A one-way multivariate analysis of variance indicated no significant differences between groups. Of the 11 behavioral clusters, the most outer-directed behaviors (Negative Aggressive, Poor Peer Cooperation) were identified as least tolerable by both groups. Results suggest that concerns of regular and special educators may be more alike than different, yielding implications for consultative services and future research.
The First Decade of the Journal Behavioral Disorders: A Quantitative Evaluation
Authors: Scruggs Thomas E. , Mastropieri Margo A.
Published: March 2018

An analysis was conducted on articles comprising the first ten volumes of Behavioral Disorders. Descriptive information across the ten volumes indicated that a large number of articles addressed the functioning of elementary aged students, classified generally as behaviorally disordered, in classroom settings. Less widely described were preschool, autistic, or schizophrenic-like students. The type of article most frequently found was the position paper, although fewer of these articles have been included in recent years. A consistently increasing linear trend was found over the ten volumes in percentage of data-based articles and in percentage of higher validity studies. Finally, an increasing trend was found in quality of review papers over volumes. Implications are discussed and recommendations are given.
Peer Tutoring versus Structured Interaction Activities: Effects on the Frequency and Topography of Peer Initiations
Authors: Sasso Gary M. , Mitchell Virginia M. , Struthers Esther M.
Published: March 2018

The present study focuses on two methods used to facilitate the social integration of autistic and autistic-like children in a school setting. Specifically, the interactive values of peer tutoring and structured interaction activities on the social initiations of nonhandicapped peers toward students with autism were measured. The nature of the initiations were coded either instructional or cooperative. Results revealed that nonhandicapped students assigned initially to a tutoring phase interacted at far lower rates than did students exposed to structured interactions. Conversely, the structured interaction activities produced the highest rates of cooperative initiations regardless of presentation sequence. The data are discussed in reference to implications for programs which will enhance the normalization process for children and youth with severe handicaps.
Early Intervention for Children with Conduct Disorders: A Quantitative Synthesis of Single-Subject Research
Authors: Scruggs Thomas E. , Mastropieri Margo A. , Cook Stephen B. , Escobar Colette
Published: March 2018

To evaluate treatment of preschool children with conduct disorders, 16 studies were reviewed in which single-subject methodology was employed. Studies were coded for a number of variables including (a) description of target subjects, (b) type of intervention, (c) length and intensity of intervention, (d) primary intervenor, and (e) setting as well as a quantitative outcome variable, percent of treatment data points nonoverlapping with previous baseline phases. Variables were analyzed for covanation between outcomes and study characteristics. Results indicated that (a) reinforcement produced most positive outcomes, followed by punishment timeout and differential attention, respectively: and (b) subject characteristics such as sex, handicapping condition, and target behavior generally bore little relation to treatment outcome. Finally, stronger outcomes were found for homebased interventions and younger subjects, but these findings were inconsistent and were thought to reflect the effects of other variables. Implications for further research are given.
Levels Systems: A Framework for the Individualization of Behavior Management
Authors: Bauer Anne M. , Shea Thomas M. , Keppler Rose
Published: March 2018

Levels systems are being used more frequently in educational programs for children and youth with behavioral disorders. These systems provide an organizational framework within which various behavior management interventions are applied to shape students' social, emotional, and academic behavior. Rather than an intervention technique or strategy derived from a single theoretical perspective, a levels system offers a structure within which various treatments are implemented. In this article, three levels systems for elementary, junior and senior high school, and residential programs are compared and contrasted. A step-by-step procedure for developing a levels system for application in the classroom is presented. Finally, some cautions in developing a levels system and the advantages of applying such a system with children and youth with severe behavior disorders are discussed.
Behaviorally Disordered Students as Tutors: Effects on Social Behavior
Authors: Scruggs Thomas E. , Mastropieri Margo , Veit Debra Tolfa , Osguthorpe Russell T.
Published: March 2018

Randomly assigned to tutor and control groups were 24 behaviorally disordered students. Tutoring condition students tutored lower functioning students in language and social play areas during four 5-week tutoring sessions. A variety of dependent measures were employed during the course of the intervention including absences, disciplinary referrals, change in targeted behaviors, behavior rating scales, continuous records, achievement test scores, and attitudes toward school. Although anecdotal reports strongly favored tutoring, all objective measures failed to indicate behavior change due to tutoring. Congruence with previous research and implications for special education are given.
Differences in the Classroom Behaviors of Behaviorally Disordered and Regular Class Children
Authors: Slate John R. , Saudargas Richard A.
Published: March 2018

The regular classroom behaviors of behaviorally disordered and regular class third, fourth, and fifth grade males were observed. An average of 80 minutes of direct classroom observational data were taken on each child. Multiple regression and discriminant analysis procedures were used to determine which behaviors best differentiated among the behaviorally disordered and regular class children. A multiple regression procedure revealed 10 behaviors that accounted for 81.35% of the variance in group membership (Social Interaction Teacher, Directions, Out-of-seat, Teacher Group Approach Schoolwork, Approvals, Disapprovals, Schoolwork, Raise-hand, Teacher Group Approach Other Activity, Call-out). Separate discriminant analyses were run on the child behaviors, teacher behaviors, and the child and teacher behaviors combined. Only the child behaviors and the child and teacher behaviors combined produced significant results. No teacher behaviors by themselves were obtained which differentiated between the two groups. These findings suggest that behaviorally disordered children's behavior should be examined within the context of the regular classroom. Moreover, the teacher's behaviors in relation to the target child should be assessed.
Timeout Use with Behaviorally Disordered Students
Authors: Zabel Mary Kay
Published: March 2018

The use of timeout procedures by teachers of behaviorally disordered students has received widespread attention in the literature. Research has been conducted, and opinion papers written suggesting guidelines and appropriate use of this intervention. The actual “state of practice”, however, has not been as thoroughly assessed. This study used a questionnaire to ask teachers of behaviorally disordered students if they used timeout procedures, and if so, to describe some of the parameters of that usage. Results are discussed and suggestions offered for improving the current practice.
Effects of Peer Pressure on Disruptive Behavior of Behaviorally Disordered Classmates
Authors: Sandler Allen G. , Arnold Leslie B. , Gable Robert A. , Strain Phillip S.
Published: March 2018

The effect of a peer confrontation procedure on the disruptive classroom behavior of three behaviorally disordered classmates was evaluated. Immediately following each episode of disruptive behavior, the classroom teacher prompted the target student's peers to (a) label the target behavior, (b) indicate why the behavior was unacceptable, and (c) suggest an alternative appropriate behavior. The results suggest that peer confrontation may be an effective procedure for decreasing inappropriate classroom conduct of children with behavioral disorders.
Characteristics of Students Placed in Special Programs for the Seriously Emotionally Disturbed
Authors: Kauffman James M. , Cullinan Douglas , Epstein Michael H.
Published: March 2018

Subjects studied were 249 seriously emotionally disturbed students (204 boys, 45 girls) ranging in age from 7 to 19 years. Data included 10. teacher's estimate of academic performance in core academic areas, amount of time spent in regular classes or other educational placements, and scores on the Quay-Peterson Behavior Problem Checklist. The sample was below average in IQ and estimated academic achievement. Approximately one-half of the sample were placed for part of the day in regular classes. Those with higher IQs tended to be placed more often in mainstream settings, but academic achievement estimates and type of behavior problem were not clearly related to placement. IQ and academic achievement estimates were significantly related, but IQ was predictive of neither the amount nor the kind of problem behavior. However, BPC factor score was related to estimated reading achievement, poor reading performance was related to high scores on Conduct Disorder and Socialized Delinquency, and high estimated academic performance was related to Personality Problem and Inadequacy-Immaturity. Implications of the findings for prevalence estimates and composition of special education programs for seriously emotionally disturbed students are discussed.