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Asserting that young children often demonstrate challenging behaviors for any number of reasons, this paper presents strategies designed to prevent problem behaviors in young children. Basic principles for establishing a community of learners are discussed. Strategies for teaching children to negotiate, problem solve, and understand the viewpoints of others also are included. The paper also presents a number of research-based techniques designed to prevent negative behavior in children with persistent behavior problems. Behavioral analysis of the setting, events, behaviors, and consequences is explained. Specific techniques to pre-empt problem behaviors are then presented: the Premack Principle, high-probability request sequences, delay cues, and the use of paired distracters. Next, teaching alternative replacement behaviors for negative behaviors is discussed. Finally, the article emphasizes the importance of family involvement when helping young children to improve behavior. (Contains 18 references.) (Author/EV)

Noting that therapeutic nursery programs (TNPs) offer one alternative to mainstream daycare or preschool settings for young children experiencing severe emotional and behavioral difficulties, this study gathered information about TNPs and their services. Response rate to a survey mailed to a nonrandom nationwide sample of 40 programs was 50 percent. The hypothesis was that TNPs would provide services specific to the characteristics of children's presenting problems; findings indicated considerable diversity in the client populations and services provided. The majority of TNPs were located in urban areas (75 percent), with 20 percent in suburban locations. Ninety percent of TNPs provided services to children experiencing a variety of emotional and behavioral difficulties: ADHD was the most common diagnosis (85 percent), Down's Syndrome the least reported (5 percent). TNPs serving children with mental retardation tended to be specific to that population. Most TNPs used a combination of funding sources. Most (75 percent) provided service year-around. Programs requiring family involvement reported a higher rate of attendance problems than overall. Programs providing a meal with psychoeducational presentations to parents did not report attendance difficulties. Forty percent of the TNPs used an eclectic treatment approach, with 20 percent using a cognitive-behavioral approach. Eighty percent of TNPs served at least three client populations. Forty percent of TNPs provided both educational and therapeutic components, with 30 percent providing only a therapeutic component. Teachers were the most frequently involved staff, with social workers, psychologists, occupational and physical therapists also employed. Graduate students were 20 percent of all staff within classrooms. (Contains 16 references.) (KB)

For chronically troublesome students educational strategies of exclusion currently lead to revolving door syndrome, resulting in ever-increasing learning deficits, and further inappropriate behaviours. Strike Four is an educational paradigm servicing "category three alienated students" (exhibiting significant social and/or emotional difficulties and behavioural disorders) in retentive environments in Australia, with the goal that these young people re-enter mainstream, technical college, or the workforce by the end of the 19-weeks. A practitioner research model made simultaneous paradigm development and testing possible. The process of program development is reviewed including an ethos document, the behaviour management policy, the development of positive contracting as a tool, and the truancy policy. Under "Curriculum as a Tool to Shape Behaviour," the value of flexible curricula and the use of key teaching times are discussed. Teaching stories were developed and tested in the classroom to address specific life skills as situations arose. Programs employing Strike Four strategies have achieved close to 100% attendance and placement of students into work or technical college. A post-support program provided support to the transition to the workplace. These students were still functioning in their placements three months later. (EMK)

In response to concerns about the increasing number of students identified as disabled and eligible for special education services, and the growing number of young, aggressive, noncompliant, and very challenging students entering pre-kindergarten and elementary schools, a task force recommended the creation of a Behavior Consultation Team (BCT) project. The behavioral consultation model includes stages of problem identification, problem analysis, plan implementation, and plan evaluation. Goals of the project were to increase teachers' ability to effectively manage, accommodate, and remediate behavioral difficulties in the classroom, and to document and evaluate a consultative process that is feasible in the public school setting. Six specific research questions are addressed. Children with seriously challenging behaviors (aggression, noncompliance, etc.) in grades pre-K to 3, were recruited (N=16). Assessment included functional analysis and functional assessment, and identification of environmental conditions that influence a given behavior. An intervention plan was designed and implemented. Three evaluation areas (acceptability, integrity, and efficacy of the BCT) were defined for the project. Data were collected at all stages of the project and at the end of the year as follow-up. Quantitative and qualitative results are presented. Closing discussion highlights the differences between successful and unsuccessful case resolutions. (EMK)

Substantial disagreement exists among professionals in the judiciary and in the public at large as to what the goals of the justice system should be. Some programs and interventions aimed at preventing juvenile violence and delinquency, as well as efforts that rehabilitate young people already in the system, are identified here. The report provides a broad-based look at the literature available in the field and identifies those elements that have been found to produce success in returning youth to a productive path in an interdependent community. The programs are explored in four chapters: (1) Does Anything Work?; (2) Causes and Origins; (3) Things that Don't Work; and (4) Efforts that Work. A final chapter, entitled "And Miles to Go Before We Sleep," outlines some of the changes that need to be made. Each chapter raises important questions that must be addressed if a system that supports the healthy development of youth, especially those fragile, vulnerable, or damaged youth, is to be created. It is hoped that this information will serve as a reference for youth workers and policy makers alike in choosing where to invest public resources on behalf of troubled children. (RJM)

Professionals who work with runaway, throwaway, and homeless youth have long known that many of these young people leave home to escape abusive and/or destructive family situations. This update presents the findings of a national study on such children. Results of the study, "Youth with Runaway, Throwaway, and Homeless Experiences: Prevalence, Drug Use, and Other At-Risk Behaviors," suggest that many so-called "runaways" are misnamed. More than half of the youth in street shelters or on the street reported that and adult caretaker either told them to leave or knew they were leaving and did not care. Researchers examined youth in shelters, street youth, youth placement in institutional settings, and youth in households. Data suggest that familial substance abuse, poverty, suicide, and difficulty meeting basic needs afflicted most of these young people. Other problems included victimization, delinquency, and unprotected sexual activity. Although these youth need help making a successful transition to adulthood, many of them do not have access to, or are not utilizing, such assistance, with the exception of health care services. Some of the recommendations made here include educating the public, substance abuse prevention and treatment, outreach and coordination of support services, prenatal care for pregnant teens, and greater access to transitional living program services. Some of the study's strengths and limitations are also discussed. (RJM)

This study examined the prevalence and clinical correlates of sexually inappropriate behaviors in all youth treated at a tertiary care public sector psychiatric hospital over a 5-year period. A retrospective chart review was completed on 499 subjects. Subjects were grouped in four mutually exclusive categories: no inappropriate sexual behaviors (N=296), hypersexual (N=82), exposing (N=39), and victimizing (N=82) behaviors. Those with histories of sexually inappropriate behaviors had much higher rates of being sexually abused (82 percent versus 36 percent), and also had higher rates of physical abuse and neglect, behavior disorders, developmental problems, and family histories of antisocial behavior. However, they were less likely to have affective disorders than group members with no history of sexually inappropriate behavior. The hypersexual group contained a higher proportion of females and was associated, in part, with variables relating to sexual abuse and post-traumatic stress disorder. The more severe offending groups (exposing and victimizing) were associated with variables related to sexual abuse, developmental delays, lower IQ's, peer problems, and other acting-out behavior problems. These finding underscore the importance of evaluating for sexually inappropriate behaviors in seriously mentally ill youth, especially in those with histories of sexual abuse. (Author/RJM)

Conduct disorder (CD), primarily a childhood disorder, is associated with oppositional defiance disorder and antisocial personality disorder. Differentiating between the disorders requires a preview of the intensity of the disorder. There are many approaches to treating CD. The traditional approach has been psychoanalytically oriented psychotherapy, although group therapy is also widely used. The social learning family intervention treatment has received a great deal of support from research. Counseling issues concerning CD which deserve examination are the association with depression and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. An eclectic approach appears to be the best option for the counselor who is treating the conduct disordered child. Contains 12 references. (Author/RB)

Over the last 20 years, policy changes have reduced the use of highly restrictive services for children with severe disabilities. This study explores several issues associated with these changes. It asked whether students referred to a Behavioral Skills Program (BSP) exhibit a level of behavioral and emotional problems that is higher than the general population of students with Behavioral Disorders (BD). It documents the outcome of treatment by measuring academic achievement, behavioral assessments, and other goals, and investigated whether or not differential progress depended on the types of behavioral goals. Data were collected on elementary and secondary students at a public school's BSP. Results indicated that students referred to BSP exhibit more behavioral and emotional problems than the general population of students with BD. These students' levels of individual and family risk factors were also higher than the general population's. However, outcomes of treatment, which were made by measuring changes in academic achievement, behavioral assessments, performance of behavioral goals, and overall teacher performance, reflected significant gains in academic achievement. Students in the program had more success in certain types of behavioral goals compared to other types of goals. Overall, teacher ratings indicated progress in behavior and academic areas. Contains 37 references. (RJM)

This study explores the construct validity of the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), which was created as a standardized tool for recording the behaviors of children aged 4 through 16 as reported by their parents or caretakers. Since its inception in 1983, the CBCL has been applied and tested on numerous clinical samples, yielding an impressive body of quantitative support. Due to the liberal application of the CBCL in child mental health settings, however, it is critical that the validity of the instrument be supported for specific child sub-populations. In this study, the factor structure of the CBCL is explored for different sex and age variations in a sample of 2,628 children presented for treatment at a mental health center in a midwestern city. Results suggest that the subscales of aggression and depression are invariant across sub-samples of the population. No single source of data is sufficient in diagnostic assessment of individual children or adolescents, however. For this and other reasons, cautious use and interpretation of the CBCL is recommended. It is also recommended that the CBCL be used as auxiliary data, employed in conjunction with other data. Includes 10 tables. (KW)

This report describes the results of two statewide surveys: (1) The 1991 Youth Risk Behavior Survey; and (2) The 1992 New Mexico School Health Education Survey. These findings are intended to be used by educators across New Mexico to help focus the development of effective school-based comprehensive health education programs. Childrens' health problems arise from a few preventable behaviors, such as drinking and driving and unprotected sexual intercourse. Tobacco use, excessive consumption of fats, and insufficient physical activity are known to lead to diseases which do not manifest themselves until adulthood, but originate from habits formed during adolescence. Effective educational programs are needed to reduce these priority health risk behaviors. Schools provide the best avenue for such programs. The results presented in this report can be used to identify adolescent needs, aid in developing curricula to meet those needs, and design effective teacher training. This report should be shared among school administrators, teachers, parents, and the community to gain informed support for school-based programs that incorporate the principles and components of effective comprehensive health education. A health education program must be as comprehensive as possible and should incorporate a coordinated, collaborative effort among schools, families, and the community. Contains 44 references. (RJM)

School-based alcohol and drug abuse prevention and intervention programs have become an integral part of many school systems in the 1990s. Many such programs employ prevention programs with primary, secondary, or tertiary aspects. In primary prevention, the school district develops a climate conducive to the understanding of alcohol/drug abuse prevention and intervention. Such programs commonly provide staff training, an alcohol/drug curriculum which addresses diverse needs, assistance from school personnel, a student assistance coordinator (SAC) who works with staff, peer counseling, and other measures. In secondary prevention, intervention concentrates on the effects of alcohol or drug abuse on students. This type of prevention involves many aspects: (1) school drug policy is the foundation for intervention; (2) administrative procedures do not need board approval; (3) the SAC takes referrals from staff members and is also consulted on drug/alcohol policy violations; (4) a "Core Team" of school staff discusses questionable students; (5) student counseling groups; and (6) a broad-based employee assistance program. Tertiary prevention, or treatment, is technically not provided by schools but SACs need to be familiar with treatment programs. The SAC can suggest a student be involved in treatment and may help coordinate the services provided by the treatment center and the school. (RJM)

This booklet describes the juvenile justice system and offers suggestions for the system's future. The disparate legal context of juvenile justice in the United States reflects Americans' ambivalent feelings toward this branch of justice. What is needed, it is argued, is a developmental perspective where society expects young people to make mistakes and then addresses these actions without exacting full adult court penalties. Profiles of delinquency cases and the characteristics of juvenile delinquents and their backgrounds are examined. Denoting trends in adolescent crime is difficult since only about one-third of all crimes are reported to the police; juvenile arrests, therefore, reflect a tiny fraction of overall delinquent behavior. Arrest records do indicate that minority adolescents comprise a disproportionate share of those incarcerated. Likewise, actions toward female offenders appears unequal with 61 percent of females not incarcerated for delinquent behavior. The situation is further confused by the lack of any standardized measure for recidivism. Once they are detained, juveniles need to have specific problems addressed. Their health care, environmental forces, and other factors require concerted remedies. The federal government can help reform juvenile justice by viewing it as an adolescent health care system, where juveniles' mental and physical health are systematically addressed. (RJM)

Pursuant to a European teachers' seminar on bullying in school held in Stavangar, Norway in 1987, a comparative research project in Scotland identified variations in the incidence of bullying in Scottish secondary schools and investigated and described successful coping strategies. Bullying was defined as "long standing violence, mental or physical, conducted by an individual or a group against an individual who is not able to defend himself or herself in that actual situation." Questionnaires were distributed to 942 students from 10 secondary schools, ranging from the inner city to the agricultural periphery. The data showed that 50 percent of the students had been bullied at school at least once or twice; 44 percent admitted that they had bullied someone else; and 32 percent said they had never been involved, either as bully or victim. Other reported findings include a breakdown of the recent bullies and victims by age and sex; demographic and family characteristics of bullies; incidence of forms of bullying ranging from ostracism to violence or extortion; school location of bullying incidents; and the data on taboo against telling authority figures about bullying incidents. Three prerequisites for a successful anti-bullying policy are discussed: recognition by the school that the problem exits; openness in discussing it; and ownership, i.e., giving parents, teachers, and pupils a vested interest in making the anti-bullying policy succeed. Eight references are included. (TE)

Examines constructions of adolescence and pathology and their relation to human service intervention. Locates history of related discourses along a trajectory of 20th-century capitalism, attending especially to racialized, gendered, and class-based aspects. Argues that the youth treatment industry may not be preparing youth for healthy adulthood, but rather, for their place in a continuum of care, control, and containment. (Author/KB)