Guidelines for Working with Clients/Students Who Engage in Disruptive-Aggressive Behavior and/or Have Adaptive Behavior Deficits.

The concept of treatment/therapy with children exhibiting antisocial maladaptive behavior is analyzed. The process of assessing the individual and planning treatment in a multidisciplinary team setting is discussed. Suggestions are made for treating maladaptive behaviors or teaching adaptive behaviors, and guidelines (such as defining targeted behaviors, reviewing possible side effects of medication, implementing medical and/or program changes in a systematic manner to allow for analysis, and evaluating environmental conditions) are listed. Research is cited on teaching adaptive skills to severely and profoundly retarded persons, and a staff assistance scale (in which gradually increased levels of staff help are provided on a task) is presented for evaluating the individual's skills. The staff assistance scale may be combined with task analysis to begin to measure learning rates and progress to independence. (CL)