Parents and relative caregivers of children with severe emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) often report high levels of strain associated with the care of that child. This study compares how parents and other relative caregivers, and different family caregiver groups, experience strain. Overall, we found that Medicaid care-givers (n = 648)…

Parent-child transactions provide an important social context for the development of adaptive and problem behaviors in young children with autism. Teaching parents to develop alternative transactional pathways often leads to positive behavioral patterns in their children. We taught three parents the philosophy and practice of mindfulness in a…

In this study, the authors examined the association between childhood attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and anxiety and mood disorders in adolescence. They compared a group of 142 adolescents ages 13 to 18 years with a history of ADHD in childhood to group of 100 community-recruited adolescents without ADHD. The two groups did not…

Using longitudinal data from the National Survey on Child and Adolescent Well-Being (NSCAW), this study investigates entry into intensive or restrictive settings during a 36-month study period. Specifically, this analysis examines entry into treatment foster care, group homes, residential treatment, and inpatient psychiatric care for youth placed…

There is growing interest in understanding the factors that influence the academic achievement of students with emotional disturbance (ED). Structural equation modeling was used to test the interrelationships among language skills, externalizing behavior, and academic fluency and their impact on the academic skills of students with ED. Results…

This analysis of statewide suspension data from 1995 to 2003 in Maryland investigated disproportionate suspensions of minority students and students with disabilities. We found substantial increases in over-all rates of suspensions from 1995 to 2003, as well as disproportionate rates of suspensions for African American students, American Indian…

Given the relative absence of treatment outcome studies, information about the specificity and utility of interventions for children who set fires has not been reported. In a treatment outcome study with young boys referred for firesetting that compared brief home visitation from a firefighter, fire safety education (FSE), and cognitive-behavioral…

Although some evidence suggests that providing treatment via service coordination teams is related to improved outcomes among youth in a system of care, the aspects of team structure that contribute to treatment effectiveness are not well understood. This study draws on team membership and attendance data to identify and describe the structure of…

Examined 6-month post-recruitment clinical and placement outcomes for 31 youths with serious emotional disturbance (SED) at imminent risk of out-of-home placement in the Hawaii Continuum of Care (COC). Youths were randomly assigned to multisystemic therapy (MST) adapted for SED populations or to Hawaii's existing COC services. Assessments were…

The comorbidity of health and mental health problems among Medicaid-enrolled children and youth in Florida with a designated health or mental health disability was examined and compared to that of Medicaid-enrolled children with no disability. Slightly higher rates of health problems (42%) were found among children with mental health disabilities…

In this analogue investigation, 215 practicing Pennsylvania school psychologists reviewed hypothetical referral forms and related data (vignettes). Vignettes represented children who met eligibility criteria for special education as well as children who did not. Participants were most likely to recommend, as eligible due to emotional disturbance,…

The purposes of this article are to (a) describe the design features of two longitudinal studies, the Special Education Elementary Longitudinal Study (SEELS) and the National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 (NLTS2) and (b) outline their potential implications for policy, practice, research, advocacy, and system development for children and youth…

Individual treatment response to behavior modification was examined in the context of a summer treatment program. Four children ages 11 to 12 and diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder were examined in a BABAB design in which a comprehensive behavioral program was utilized and withdrawn across an 8-week period. Dependent measures…

Many developmental theories that emphasize the importance of developmental task attainment imply that there is a degree of homogeneity in the developmental histories of children with serious disorders. From the perspective of developmental psychopathology, however, children identified as having serious emotional or behavioral disorders are likely…

This article provides a national perspective of children and youth with emotional disturbances (ED) served in special education using data from the Special Education Elementary Longitudinal Study and the National Longitudinal Transition Study-2. Data sources comprise teachers, school records, the students, and their parents. Results indicate that…