The report summarizes findings from an investigation of response interrelationships in severely handicapped children with behavior problems in order to provide empirical guidelines for determining intervention priorities. A state-wide sample of severely handicapped, behavior problem children (2-8 years old) was observed longitudinally in their public school program. Real-time observational techniques using microprocessors recorded percent duration of over 95 inappropriate behaviors as well as teacher and environmental variables. Excess behaviors showed small decreases over 3 years, as contrasted with previous epidemiological findings for institutionalized children. For a subsample of the Ss individual interventions were undertaken to determine whether response patterns could be identified. Although reliable clusters proved difficult to identify, both the child studies and investigations of teachers' decision making suggested that programing based on the acquisition of functional skills was the most valuable strategy for reducing excess behaviors. A model was developed to help teachers and other clinicians choose interventions. (Author/CL)