Perception of what works for teachers of students with EBD in mainstream and special schools in Hong Kong

This study focuses on teachers' perception of what works for them in managing students with emotional and behavioral difficulties (EBD). The main purpose is to compare the current findings in mainstream schools with the study that was conducted in special schools in 2006–2007 to see if there are any discrepancies of approaches implemented by teachers. This recent study was carried out in 11 mainstream schools involving 102 teachers. It is compared to the seven special schools with 89 teachers. Focus group interviews with the same open-ended questions were adopted for both studies. Findings indicated that the majority of the strategies perceived by both groups of teachers as helpful were very similar, and they can be classified under eight major categories. In collating all the approaches deemed supportive in working with EBD students, a holistic conceptual framework is delineated to address the complexities of managing emotional and behavioral disturbances.     

Commuting between Two Worlds

China is one of the fastest growing economies worldwide. Are science and research also in the fast lane? We talked with LUO Yuan, scientist at the Institute of Coal Chemistry in Shanxi, and Axel Mosig, Professor at Ruhr University in Bochum, who has first-hand experience working and living in China.     

Providing training in positive behavioural support and physical interventions for parents of children with autism and related behavioural difficulties

Though professionals working with children on the autism spectrum who display challenging behaviour routinely receive training in the use of both positive behavioural support techniques and physical interventions, such training is rarely provided for the parents of these children. This article reports on the impact of training provided for family members associated with eight children aged 7–11 years who were associated with the same special school. Participants were surveyed before and after training, and at a 12‐week follow‐up session. Data were triangulated by interviewing staff providing and supporting the training. The results suggest that attending the training increased parents' confidence in understanding and managing the child's behaviour, and reduced the use of physical interventions. Positive factors associated with parent training are discussed, as well as challenges to its provision, and the cost and potential impact of providing training is compared with other models of support. Limitations of the study and areas for further research are identified.     

Preferential treatment or unwanted in mainstream schools? The perceptions of parents and teachers with regards to pupils with special educational needs and challenging behaviour

This study explored the perceptions of parents and teachers regarding the differential treatment or stigma experienced by pupils with challenging behaviour – more specifically, those with behavioural, emotional and social difficulties (BESD), as well as children with visible special educational needs (Down's syndrome and/or profound and multiple learning difficulties) who frequently displayed challenging behaviour as a characteristic of their SEN. Semi‐structured interviews were conducted with ten parents of children with challenging behaviour, together with 15 educational practitioners employed in mainstream and BESD schools. Findings revealed how several parents, and staff employed in BESD schools, viewed pupils with challenging behaviour as ‘unwanted’ in mainstream schools. The remaining parents, as well as mainstream practitioners, reported the opposite and indicated that these pupils received treatment deemed to be ‘preferential’ in the mainstream. This has direct implications for those concerned with supporting pupils with challenging behaviour in mainstream settings.     

Measures of risk for challenging behaviors： A comparison between the CBC and BDI

A growing body of evidence indicates that for some children, early incidences of challenging behaviors are predictors of later difficulties. These incidences of challenging behaviors may predict mental health issues, social adjustment issues and/or increased challenging behaviors that will impede school success and impact transition to adult life （Lipsey ＆ Derzon, 1998; Wagner, Cometo ＆ Newman, 2003; Walker, Ramsey ＆ Gresham, 2005）. This study seeks to explore the relationship between two commonly used assessments in early childhood settings, the Battelle Developmental Inventory （BDI） （given by caregivers/teachers） （Newborg, 2005） and the Child Behavior Checklist （CBC） （given by both parents and caregivers/teachers） （Achenbach, 2000）. Two significant correlations that linked the use of the BDI and the CBC were found. Further research is needed with larger sample sizes.     

A proactive and responsive bio-psychosocial approach to managing challenging behaviour in mainstream primary classrooms

Research in the area of social, emotional and behavioural difficulties, and teacher’s struggle to respond to challenging behaviour in mainstream classrooms, has consistently highlighted the need for proventative and responsive approaches within a continuum of support. This study aims to, firstly, investigate what proactive and reactive strategies Irish primary school teachers are currently utilising in mainstream classrooms. Secondly, it aims to ascertain a rating of the perceived effectiveness of these strategies within an overarching bio-psychosocial framework. A total of 274 mainstream teachers were surveyed online, whereby quantitative and qualitative data was collected and analysed. Results suggest that teachers are drawing upon research in the area of bio-physiological, cognitive, behavioural, person-centred, humanistic and eco-social psychology. ‘Building a rapport with the child’ was rated as the Most Effective proactive strategy by 39% of teachers and ‘Acknowledging the child’s feelings’ was rated as the Most Effective responsive strategies by 25% of teachers.     

Expert Supervisors' Priorities When Working With Easy and Challenging Supervisees

Using Kemer, Borders, and Willse's ( 2014 ) concept map as a conceptual model, the authors aimed to understand expert supervisors' priorities with their easy and challenging supervisees. Experts' priorities with easy and challenging supervisees were represented in different parts of the concept map, and they seemed to individualize their work with challenging supervisees.     

自闭症儿童行为功能评估的个案分析

本文以一名自闭症儿童为例,运用功能性行为评估方法对其挑战性行为进行了评估,详细分析了挑战性行为的功能及目的,并在此基础上设计了干预措施,进行实施。该儿童的行为变化验证了最初的行为功能假设。研究结果为自闭症儿童的行为干预提供了一种思路。     

A study of children’s conceptions of school rules by investigating their judgements of transgressions in the absence of rules

This study investigated 202 elementary school children’s judgements and reasoning about transgressions when school rules regulating these transgressions have been removed in hypothetical school situations. As expected, moral transgressions were judged as more wrong and less accepted than structuring, protecting and etiquette transgressions. In turn, etiquette transgressions were judged as less wrong and more accepted than moral, structuring and protecting transgressions. Structuring transgressions were judged beyond expectations as more wrong and less accepted than protecting transgressions. Judgements and justifications made by the children showed that they discriminated between transgressions as a function of school‐rule category (relational/moral rules, structuring rules, protecting rules and etiquette rules). The findings confirm as well as extend previous social‐cognitive domain theory research on children’s socio‐moral reasoning.     

Sharing the load,supporting the staff

Although the issue of challenging behaviour receives a great deal of attention in educational literature, the exact nature of this behaviour is open to debate. Challenging behaviour can be defined objectively by listing or describing behaviours that are considered disruptive and undesirable. On the other hand, challenging behaviour can be seen as contextual or relative. Based on data from questionnaires and interviews with children and teachers in an Irish primary school, we argue that these approaches to challenging behaviour are not mutually exclusive and find support for an interactive approach. This ‘behaviour‐in‐context’ approach involves taking a perspective of behaviour as a response to environmental and individual needs while recognising the objective undesirability of some behaviours. In our study, the development of a mutually acceptable construct of behaviour has emerged as a vital first step in intervention.