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Within 3-tier behavioral models, universal interventions are expected to prevent the onset of problem behavior in a majority of children altogether and to sustain improvements in child outcomes by the selected and indicated interventions. A cohort longitudinal design was used to assess the extent to which a 3-tier model achieves these expected outcomes. The respective universal, selected, and indicated interventions included Behavior and Academic Support and Enhancement, First Step to Success, and MultiSystemic Therapy. A total of 407 children in Grades K-3 from 1 of 4 longitudinal cohorts participated. The results of 2-level linear growth analyses indicate that the 3-tier behavior model achieved the anticipated outcomes with respect to social behavior. The results, limitations, and implications are discussed., An estimated 12% of all children and adolescents in this country have significant emotional and/or behavioral disorders (EBD) that adversely affect their social functioning (Department of Health and Human Services, [...]

The Preschool Behavioral and Emotional Rating Scale (PreBERS) is a standardized, norm-referenced instrument that assesses the emotional and behavioral strengths of preschool children. Two studies that investigated the test--retest and inter-rater reliability of the PreBERS are reported. In the first study, teachers rated preschool children (N = 96) on two occasions with 1 month between ratings. Reliability coefficients for the four subscales and total score of the PreBERS were all at or above 0.86. In the second study teachers and paraprofessionals rated the same preschool children (N = 88). All of the correlations were over 0.72. In both studies the magnitude of correlations were large indicating that the PreBERS is a stable measure across time and raters. Based on the data the PreBERS appears to be a psychometrically sound instrument appropriate for use with preschool children. Recommendations for use with preschool children as well as future research are discussed. Keywords Preschool measure * Strength-based assessment * Emotional Rating Scale * Behavior Rating Scale

Logistic regression analyses were used to establish the most robust set of risk factors that would best predict borderline/clinical levels of problem behavior (i.e., a t score at or above 60 on the Child Behavior Checklist Total Problem scale) of kindergarten and first-grade children at risk for emotional and behavioral disorders. Results showed that among the 11 risk factor domains considered, 5 were most predictive of borderline/clinical levels of problem behavior: externalizing behavior pattern, internalizing behavior pattern, early childhood child maladjustment, family functioning, and maternal depression. Within these 5 domains, the most robust set of individual risk factors were difficult child (i.e., temperament, parent management skills, interaction between temperament and parent management skills), destroys own toys, and maternal depression. Results, limitations, future research, and implications are discussed., Early problem behavior is highly related to successful school experiences (Gresham, Lane, & Lambros, 2000; Lyman, 1996). Children who evidence problem behavior at school are likely to struggle early, often, [...]