As a graduate student a decade ago, I recall vividly reading the inaugural issue of the Journal of Behavioral Medicine when it appeared in 1978. Its purpose was described as "a broadly conceived interdisciplinary publication devoted to fur thering our understanding of physical health and illness through knowledge and techniques of behavioral science:' The articles in that first issue addressed such topics as the biofeedback treatment of neuromuscular disorders, anxiety manage ment of Type A behavior, and premorbid psychological factors related to cancer incidence. At that time, coursework in behavioral medicine was in its infancy at my university, and I, along with many classmates, was eager to learn more of this "new and emerging field:' Thinking back to those times, it is astonishing for one to reflect on the rapid evolution of behavioral medicine and its current status as a clinical and scientific discipline. Organizations such as the Society of Behavioral Medicine now include a broad-based membership that is convened yeady at a major convention. In addition to the Journal of Behavioral Medicine, professionals can avail them selves of several other specialty journals (Annals of Behavioral Medicine, Behavioral Medicine Abstracts, Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pedi atrics) as well as the numerous articles on behavioral medicine that appear regu larly in the clinical psychology, psychiatry, rehabilitation, and behavior therapy literature. And behavioral medicine services and training programs are encoun tered with increasing frequency within clinic, hospital, and academic settings.

Since the late 1960s, the behavioral treatment of mentally retarded, au tistic, and other developmentally disabled persons has grown progres sively more sophisticated. The literature on behavioral treatment has produced effective and clinically significant programs for the reduction of maladaptive behaviors such as tantrums, aggression, and self-injury; skills deficits have been remediated through improved programs for language and life skills acquisition; and new environments have been opened in the creation of mainstream educational opportunities. In spite of these advances, it strikes us that this almost exclusive focus on behavior problems and skills remediation has been somewhat myopic and that much of the potential for application of behavioral science to solving problems of the developmentally disabled is as yet untapped. In the 1980s, an important revolution has taken place: the devel opment of the field of behavioral medicine. This field, in merging disease treatment and management with learning and behavior, has already made impressive progress toward a reconceptualization of health care that acknowledges the centrality of behavior in disease expression. Al though there has, as yet, been only a preliminary application of this reconceptualization to the field of developmental disabilities, we are convinced that further extension has great potential.

International Review of Research in Mental Retardation is an ongoing scholarly look at research into the causes, effects, classification systems, syndromes, etc. of mental retardation. Contributors come from wide-ranging perspectives, including genetics, psychology, education, and other health and behavioral sciences.International Review of Research in Mental Retardation is now available online at ScienceDirect — full-text online of volumes 23 onwards. Elsevier book series on ScienceDirect gives multiple users throughout an institution simultaneous online access to an important compliment to primary research. Digital delivery ensures users reliable, 24-hour access to the latest peer-reviewed content. The Elsevier book series are compiled and written by the most highly regarded authors in their fields and are selected from across the globe using Elsevier's extensive researcher network. For more information about the Elsevier Book Series on ScienceDirect Program, please visit:http://www.info.sciencedirect.com/bookseries/ - Discusses the developmental epidemiology of mental retardation and developmental disabilities - Explores the cutting edge methodological, statistical, and theoretical advances within the field - Section I serves as an introduction, Section II reviews the various measurements, and Section III focuses on the epidemiological findings

Psychological research on children with mental and physical handicaps began two hundred years ago. Its major development awaited the maturation of psychology as an empirical science and of social movements for child welfare and education. This book is a record of the research accomplished in the 1980s. While at the end of the 19th century, behavioral research on handicapped children could at best be characterized as pioneering; by the beginning of the 1990s, it had become a vigorous activity with scientists producing hundreds of articles a year. The result has been a level of detail in theory and factual support that was not previously available. This volume is written for those who know something about psychology and education, but who are unfamiliar with research on children with handicaps. This might include parents of children with handicaps, upper-level undergraduate and graduate students looking for research topics, and professionals in developmental psychology and the education of normal children who wish to familiarize themselves with the recent developments in the study of deviations in behavioral development.

International Review of Research in Developmental Disabilities is an ongoing scholarly look at research into the causes, effects, classification systems, syndromes, etc. of developmental disabilities. Contributors come from wide-ranging perspectives, including genetics, psychology, education, and other health and behavioral sciences. Volume 44 of the series offers chapters on challenging behavior. - Provides the most recent scholarly research in the study of developmental disabilities - A vast range of perspectives is offered, and many topics are covered - An excellent resource for academic researchers

This volume has two purposes. The first is to summarize, substantiate, and extend current knowledge on the development of children with high incidence disabilities--most notably, learning disabilities, behavioral disorders, and mild mental retardation. The second is to honor the career of Professor Barbara K. Keogh and her contributions to the developmental study of children with high incidence disabilities. Internationally recognized for her accomplishments, Keogh is esteemed for her originality and clarity of thought. For nearly forty years, she has set an extraordinary model of analytic rigor combined with a kind and generous manner that inspires, supports, and sets an exacting standard of scholarship. The contributing authors to this volume represent only a fraction of the students and scholars touched by her distinguished career. In conceiving this volume, the editors sought to represent the topics, problems, and issues to which Keogh has devoted herself. They invited chapters that summarize what is known about the high incidence handicapping conditions that her research has mainly addressed and sought to reflect the probing, questioning style that she brings to her own work. Researchers, policymakers, and graduate students in special education and associated disciplines who seek to stay current will find this volume crucial reading.

Challenging Behaviour and Developmental Disability brings together a range of evidence from different fields forming a coherent theory of challenging behaviour. The result is not only a better understanding of the nature of challenging behaviour in people with developmental disabilities, but also a clear delineation of the basic principles that guide assessment and intervention. The authors explore the various individual traits, social contexts and environmental factors that influence the development and persistence of aggression, self injury, extreme tantrums, and other forms of challenging behaviour. Ethical issues that arise in supporting individuals with challenging behaviour in typical home, school and community settings are exposed, as are difficulties of designing treatments without knowledge of the causes of behaviour. Reliance on the more typical technique-driven approach is discarded in favour of an evidence-based approach that focuses on the basic principles that underlie effective interventions. With its focus on the basic principles that underlie effective clinical practice, this book will be a tremendous asset to graduate students, beginning researchers and clinicians in psychology, special education, speech and language pathology, occupational therapy, social work and related disciplines.

One of the largest and most complex human services systems in Western nations has evolved to address the needs of people with developmental disabilities. In the U.S., for example, school budgets are stretched thin by legally mandated special education, and billions of Medicaid dollars annually are consumed by residential and professional services to this population. The temptation of a quick fix is strong. Many parents desperately seek the latest ideas and place pressure on program administrators, who often are not trained to think critically about the evidence base for intervention efforts. The problems of people with developmental disabilities have historically been targeted by a wide range of professionals who rely on clinical experience and intuition and do not submit their claims to the tests of scientific research. Professional entrepreneurs have energetically promoted their treatments to a public perhaps too trustful of those with credentials. Thus, families and their children are buffeted by reforms founded on belief and ideologically driven management. Services fluctuate with the currents of social movements and rapidly shifting philosophies of care as policymakers and providers strive for increased responsiveness and individualization. These forces affect not only where and how, but how well people are served. Too often, services are less effective than they could be, or worse, damaging to personal growth and quality of life. Many treatments are based on poorly understood or even disproven approaches. What approaches to early intervention, education, therapy, and remediation really help those with mental retardation and developmental disabilities improve their functioning and adaptation? And what approaches represent wastes of time, effort, and resources? This book brings together leading behavioral scientists and practitioners to focus light on the major controversies surrounding these questions. The authors review the origins, perpetuation, and resistance to scrutiny of questionable practices, and offer a clear rationale for appraising the quality of services. In an era of increasing accountability, no one with a professional stake in services to individuals with mental retardation and developmental disabilities can afford not to read this book.