In this study we examined parent and teacher agreement at the item level of the newly revised Child Behavior Checklist/1 1/2-5 (CBCL/1 1/2-5) and Caregiver-Teacher Report Form/1 1/2-5 (CTRF/1 1/2-5) in 505 preschool children from low-income and predominantly African American families. Parents generally rated more children as having problem behaviors than did teachers. Lack of agreement between parents and teachers at the item level was indicated by low correlation coefficients, kappa values, and co-identification of children with specific behavior problems. High levels of parent-teacher agreement were obtained only when rank orders of problem behaviors were compared. No significant sex effect was found on parent and teacher agreement at the item level. Problem behaviors most often indicated by parents and teachers reflected the roles and responsibilities of parents and teachers in the home and school settings. Our findings suggest informant and setting specificity of parent- and teacher-identified problem behaviors in young children.

Early emergent patterns of behavioral problems, social skill deficits, and language delays were examined in 259 three-year-old children enrolled in Head Start classrooms. The Child Behavior Checklist for Children Ages 2 to 3 (CBCL/2–3) and the Social Skills Rating System (SSRS, Pre-School Version) were completed by the children's primary caregivers. Language skills were assessed using the Preschool Language Scale (PLS)-3 and the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (PPVT)-III. Findings indicated that this population is at elevated risk for behavioral and language problems. Approximately 25% of both boys and girls showed clinical/subclinical levels of internalizing problem behavior on the CBCL. More than 20% of boys scored in the clinical range for externalizing problems. Children with behavioral problems were more likely to have low language scores than were their peers without behavioral problems. Nearly half of the children scored in the category “lower than average” for social skills on the SSRS. Children with low social skills were more likely to have low language scores than were their peers with average social skills. The need to screen for early emergent behavioral problems, the potential contribution of poor language skills to children's problem behavior, and implications for early intervention are discussed.

Behavior problems, social skill deficits, and language delays were examined in 332 three-year-old children enrolled in Head Start. Teachers completed the Caregiver Teacher Report Form/2-5 (CTRF/2-5) and the Social Skills Rating System (SSRS, Pre-School Version). Language skills were assessed using the Preschool Language Scale (PLS-3) and the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (PPVT-III). Findings indicated that this population is at elevated risk for behavioral, social, and language problems. Boys showed elevated levels of behavior problems across all measures. Both boys and girls displayed low language scores, with boys significantly lower than girls on both auditory and expressive skills. Boys with behavior problems were more likely to have low language skills than were their male peers without behavior problems; this pattern was not as clearly defined for girls. Teacher years of experience, child gender, and PLS-3 scores were significant predictors of CTRF scores. The results of the study are discussed in terms of strategies for identifying children at highest risk for persistent problem behavior.

The informal social interaction behavior that is typical of a high school lunchroom in which general and special education students are physically included was described. Using systematic observation and social comparison methods, we compared the performance of two groups of students (12 general education students and 12 students with mental retardation). Both similarities and differences were found in the interactions of students with mental retardation and their general education peers with respect to social behaviors, conversational topics, and context within which interactions occurred. However, despite being in proximity, students with mental retardation rarely interacted with any of approximately 500 general education students present in the lunchroom. Implications are discussed for increasing social interaction among high school students.

Despite areas of promise, there is insufficient evidence to recommend or contraindicate any treatments of PTBIF. Modafinil is not likely to be effective for PTBIF. Piracetam may reduce it, as may bright blue light. Cognitive behavioral therapy deserves additional study. High-quality research incorporating appropriate definition and measurement of fatigue is required to explore the potential benefits of promising interventions, evaluate fatigue treatments shown to be effective in other populations, and develop new interventions for PTBIF.