Resources for Educators

Disruptive behavior in schools is a significant and growing problem. Teachers nationwide are increasingly reporting that children who have trouble inhibiting their behavior, act aggressively or impulsively, and have poor socio-emotional skills are leading to disruptions in the classrooms, preventing classmates from learning, and leading to teacher burnout. 

Many, but not all, children with the most serious disruptive behavior have callous-unemotional traits or risk factors for psychopathy. But all children with behavior problems in schools can be helped and their behavior improved. However, not all school-based behavior management programs are effective. Some programs show very little evidence of efficacy. Others have amassed significant data demonstrating that their evidence-based program improves children’s behavior. 

The U.S. Department of Education has vetted a large number of school-based intervention programs and created a free online resource describing those that are demonstrated to improve children’s behavior and/or socio-emotional skills.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has also created a free online resource describing effective school, family, and clinic based interventions for managing and preventing disruptive behavior in children. 

School-based programs recommended in both resources include:

• The Incredible Years  (ages 2-12, prevention for all children and intervention for at-risk children)
• First Step to Success  (ages 5-6, intervention for at-risk children)
• Early Risers (ages 6-12, intervention for at-risk children)