Middle and high school praise: A systematic review of the literature.

Despite the existing research and evidence for teacher praise, this strategy has been studied less frequently in secondary school settings. To better understand and support teacher praise across all school settings, it is important to understand gaps in the literature, especially related to middle and high school settings. In this review, we examined middle and high school praise research by screening a total of 523 unique abstracts and identified, reviewed, and coded 32 empirical studies. A study was included if (a) praise was the focus (i.e., identified as either an independent or dependent variable), (b) the study was empirical and peer-reviewed, (c) at least 51% of the sample included middle or high school students, (d) praise involved teachers praising students (rather than student-to-student praise), and (e) the study took place in a school/classroom setting. Descriptive methods were used to identify and code praise themes. We found most studies (71%) examined the effects of teacher praise on student behavior or the effects of teacher training on teachers' use of praise. Few studies examined praise preferences at the secondary level. We also summarized the methodological characteristics and findings from 32 studies and provide recommendations for future research and practice. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Teachers' Willingness to Use a Telepresence Robot for Consultation with Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

A telepresence robot (TR) is one type of technology used to support teleconsultation in schools and may be preferred over other technologies due to its ability to provide immediate videoconferencing with mobility from a remote location. The aim of the current study was to examine teachers' willingness of using a TR as a training mechanism for working with students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Through constant comparative analysis of focus group transcripts, this exploratory qualitative study assessed six teachers' willingness of using TR. In total, 145 text fragments were coded and categorized. This process yielded three macro-categories, six micro-categories, nine primary codes, and 18 secondary codes. Advantages of using TRs, potential barriers, and future research directions are discussed.

Middle and high school teachers' praise and reprimand delivery.

This exploratory study expands the literature on teachers' natural use of praise and reprimand, in terms of how teachers deliver praise and reprimand. Sixty-six middle and high school teachers' delivery of praise and reprimand to individual, small groups, and large groups during a 20-min observation were examined. Teachers delivered significantly more general praise (GP) to individual students, rather than small groups or large groups. However, there was no significant difference in teachers' delivery of behavior-specific praise (BSP) to individual, small groups, or large groups of students. Teachers delivered significantly more mild reprimand to individual students compared to small groups; however, no significant differences were found between mild reprimand delivery to individual and large groups of students. Implications and suggestions for future research are offered. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Technology to Facilitate Telehealth in Applied Behavior Analysis.

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, many behavior analysts have temporarily transitioned to providing services using a telehealth model. This has required them to rapidly shift their treatment modality. The purpose of this article is to provide a review of some available technologies to support telehealth that will allow behavior analysts to conduct direct observation from a remote location. We reviewed 3 technologies that can be used for telehealth: (a) web cameras, (b) Swivl, and (c) telepresence robots. Features of each of these technologies are compared, and the benefits and drawbacks of each are reviewed. Sample task analyses for using each technology are also provided. Finally, tips for using telehealth with families are provided.

Social skills plus relaxation training with a child with ASD in the schools.

A social skills plus relaxation training (SSRT) program was developed using direct training, relaxation training, and reinforcement principles. The aim was to examine the effectiveness of SSRT on increasing the frequency of three target behaviors for one 8-year-old, student classified with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). A multiple-baseline across behaviors design was used to evaluate the effects of SSRT. During baseline, intervention, and maintenance sessions the student's responses were videotaped and then subsequently viewed and coded after the session. During intervention, the student's correct responses for the targeted social skills increased and were maintained 17 weeks after SSRT ended. This study adds support for the use of this SSRT program in a school setting with children who have ASD.

Caffeine consumption in young children.

Two hundred twenty-eight surveyed parents reported that their 5 to 7 year old children drank approximately 52 mg of caffeine daily and their 8 to 12 year old children drank 109 mg daily. Caffeine consumption and hours slept were significantly negatively correlated, but caffeine consumption and enuresis were not significantly correlated. Spanish-speaking parents reported fewer bedwetting events than their English-speaking peers.