Individuals with borderline intellectual functioning (BIF) are persons with an IQ between 70 and 85 points and characterized by their wide range of cognitive and social difficulties. During their school-age years, most of them have problems with school adjustment. Their ability to regulate emotion is limited due to poor executive function. This condition affects both their behavior in the classroom and their social relations. Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), developed by Linehan in 1993, can effectively increase emotion regulation skills in adolescents and adults with intellectual disability, including BIF. This work was a single-case study to examine the effectivity of DBT skills training, one of four modes in DBT, in increasing emotion regulation skills in elementary school children with BIF. An A-B-A design was used in this study, with all three phases completed in 24 days. The program consisted of two adapted DBT modules: mindfulness and distress tolerance. Parents and teachers were also involved to enhance the treatment effects. Data were analyzed through visual and statistical analyses. Results of the study showed a significant difference in emotion regulation skills before and after the intervention (Z = −2.023, p<0.05, r = −0.64). Through DBT skills training, the subject gained knowledge and skills about emotion regulation. These outcomes were achieved by adapting the module to suit the characteristics of BIF. The findings suggest that adapted DBT is a promising intervention to improve emotion regulation skills in children with BIF.

The main goal of schooling is to develop the students' ability and support their academic achievement. In addition, a school also serves as a source for students in conceiving the world with its network of social relationship, which they will face independently in adulthood. Thus, it is important to ensure that school functions properly as expected. It is known that students gain better when their schoolworks effectively. This premise is then conceptualized by Lezotte, Lawrence, & Barbara (1990) which defining effective school as a system that promote equality to support the best achievement for all students, both in terms of knowledge and skills. Kirk & Jones (2004) further indicated the 7 dimensions of school effectiveness. This paper aims to describe the application of this principle in one leading primary school in the capital city of Indonesia. Using a need analysis framework, we targeted the whole school stakeholders which consist of 1 principal and 2 vice principals, 6 teachers, 4 parents, and also 92 students across various grade levels, to obtain a comprehensive picture of school effectiveness implementation. From triangulated data gathered, we found that school has not optimally met the dimension of a safe and orderly environment, a climate of high expectation for students' success, and an opportunity to learn and time on task. These obstacles are found to be strongly related to the teacher's class management skill. Discussion and suggestions are listed.