Abraham Maslow was among the first to hypothesize that most emotional and behavioral problems stem from unmet needs. Now, a large body of research on brain science, trauma, and resilience validates this concept. Humans experience emotional pain when their needs are frustrated. The most basic biosocial needs are for attachment, achievement, autonomy, and altruism. When these needs are met, children thrive. When they are not met, children experience pain-based emotions, thinking, and behavior. This article explores research and practical strategies for responding to the needs beneath pain-based behavior instead of reacting to problems.

The way one defines a problem will determine in substantial measure the strategies that can be used to solve it. -Nicholas HobbsIn the three decades since the Council for Children with Behavioral Disorders was formed, research about this population has exploded. Professionals working with these challenging children have encountered a cacophony of competing theories and methodology. Too often, proponents for purist viewpoints have been intolerant of other perspectives, berating alternative approaches as unscientific, dehumanizing, or obsolete. Most practitioners, however, have been skeptical of narrow approaches that offer a panacea. When facing a furious student, a single theory offers a slim shield indeed. Now, as our field matures, we finally are moving away from simplistic "one-size-fits-all" mindsets. The term psychoeducational has been used to describe approaches that blend multiple strategies of intervention.Psychoeducational approaches planfully combine a variety of methods to meet the diverse needs of troubled children. These eclectic models can create a synergy wherein the whole is greater than the parts, but only if the diverse theoretical components are synthesized carefully (Macmillan & Kavale, 1986). We will review existing psychoeducational approaches and present a new model grounded in practice wisdom and modem developmental theory. At the onset, we must make a distinction between psychoeducation and unstructured eclecticism.

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