Thirty gifted children (grades six to eight) were allocated to either progressive muscle relaxation or biofeedback treatment groups or to a no-treament, control group. Biofeedback Ss evinced a significant decrease in anxiety and both groups moved towards more internal locus of control compared with controls. There was no change in trait anxiety.…

The differences between 27 emotionally disturbed/behavior disordered (ED/BD) 9-to-13-year-old elementary students and 27 of their peers on measures of perception of locus of control (LOC) were investigated. The two groups were matched on sex, race, and age. No differences were found between the groups. (Author/BN)

Compared to 45 normally achieving students, 45 learning disabled six- to 12-year-olds had lower self-concepts, more external locus of control orientations, and lower performance expectations. Children new to the resource room had higher expectations for future success than Ss with experience in the resource room. (CL)

Three groups of subjects were selected, two recognized gifted education approaches and a control. The data presented no evidence that self-concept is sufficiently sensitive for identifying gifted elementary students, whereas locus of control might be utilized as a method for identifying gifted youngsters because of its discriminating potential.…

This study assessed the long term effects of the fifth and sixth grade units of the School Health Curriculum Project (SHCP) by investigating the seventh-grade student's health knowledge, health-related attitudes, health-related practices, and health locus of control. Results are presented and conclusions are discussed. (MT)

Compared to 16 matched nonabused peers, 16 abused Ss (8-12 years old) showed no less persistence in working for rewards, made equivalent use of contingency information to maintain persistence, and assumed equivalent responsibility for success. However, they took less responsibility for failure. (CL)

Significant sex differences indicated that boys generally ate more than girls and held more internal locus of control expectancies. However, obese and normal-weighted children were not differentiated by their performance on either food-related measures nor by their locus of control expectancies. (Author/MP)

Children in grades 3-6 labeled learning disabled, behaviorally disordered, and learning disabled with significant behavioral disorders (total N=78) were assessed for locus of control. Children labeled learning disabled were found to be significantly more internally controlled than children labeled behaviorally disordered or than children labeled…

Thirty-six teachers and 162 elementary children in classes for specific learning difficulties (SLD) participated in a five week classroom attribution training program in one of three groups: mild frustration, success only, and control. Experimental training resulted in significant increase in ask persistence; no changes were noted in achievement…

The study with 20 emotionally disturbed and 20 nondisturbed subjects (ages 9-11) found that an external locus of control and poorer performance in decoding voice tone and facial expression were associated with emotional disturbance. Implications for teaching and remediation are discussed. (Author/DB)

Examined the effect of Systematic Training for Effective Parenting (STEP) on the attitudes of 38 parents of learning disabled children. Results indicated that parents participating in STEP became more accepting and trusting than controls, and their children's locus of control became more internal. (JAC)

Results generally supported the contention that mentally retarded Ss will perform better under reinforcement conditions; they also suggested a factor other than generalized expectancy that must be considered in explaining the motor performance of mentally retarded individuals. (SBH)

Investigates the relationship between task persistence, locus of control, self-reinforcement, and specific expectancies in elementary school children. (CM)

Resilience is a set of attributes providing people with the strength and fortitude to confront overwhelming obstacles. The best way to prepare resilient youth for an uncertain future is to help them develop feelings of competence, belonging, usefulness, potency, and optimism via authentic, ongoing school experiences and critical examination of…

A study comparing mean locus of control and attribution scores of 137 elementary students found that underachieving gifted students' mean attribution scores were higher than other groups for ability in success situations. Underachieving gifted and non-gifted students' mean scores were higher than achieving gifted peers for externality and luck in…