Emotional development of handicapped children is examined from the perspective of attachment-separation-individuation theory. Data suggests that handicapped children are at greater risk of disordered patterns of interaction, delayed progression through stages of attachment-separation-individuation, and incomplete internalization of object and…

Introduces this special journal issue by describing what developmental approaches are and how they can be applied to children with disabilities. Gives a short preview of the articles in the issue and raises future challenges for developmental research and intervention with young children with disabilities. (JS)

The number of children diagnosed with autism is rapidly increasing. While autism is not a new disability, many families are still embarking on unforeseen journeys with their children. The autism spectrum has broadened, and with increased awareness in recent years, it is undetermined which aspect has the greatest impact on the increasing numbers.…

Social development of students with disabilities is examined from a developmental synthesis perspective. Issues in the social skills deficit framework are also discussed, along with formation of classroom social networks and their role in behavior development. Social interventions should focus on both the classroom social network and the…

Definitions of social skills and conceptualizations of social skill deficiencies are presented, along with an overview of social skills assessment, articles on the assessment of social skills with handicapped and nonhandicapped children, and a variety of social skills assessment instruments. Discussed are the following five methods of assessing…

This article highlights the importance of parents as intervention agents for young children with special needs. It describes individualized training in behavioral strategies for parents, explains procedures for helping parents gain skills that foster their children's development, and suggests that parents will maintain the skills and generalize…