Behaviors characterizing the adolescent period are examined, followed by the identification and explanation of the developmental tasks of adolescence; finally, the specific contributions of occupational therapy to adolescent development and to task mastery are presented. (Author)

Three preschool children exhibiting autistic behaviors were taught developmentally appropriate (DA) and age appropriate (AA) pretend play activities. Although DA activities were consistently acquired, activities in the AA category were, in most cases, not acquired and were less likely to be generalized to other activities or toys. (Author/JDD)

A taxonomy of response processes has been developed to facilitate the designing of training programs; each kind of task presumably would require a different set of training methods for greatest efficiency, so classifying a task would be part of determining which methods to use. A pool of response distinctions was collected, with special attention…

An experimental task with accompanying apparatus was developed for use in the study of developmental and cultural differences in the cooperative-competitive behavior of children in a small Mexican town and in California. Two groups of 20 Mexican children (aged 7-8 and 10-11), from an elementary school in a town in Baja, California, Mexico, were…

Author contends that an unsubtle use of behavioral objectives tends to impede the process of considering a child's natural cognitive development by focusing attention on someone else's task analysis and not on the development of the child's ideas. (Author)

The intense striving for power which characterizes much of male behavior occurs inevitably as part of the process of gender acquisition and consequently contributes to a sense of psychological vulnerability in the male personality. Masculine and feminine attributes develop spontaneously from young children's tendencies to compare themselves to…

Attempts to integrate recent models of social systems based on age and cognitive personality research with research on adolescence. Presents a conceptual model of how adolescents set personal goals, construct cognitive strategies, and evaluate their success in an age-graded sociocultural context. Discusses future directions for research based on…

This methodological investigation examines the accuracy of narrative-based scaled ratings covering several post high school years. Guided narratives by young adults described developmentally relevant behaviour and context for each month between ages 17 and the mid-20s. "Prospective" narratives covered shorter time periods in three interviews…

Children judged the ability and effort of peers whose test performance varied across two dimensions: number of problems attempted and percentage correct. There was a developmental progression in the children's evaluative approach. Younger children used only one cue, number correct, to evaluate both ability and effort. Older children used both cues…

A program at the Model Preschool Center for Handicapped Children at the University of Washington's College of Education enrolled 11 children with Down syndrome, 18-36 months of age. The program sought to accelerate and maintain the motor and cognitive skills of the children; to encourage parent involvement; to provide training to students,…

The product of a close collaboration between mental health and child development professionals, this book provides essential information about the many types of behaviors--both normal and atypical--that children can show, with a sensitivity to the complex issues that child behavior problems can sometimes create for mothers and fathers. Following…

The developmental guidance experiences (DGEs) presented in this document are intended for the elementary and secondary levels. They are structured for use with peer groups in personal and open discussion about both sides of a moral or ethical issue related to a developmental task, and to help students become more aware of their feelings and…

During the first months after birth, a child's functions begin to emerge. By age three a child is expected to have mastered the basic tasks of (1) good vegetative functioning (management of drives and impulses involved in eating and elimination), (2) perceptual organization and familiarization with the home environment and skills to orient to a…