Teaching social behaviors and other pro-social skills is an important component of intervention for individuals diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Today, there are several procedures which are being implemented clinically and evaluated empirically to improve the overall social behaviors of individuals diagnosed with ASD. Two of…

Discrete-trial instruction (DTI) is a behavioral method of teaching young children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) that has received a significant amount of research support. Because of a lack of qualified trainers in many areas of the world, researchers have recently begun to investigate alternative methods of training professionals to…

To support children with autism in inclusive classrooms, schools are increasingly utilizing paraprofessionals. However, research suggests that paraprofessionals often lack sufficient training and may inadvertently hinder the social interactions between children with disabilities and their peers. This study used a multiple baseline across…

Psychometric and utility studies on Social Emotional Assessment Measure (SEAM), an innovative tool for assessing and monitoring social-emotional and behavioral development in infants and toddlers with disabilities, were conducted. The Infant and Toddler SEAM intervals were the study focus, using mixed methods, including item response theory…

Many authors have endorsed the hypothesis that previous emotional experiences may exert a covert influence on behavior, but some findings and replications of the original studies challenged this view. We investigated this topic by carrying out an experiment with the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT), where a dissociation procedure was adopted to…

Mothers viewed videotapes of interaction with their 20 full-term healthy, 20 preterm healthy, and 20 preterm sick infants between 11 and 26 weeks of age. Relationships between infant gazing, laughing, and fussing and maternal interpretation of emotional state, attention preference, attention curiosity, and physical needs were analyzed. (Author/SW)

Designed for teachers, administrators, and other specialized educational personnel, this professional paper describes new insights involving the problem of putting health knowledge into action. It explores reasons for the discrepancy between knowledge and behavior and suggests the asking of two questions: (1) What basic problem is the individual…

An interactionist model of creative behavior is proposed, combining elements of the personality, cognitive, and social psychology perspectives on creativity. The model considers the interplay of factors including antecedent conditions, creative behavior, consequences, the individual, cognitive style/ability, personality traits, contextual…

This study of social referencing in parent/child dyads found that 20 nondisabled children (ages 6-27 months) showed evidence of behavior regulation, touching positive-message toys more often than fearful-message toys, whereas a group of 20 children (ages 15-54 months) with developmental delays did not. (Author/JDD)

Currently, two trends are converging that will shape the future of communication theory. One is "the new narcissism"--a phenomenon characterized by prescriptions for personal fulfillment such as those reflected in popular psychologies and religions. The second trend is the scientific revolution concerned with exchanging static models of reality…

The adolescent's exploration of himself and his relationship to other individuals, as well as the interaction between the social and physical environment and his own behavior are among the goals of the Identity Unit. The unit infuses these objectives with the cognitive components of a junior-senior English literature curriculum. This guide offers…

Defines the concept of assertive speaking as the appropriate expression of personal opinions, feelings, and purposes with respect for self and others without undue anxiety. (MH)

Many studies using questionnaires and observational methods to collect information on the pointing gesture in infants have recently been performed. However, no study based on long-term observation is presently available that deals with the appearance and development of pointing as an interaction between mothers and their children. Therefore, this…

A field investigation of 32 groups of communally reared children utilizing 10 categories of group behavior reported group behavior forms and child socialization in groups of toddlers and preschoolers 18 months to 42 months of age. The groups were equally divided (16 each) among "total" and "day care" types and were age-homogeneous. Group forms…

The argument that the personality structures obtained from retrospective ratings reflect semantic similarity structures has been as provocative as a red cape in the bull ring. High congruence between those two kinds of structures seems well established. What is less clear is how and why those structures differ from that for immediate judgments of…