This paper presents the clinical/developmental framework underlying a new diagnostic observational tool, the Disruptive Behavior Diagnostic Observation Schedule (DB-DOS). The special importance of observation for clinical assessment during the preschool period is delineated. The developmental rationale for a multidimensional assessment of…

Studied preschool children's inability to distinguish fantasy from fact utilizing the case of the popular movie Jurassic Park and the subsequent false information children obtained about dinosaurs. Described attempts made by teachers to address the resultant aggressive behavior and false knowledge gained and replace it with constructive knowledge.…

Notes infants' capacity for empathy and that the way parents respond to infants' natural selfish preoccupation as well as the behaviors modeled for them as they grow influence their manners and concepts of compassion, shame, and moral reasoning. (HTH)

The purpose of the Time-Out Parent Inventory (TOPI) is to provide an objective and quantitative assessment of a parent's self-reported use of time-out procedures to manage a child's behavior. The TOPI is intended to be a tool for researchers as well as professionals who help parents and children. The professional asks the parent a series of 12…

Explored fathers' specific contribution to their children's attachment representation at various ages. Found fathers' play sensitivity to be a better predictor of the child's long-term attachment representation than the early infant-father security of attachment. (Author)

Studied whether behavioral styles at age 3 are linked to personality traits at age 18 after identifying 5 temperament groups (undercontrolled, inhibited, confident, reserved, and well-adjusted). Results pointed to continuities across time. (DR)

Mothers and infants were observed in the laboratory when the infants were 12, 18, and 24 months. Mothers reported their child's behavior at 36 months. Predictors of boys' externalizing behavior at two and three years were maternal unresponsiveness and infant attention seeking, aggression, and noncompliance. For girls, infant noncompliance was…

Defines normalization and deviations in child development. Discusses the three different levels in the normalization process. Asserts that guiding the process of normalization should drive the practice of Montessori education. Concludes that whenever there are brief episodes of normalization, the true nature of the child shows itself. (JS)

Compared boys' and girls' use of interference competition during game play when resources were scarce or plentiful, among children from kindergarten or fourth grade. Found that fourth-grade girls used less interference competition when resources were plentiful, while their male peers and kindergartners of both sexes used interference competition…

Examined whether activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical system, as indexed by average home afternoon levels of cortisol in children age 4.5 years, would predict socioemotional adjustment measured a year and a half later. Found that higher cortisol levels were associated with withdrawal-type behaviors of internalizing and social…

Examined relations between social-cognitive skills, aggression, and social competence using teacher questionnaire and tabletop tasks with preschool and kindergarten children. Found that generation of forceful solutions in a traditional social-problem solving task and performance on the false belief tasks were significantly related to social…

To decrease noncompliance of a child with disabilities in the home and community, a precision request procedure was examined and evaluated in the home and community. The use of a precision request format was evaluated with ABAB single subject design. The difference in compliance for baseline and precision request procedure was statistically…

Data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth was used to examine the effect of various family structures on behavioral and cognitive outcomes for children aged 7 to 10. Results indicate family income, mother's psychological functioning, and quality of home environment are important for behavior, whereas family income and mother's aptitude…

Research has shown that living away from one's biological father is associated with a greater risk of adverse child and adolescent outcomes; yet, the role of the father-child relationship in understanding this association has not been directly investigated. This study uses data on biological fathers' relationships with their children from the 1979…

Considers the bases of criticism of parent report as an index of their children's behavioral development and ways in which problems associated with parent report were addressed in the construction of the MacArthur Communicative Development Inventories (CDIs). Examines the nature of responses elicited from parents as they complete the CDIs. (BC)