This study examined the relations between behavioral inhibition, Big Five personality traits, and anxiety disorder symptoms in non-clinical children (n = 147) and clinically anxious children (n = 45) aged 6-13 years. Parents completed the Behavioral Inhibition Questionnaire-Short Form, the Big Five Questionnaire for Children, and the Screen for…

Studies indicate that children believe that positive behaviors are more likely than negative ones to remain stable across time and situations. The present study assessed whether children hold such optimism equally regarding their own vs. others' behavioral patterns. Thirty five-year-olds answered questions about the extent to which they viewed…

Background: Clinical heterogeneity of autism likely hinders efforts to find genes associated with this complex psychiatric disorder. Some studies have produced promising results by restricting the sample according to the expression of specific familial factors or components of autism. Previous factor analyses of the restricted, repetitive…

The present study examined the relations between self-reported reactive and regulative temperament factors and psychopathological symptoms and personality traits in a group of non-clinical youths aged 9-13 years (N=208). Results showed that the reactive temperament factor of negative affectivity was positively associated with internalizing and…

Examined developmental origins of one coronary-prone component of Type A pattern, tendency to suppress attention to physical symptoms. Studied symptom-reporting behavior of 85 children between ages of 5 and 14. Type A children underreported variety of symptoms, independent of gender and age; missed less school following surgery; and were…

Conducted two studies in which subjects (N=345) read descriptions of stereotypic behavior displayed by a seven-year-old boy or girl and predicted adult personality attributes. Results showed that irrespective of sex, the feminine child was predicted to be happier, more mature, less self-centered, and more expressive. (LLL)

Tested the hypothesis that internals will achieve more than externals in situations where competition is preeminent but not where cooperation is requried. Children (N=300) were divided into internals and externals, placed in situations varying in competition and cooperation, and readministered digit-symbol task. The general hypothesis was…

The characteristics of a group of 17 mentally retarded institutionalized individuals (ages 6 to 51) with self-injurious behavior (SIB) were compared with those of 14 patients without SIB. Among findings were that 65 percent of the SIB group were females, that the SIB group had an elevated pulse rate, and that they slept less. (PHR)

Among the results were that boys only showed negative" types of traits occurring with low and high levels of altruism, and that positive" types of traits occurred with in-between levels of altruism. Also, both rational-altruistic and conscientious-altruistic types of behavior were presented in the data obtained. (Author)

This study addresses the utility of the resilient, overcontrolled, and undercontrolled personality prototypes for predicting children's and adolescents' problem behaviour in a longitudinal general population sample (N = 491). Both parents and one child participated in the study at two measurement occasions separated by a 3-year interval. The major…

Discusses various theories concerning the purpose of children's humor, especially in the classroom. Describes ways in which children use humor to deal with stress. (RJC)

Examined the effects of different forms of induction on children's prosocial behavior with 80 children ages 7 and 8 years. Hypotheses were evaluated regarding the cognitive component of the induction and the manipulation of choice. The findings, which were consistent with self-perception theory, help clarify when induction encourages internalized…

Although sports are a part of the child's everyday experience, little is known about factors that relate to children's participation in sports, to their perceptions of self-competence in sports, and to the impression by others of the competence. Children (N=110) participating in a Pediatric Sports Medicine Project completed the psychological…

Addressing the question, "What can be done to promote school achievement?", this paper summarizes the literature on motivation relating to classroom achievement and school effectiveness. Particular attention is given to how values, ideology, and various cultural patterns impinge on classroom performance and serve to enhance motivation to achieve.…

Examined the role of difficult temperament or behavioral style and tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana use in the 133 subjects of the New York Longitudinal Study. Results indicated that the possession of difficult temperamental characteristics at age five and in early adulthood are associated with drug use in young adulthood. (JAC)