Research Findings: Children's early academic achievement is supported by positive social and behavioral skills, and difficulties with these skills frequently gives way to underachievement. Social and behavioral problems often arise as a product of parent-child interactional patterns and environmental influences. Few studies have examined the role…

Research Findings: This study examined processes of change associated with the positive preschool and kindergarten outcomes of children who received the Head Start REDI (REsearch-based, Developmentally Informed) intervention compared to usual practice Head Start. Using data from a large-scale randomized controlled trial ("N" = 356…

Parents and teachers reported that 6- to 8-year-old boys with developmental delays were less able to regulate their emotions than nondelayed boys matched on chronological age. Compared to nondelayed boys, boys with developmental delays had more social problems, which persisted and increased over a 3-year period. Children's ability to regulate…

Examined the incidence of "romantic" dyads, same-sex friendship dyads, and cross-sex friendship dyads in preschools and day-care centers. Behavior patterns that characterize these dyads are described. It is maintained that results suggest that there are romances between preschoolers. (BG)

Discusses the salience of father-infant rough play in some countries and presents data on the physical play interactions of 34 Indian mothers and fathers with their 1 year olds. The data suggest that fathers do not have a greater propensity than mothers for rough play and that rough play may be culture specific. (Author/LB)

Compared nonhandicapped children, children rated low on social interaction, and children with physical or mental handicaps, on social competence measures. Found that, on several measures, nonhandicapped and speech impaired children were superior to children who were rated low on social interaction, behaviorally disordered, and developmentally…

Tested a proposed developmental pathway for toddlers' mastery of skills in generating non-ritualized forms of cooperative coordinated action with peers. Studied nonverbal imitative acts among U.S. toddlers and toddlers of the Seltaman people of Papua New Guinea. Found that ready imitation of one another emerged during the same developmental period…

Compared children retained in kindergarten with matched samples of age and grade mates, using teacher ratings as an index of their social and academic skills. Found that retained children showed a reduction in behavior problems, specifically acting-out and shy-anxious behaviors, but only slightly increased competence for task orientation across…