The question of whether special education students exhibit more learned helpless behavior and a more external locus of control than regular students is examined. The effects of these psychological conditions on school success are considered, and programs for alleviating learned helplessness and establishing a more internal locus of control are…

Assessment of clinically depressed and nondepressed children (ages 9-17) on measures of attributional style, hopelessness, depression, life stress, and child temperament suggested absence of a unique constellation of cognitive characteristics in depressed children compared with the nondepressed sample. Treatment appeared to affect self-reported…

Research on children's perceptions of control has identified both changes and consistencies in control beliefs during childhood and early adolescence. Developmental changes in coping have also been documented. Implications of research for interventions aimed at enhancing children's problem-solving and coping skills are discussed. (SLD)