To assess whether over selectivity is a generalized problem in a given autistic child, eight over selective children were identified and then tested to determine whether they would respond over selectively across a wide variety of tasks. Data suggested that autistic children sometimes respond to multiple features and sometimes they respond over…

The efficacy of three types of prompt fading procedures used in teaching discrimination tasks was investigated in eight autistic and three nonautistic students (5 to 12 years old) with varying intellectual abilities. Results showed no significant difference in task acquisition between within stimulus distinctive, extra stimulus nondistinctive, and…

Investigated was the incidence of learning disabilities in juvenile delinquents at a Rhode Island Training School. Ss and nondelinquent controls were administered the Halstead-Reitan battery of measures including the Wechsler Intelligence Scale, the Wide Range Achievement Test, and tests of sensory imperception. Results found the five predictors…

A study involving 22 fathers and 21 mothers was conducted to explore several personality characteristics of child abusive parents which may set them apart from nonabusive peers. A social history was taken, and each parent completed both the Motivation Analysis Test (MAT) and the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI). Among findings…

Two experiments examined the ability of learning disabled versus nondisabled third to fifth grade children (N=20) to ingratiate an adult interviewer. In each experiment an equal number of disabled and nondisabled youngsters were instructed to act natural, and an equal number were instructed to "try and get the lady to like you." Naive college…

The influence of situational expectations, conditioned by previous experience, on the interpretation of entire prose passages was investigated with 22 hearing and 18 hearing impaired adolescents. The ambiguous paragraph model was borrowed from D. Schallert and two separate paragraphs were constructed. Ten multiple choice questions were generated…

A 12-month followup study of 151 infants (46 preterm respiratory disease syndrome--RDS--Ss, 46 postterm postmaturity syndrome Ss, and 59 normal term Ss) was conducted to ascertain any early intervention needs and early predictors on 1-year performance, and to formulate a cumulative risk index which would identify those infants who were continuing…

Six Down's syndrome children (mean age 10 years) were observed in three settings: structured school, unstructured school, and home. Private speech utterances were recorded. Results showed that 13% of the utterances were private speech, with Ss varying from 11 to 53 utterances. Forty-nine percent of the utterances functioned as…

Investigated with 110 university students taking an introductory gifted education course were the relationships between sex, three instructional levels (elementary, secondary, and special education), and reasons for taking the course. Data was collected over a 4-year period. Six reasons for taking the course were identified, which included that…

The purpose of the investigation was to record the behavior of 12 autistic and severely disturbed children (5 to 14 years old) after exposure to a live model exhibiting either aggressive or affectual responses toward a surrogate person. During 3-minute observation periods, Ss' responses toward a Bobo doll were scored as aggressive or affective.…

The study compared 46 normal and learning disabled eighth graders as to their retention of nonsense syllables once mastery learning occurred. Groups were equated by intelligence, age, and sex and were presented ten nonsense syllables to be remembered. Each group studied the material until a predetermined percentage of the words could be recalled.…

The third paper in a series summarizing treatment and discharge variables from a community mental health center focuses on the interrelationships among client, process, and outcome variables. Analysis of such factors as initial impairment level, treatment time, process variables, discharge variables and therapeutic outcome is said to have pointed…

The paper reports on a study of the ability of 93 hearing impaired students (10-18 years old) and 60 normal hearing students (8-10 years old) to recognize and comprehend grammatical "that complements" in English. Recognition and comprehension tasks are explained to have been administered to both groups, with deaf Ss receiving…

A screening procedure for the identification of potentially gifted kindergarten children was developed and tested with 350 students in rural Pennsylvania during the 1977-1978 school year. The screening procedure used the Slosson Drawing Coordination Test, the Boehm Test of Basic Concepts, the Draw-A-Man Test, and a teacher checklist. A total of 52…

A study of the difference in student performance when currency or token money is used was studied with six mildly mentally retarded children (ages 8 to 12) as Ss. Students were given jobs (teacher aide, movie projectionist, art or shop teacher) and were rated in the areas of punctuality, appearance, following directions, completing tasks, and…