This article describes our state of knowledge regarding the development and prevention of conduct problems in early childhood, then identifies directions that would benefit future basic and applied research. Our understanding about the course and risk factors associated with early-developing conduct problems has been significantly enhanced during…

This commentary for a special issue of "Remedial and Special Education" (RASE) on the perspectives of senior scholars (a) opens with some comments regarding the role of measures we use in behavioral science to pursue scientific truth and then (b) discusses the three most impactful developments in emotional and behavioral disorders over…

Incorporating elements from broadband theories of psychological adaptation to extreme adversity, including Summit's (1983) Child Sexual Abuse Accommodation Syndrome, Finkelhor and Browne's (1986) Traumagenic Dynamics Model of sexual abuse, and Pyszczynski and colleagues' (1997) Terror Management Theory, this paper proposes a unified theoretical…

This paper is an introduction to behavioral genetics for researchers and practitioners in language development and disorders. It identifies essential concepts and applies behavioral genetic research to the language sciences. It suggests that more complex questions may be successfully addressed through behavioral genetic paradigms. Research needs…

This paper describes and analyzes current research in career development, suggests further issues for investigation, and offers recommendations for research based on social learning theory and self-control techniques which would result in a self-management approach to career decisions. A decision-making model of career choice similar to the…

Numerous forms and meanings of validity have been developed to provide researchers with the opportunity to assess the many potential sources of ambiguity that exist in any research finding. A Validity Network Schema (VNS) developed by Brinberg & McGrath (1982) is extended and elaborated in order to describe the components of the research…

K. Burke's (1945) pentad identifies five contributing factors in any communication event: agent, purpose, act, scene, and agency. Using the pentad as an organizational schema, this paper summarizes problems in methods used by behavioral researchers to study the deceptive communication event. The paper argues that fragmenting the communication act…

Written by a biologist, this paper is intended to present information on the sociological study of man from a biological perspective. Perspectives include that (1) sociology neglects biological variables that are part of understanding human behavior and human societies; (2) the sociobiological or evolutionary view of human development is…

Asserting that educators need to be aware, when they are judging student behaviors, of the behavior norms of different ethnic groups, the author proposes a research framework which would impart greater cultural sensitivity to the schools' processes of socialization and modification of deviant behaviors. (SJL)

In response to an earlier symposium report, this journal presents six position papers dealing with the question, "What criteria should be used to judge the admissibility of evidence to support theoretical propositions regarding communication research?" The analyses and arguments include "The Research Process" by Wayne Brockriede, "The Reflexivity…

Proposes the dialectical perspective as offering fertile ground for the integration of child and family research and training. Defines the dialectical perspective and then discusses its applicability in a department of child and family studies. (Author)

This paper focuses on the challenge raised by the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) epidemic regarding the need to improve the effectiveness of health communication or education campaigns. The paper discusses the behaviors underlying health information processing and particularly what is called the "knowledge but not behavior-change…

This document, the first of two volumes, contains papers that represent recent work in career development research at Harvard University. The purpose of the papers is to review, clarify, and offer a critical commentary on several issues crucial to current research and to emphasize a point of view from which important resources of conceptual…

This document, the second of two volumes, is a continuation of papers that represent work in career development research at Harvard University. Section III, Choosing as Figure in the Styling of Life, Section IV, Conceptual Integration, and Section V, Professional Implications, include the following chapters: (11) A Return to Models:…