Introduction: Children and young adults with Down syndrome can demonstrate increased behavior problems compared to their typically developing peers through childhood and adolescence. Though current tools measure behavior problems in persons with intellectual disabilities, they do not capture all the behavioral problems that can occur in…

The behaviors of narcotics-addicted and nonaddicted newborns in the first 2 days of life were assessed and compared. (JMB)

It was hypothesized that behavior patterns, learned early in life and maintained by almost continuous reinforcement, are determined by basic physiology, which in this study is represented by the duration of postrotary nystagmus (involuntary eyeball movement following rotational stimulation). The Southern California Postrotary Nystagmus Test was…

Describes an intervention program to help abused children learn to inhibit aggressive behavior and increase cooperative behavior. Sixteen physically abused children participated in the program. Behavior ratings were made during the program and in-home follow-ups. Following initial increases in aggressive behaviors, significant increases in…

Responds to Belsky's critique of the Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale and suggests explanations for the disparity in results when using the Scale as an intervention device with new families. (HOD)

The procedural details of three measures of family problem-solving behavior are presented. These measures are used to code videotapes that are recorded when family members discuss and try to solve a family problem that they consider important. The measures were developed to accompany methods for training parents and their preadolescent and…

A report is presented of the findings of an investigation into the development of compliance, dependence and independence of two-year-old boys in the context of parent-child interaction, as well as in relation to genetic factors. The three techniques used in assessing children's and parents' characteristics and for studying the parent-child…

A study of the effect of the twin sibling relationship upon interactions between monkey mothers and infants. Findings provided strong support for the prediction that the twin sibling presence decreases the amount of behavior directed from infant to mother. Differences in maternal behavior were concluded to be reactions to differences in infant…

The methodology discussed is used in ongoing research to contrast the effectiveness of several patterns of parental authority with the same children at different ages. The first characteristic of these methods is the use of trait and behavior ratings to assess dispositional tendencies. The construct of a dispositional trait is used to account for…

Independent ratings of videotaped sessions in which mothers (N=60) interacted with their mentally retarded children (ages 1-3) suggested that potentially important components of maternal behavior (child orientedness/pleasure and control) may be assessed with the seven-item short form of the Maternal Behavior Rating Scale. (JW)

Research on the effectiveness of the Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale (NBAS) in enhancing the mother-newborn relationship has had inconsistent results. A study was conducted to assess the effectiveness of an NBAS intervention with a high-risk mother group. The study focused on low-income, drug-using mothers, measuring the effectiveness of the…

The present study investigated differences between referred and nonreferred children and their families on the basis of home and clinic observations and parent questionnaires. Subjects were 28 families with children between 4 and 8 years of age who had been referred to a clinic for acting-out behavior and 28 nonreferred controls matched on several…

This document provides information on three adult problem-solving measures developed to assess the effects of participating in a problem-solving training program. Each measure is accompanied by a manual describing the purpose, administrative procedures, psychometric properties, and use in research studies. The first measure is the Parent Means-End…

The Perception of Baby Temperament Scales (PBT) were used to elicit parental perceptions of infant temperament, with the results rated for internal consistency and congruence between parents. Data was obtained from 26 families, with both father and mother describing their first-born infants at five months of age. The PBT Scales deal with a range…

This report presents a cumulative risk score system designed to identify high-risk infants through multiple assessments over an extended period of time. The system scores prenatal, natal, and neonatal biological events and neonatal behavioral performance in an additive fashion. Infants are assessed in the first month of life to distinguish those…