Single mothers living in poverty face numerous challenges raising their children. Their environs, limited free time, and difficulties negotiating daily life are obstacles that programmes attempt to circumvent by helping their children break free from the cycle of poverty. These issues are discussed in literature on the importance of increasing…

Research suggests that, to narrow the gender gap in engineering, we should focus on helping young girls identify with engineering both because gendered attitudes emerge around kindergarten and because identity is more predictive than performance on persistence in the field. This qualitative study sought to understand the impact of collaborative…

Discrete-trial functional analysis (DTFA) is an experimental method for determining the variables maintaining problem behavior in the context of natural routines. Functional communication training (FCT) is an effective method for replacing problem behavior, once identified, with a functionally equivalent response. We implemented these procedures…

In September 2013, a Listening Session on Mentoring Children of Incarcerated Parents was held in Washington, DC. This session was organized by the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention in partnership with the White House Domestic Policy Council and Office of Public Engagement. It continues the…

As the number of children diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is rising, there is increasing demand for evidence-based interventions that are efficient and easy to implement in school settings. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the effectiveness of an intervention protocol featuring guided practice, coaching, modeling,…

The pilot investigation evaluated a theatrical intervention program, Social Emotional NeuroScience Endocrinology (SENSE) Theatre, designed to improve socioemotional functioning and reduce stress in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Eight children with ASD were paired with typically developing peers that served as expert models.…

Video-modeling (VM) is a widely used instructional technique that has been applied to the education of children with developmental disabilities. One form of VM that lacks in-depth analysis is point-of-view video modeling (POVM). The current study investigated the use of POVM to teach three children diagnosed with autism to initiate and maintain a…

Children with autism often lack complex socially expressive skills that would allow them to engage others more successfully. In the present study, video modeling was used to promote appropriate verbal comments, intonation, gestures, and facial expressions during social interactions of three children with autism. In baseline, the children rarely…

The purpose of this study was to provide a synthesis of research studies published in the last ten years on interventions to increase social skills for children and adolescents with ASD, examine the outcomes of these studies and evaluate whether a given intervention meets the criteria for evidence-based practice. Thirty-eight studies were included…

A study of 66 children with cancer and 43 siblings attending the Ronald McDonald Camp found that disease-specific camps allow children membership in a community of peers, which enhances self-esteem and social acceptance. A separate, longitudinal study of 38 beginning and experienced campers found that campers' intrapersonal and interpersonal…

Reports the planning, implementation, and evaluation of a training program for foster grandparents employed at a residential center for disturbed children. Describes training objectives focused on the role of the foster grandparents in helping their charges to develop socially acceptable behavior. A cognitive problem-solving strategy was taught.…

This descriptive study examines the operation of youth mentoring programs in New York City. In particular, the study maps the experiences of developing and operating youth mentoring programs as articulated by the organizers or directors of 21 such programs; reviews and analyzes the research and descriptions of mentoring programs nationally to…