Background: There is limited research into the nature and aetiology of temper outbursts in people with intellectual disabilities. In this study, we describe the phenomenology and environmental context of temper outbursts in Lowe syndrome, a rare genetic syndrome in which outbursts are purportedly frequent. Method: A temper outburst interview (TOI)…

Theoretical interpretations of cooperation and competition are discussed in relation to motivational and situational determinants. It is suggested that the degree of competition exhibited in an interaction is an inverse function of the quantity of resources available, and that the effect of situational characteristics on cooperative behavior is…

Type A behavior is characterized by extremes of time-urgency, competitive achievement striving, impatience and hostility. Type A persons have distinct patterns of responding to opponents' strategies for lowering hostility. Since minimum retaliation allows the opponent control over one's behavior, the strategy should effectively lower Type A…

Previous research in suicidology has revealed that Caucasian males in their 80's pose the greatest suicide risk of any segment of the population. Only a few people have begun to investigate the interrelationships of this target population with the particular environments in which they reside. Realizing that the median age of Skilled Nursing…

Presents six major methods by which characteristics of environments have been related to indexes of human functioning: (1) ecological dimensions; (2) behavior settings; (3) dimensions of organizational structure; and, (4) dimensions identifying the collective personal and/or behavioral characteristics of the milieu inhabitants; and two others.…

This paper discusses two studies undertaken to investigate the effects of population concentrating on the behavior of human subjects. Particular attention was paid to the space and interpersonal contact dimensions, over time, within a prison setting. Mood state self-reports and the rate of psychosomatic illness complaints were used to determine if…

Three areas of research have supported the conceptual relevance of Reduced Environmental Stimulation (RES) techniques in the management of psychological dependencies. First, preliminary studies through the late l960's indicated that relatively short periods of RES had a facilitative effect on the type of subject who might be most vulnerable to…

Parallels between the abusive parent and the abusive teacher are drawn, demonstrating problem areas that need to be determined in order to stop the abusive behavior. Problems include parent being abused as a child, failure to understand the child, society's attitude toward abuse, environmental stress, and lack of positive role models. (CT)

The exact nature of the events which may predispose a person to substance abuse is not known. This paper provides a theoretical discussion and review which emphasizes three contexts which have been shown to predispose on individual to drug abuse: (1) prenatal exposure to a given substance; (2) environmental conditions present upon first exposure…

Discusses how the dynamics of stress and coping change with the processes of aging. Suggests that since aging is a highly individualized process, cross-sectional studies of the phenomenon may be inadequate unless supplemented by a longitudinal perspective. (Author/AOS)

A random household survey of 569 African-American adults in Oakland and 568 in San Francisco (California) indicates a high prevalence of smoking (41.9 percent), with smoking more likely by those reporting high stress. Stressful environment may contribute to high-risk smoking behavior among urban African Americans. (SLD)

Comments on research problems raised in this special issue. Suggests that recent research highlights the nature of the multiple processes underlying variability in child and adolescent adjustment. Views variability as a function of covarying influences from multiple domains, operating on specific developmental outcomes across a background of time…

An interactional model explaining predisposition to hyperactivity asserts that being identified, diagnosed, and treated as hyperactive is a function of biological factors, early health and temperament, family characteristics, and the quality of the home environment. A longitudinal study involving 367 subjects, aged 17-18, tested the interactional…

A RESEARCH TEAM STUDIED INFLUENCES, ADAPTATION, AND ADAPTABILITY IN 50 POORLY ADAPTING BOYS AT BELLEFAIRE, A REGIONAL CHILD CARE CENTER FOR EMOTIONALLY DISTURBED CHILDREN. THE TEAM ATTEMPTED TO GAUGE THE SUCCESS OF THE RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT CENTER IN TERMS OF THE PSYCHOLOGICAL PATTERNS AND ROLE PERFORMANCES OF THE BOYS DURING INDIVIDUAL CASEWORK…