Learning how to problem solve is one of the key developmental milestones in early childhood. Children's problem-solving skills represent a key feature in the development of social competence. Problem solving allows children to stay calm during difficult situations, repair social relations quickly, and get their needs met in ways that are safe and…

Social and nonsocial behaviors of 72 severely handicapped preschoolers were assessed. While clear social behavior differences emerged between more and less accepted children, equally powerful differences were noted in certain nonsocial skills and attributes: physical attractiveness, toy play skill, level of disruption in class, and athletic skill.…

A conceptual and procedural alternative to the typical, individual-specific model of social behavior assessment and treatment is offered. This alternative, based upon the social reciprocity of children's interactions, has direct implicatons for all phases of social behavior interventions designed and implemented for special education students.…

Examined the relationship between self-concept and behavior in 36 kindergarten children rated high or low in social and academic competence by teachers. Results showed no significant differences in self-concept between the two groups, but high-rated children who felt best about themselves were higher achievers and more compliant. (JAC)

Both interventions produced dramatic and comparable increases in positive social behavior in training sessions; however, post-treatment responding was not observed for either intervention during generalization assessment. (Author/DLS)

The effects of group dependent and group interdependent reinforcement contingencies on the level of socially appropriate behaviors emitted by emotionally handicapped elementary school students were examined. Findings suggested that both group dependent and group interdependent reinforcement contingencies were effective in increasing the level of…

A study examined the effects of combining naturalistic teaching and peer-mediated tactics to address the developmental skills of 10 preschoolers with autism. Compared to naturalistic tactics only, the involvement of typical peers resulted in a substantial increase in the duration and rate of skills addressed during each teaching episode.…

Reports that physically abused and neglected children most frequently responded to positive overtures by adults by ignoring them and that they regularly responded in positive ways to overtures by peers. (FL)

This article introduces three papers about research projects of the Early Childhood Research Institute of the University of Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania). The papers address peer-mediated strategies to promote communicative interaction, social behavior in preschoolers with special needs, and the importance of parents as intervention agents. (JDD)

Three preschool boys with autism received social skills training and an intervention that encompassed adult prompting, edible reinforcement contingent on positive exchanges, and self-monitoring of social behaviors. The self-monitoring package increased target children's interactions with peers and/or siblings. School and home procedures produced…

This study of interactions between three severely withdrawn, autistic preschool children and six nonhandicapped peers found that peers can be effectively taught strategies to increase appropriate social behaviors of autistic classmates, and a group-oriented reinforcement contingency is an effective complement to teacher-prompted interventions and…