Age related changes in the appearance and behavior of older people which give the appearance of weakness are viewed in ethological and evolutionary perspective. These characteristics are seen as having adaptive value by reducing the probability of being the object of aggressive behavior. (Author)

Notes that this curriculum, for use by human services professionals in a small group format, is a solid contribution to the field of prevention within a positive youth development context. Suggests it has significant potential for enhancing cognitive and emotional development of youth, and facilitates the acquisition of skills that allow them to…

Explores how theories concerning socialization mechanisms may be operationalized and tested. Provides a preliminary test of this strategy using 57 boys being treated for conduct problems. Results indicate that the role of both negative reinforcement and affect dysregulation play a part in the development of a child's antisocial behavior. (RJM)

Presents taxonomy of hostility toward street children: (1) penal-instructive hostility based on punishing children for inappropriate behavior; (2) collective frustrated hostility based on ethnocentric social class attitudes toward the poor; and (3) cultural hostility, accounted for by differences attributed to sedentary and nomadic peripatetic…

Investigated how 165 female college students appraised their sexual assault risk in hypothetical dating situations, varying male partner characteristics and the consumption of alcohol. Findings suggest that women are partially accurate in making sexual-assault risk appraisals, and thus may benefit from rape prevention education that specifically…

Nursing assistants (n=126) in a long-term care facility attended a workshop on abuse prevention and aggression reduction. Pre-posttest data showed attitude changes and a statistically significant decline in conflict with residents, although no change was found in resident aggression toward assistants. The workshop was rated excellent by 89% and…

This article describes an individual (age 49) with mental retardation who experienced behavioral exacerbation associated with clonazepam prescribed at 2 mg/day to treat aggression, self-injurious behavior, property destruction, and screaming. When clonazepam was reduced and discontinued, these behaviors significantly decreased from 3.1% of…

Investigation of the social preferences of typically developing children (N=40) toward peers (N=19) with special needs in inclusive preschool classrooms found the children with special needs received few positive playmate preference nominations, but did not receive a significant number of negative nominations. Children were disliked if they were…

Information on children's academic achievement and social adjustment was gathered from multiple sources over two years, beginning in grades four and six. Found that children's academic achievement predicted their social competence and peer acceptance; and children's social competence, aggression, leadership, and peer acceptance contributed to…

This article reviews research describing assessment-based antecedent interventions implemented in natural settings. Descriptive information is provided along a number of dimensions pertaining to participant characteristics (n=42), assessment utilized, and intervention attributes. Results indicate the most common interventions targeted aggression,…

An adolescent with developmental disabilities who used a wheelchair was anecdotally observed to display little aggressive behavior when being pushed, but higher rates when movement was terminated. A functional analysis confirmed the elevated aggression and the child was taught to request movement through appropriate means. Aggression decreased…

Examined relations between TV-violence viewing at ages 6 to 10 and adult aggression about 15 years later for sample growing up in the 1970s and 1980s. Found that childhood exposure to media violence predicted young adult aggression for males and females. Identification with aggressive TV characters and perceived realism of TV violence predicted…

This study examined fourth- and fifth-grade girls' cognitions of their relationally aggressive peers as a function of their own relationally aggressive and sociometric status. Findings indicated that relationally aggressive girls tended to display a relatively cautious and wary social cognitive style in relationally provocative social situations.…

A review of 41 studies on behavioral interventions for children with autism (ages 0-8) found aggression, tantrums, self-injury, and stereotypy were behaviors most targeted. Results also indicate interventions should be developed based on a thorough analysis of biological, antecedent, and consequence events that control them. Behavioral support…

Examined relationship between verbal and physical aggression in marriage, using data from 1985 National Family Violence Re-Survey. Results indicated that when physical aggression occurred, verbal aggression occurred also. Concludes that for male-to-female aggression subculture of violence theory best explains movement from verbal to physical…