Notes that in America, knowledge base concerning alcoholism is concentrated on drinking patterns of Whites, and that Black Americans often differ in their drinking behavior, resulting in a need to clarify issues regarding alcoholism and Blacks. Provides theoretical information useful in better discerning drinking behavior of Blacks. (Author/NB)

Provides an overview of the rapidly expanding area of human-animal bonding. The historical background of human-animal bonding, the current multidisciplinary interest in companion animals, and theoretical perspectives are reviewed. The article examines programmatic and legislative developments in which social workers have participated and presents…

Operationalized Lifton's constructs of symbolic immortality and developed instrument to measure individual's needs for symbolic immortality in Lifton's five modes (biological, religious, nature, creative, experiential) in study which also examined age effects on needs for symbolic immortality and relation between sensation seeking and symbolic…

Reports findings on the concurrent validity of the broad-band Internalizing and Externalizing profile types of the Achenbach Child Behavior Checklist. Results indicated that Internalizers were favored on a number of measures of adaptation when compared with Externalizers. (Author/MCF)

Topographical similarities and differences between repetitive behaviors exhibited by 12 nonretarded infants and 11 severely mentally retarded children were examined. An analysis of stereotyped body-rocking and hand-gazing behavior exhibited by both groups demonstrated topographical differences. (Author/CL)

Learning disabled and nondisabled (N=22) children were individually observed in their classroom. Results indicated that normal youngsters spent about 80 percent of observed time on-task regardless of task demands. Learning disabled youngsters varied in their on-task behavior as a function of task demands. (Author/CL)

Twenty-two six-year-olds who misarticulated word-initial [r] as [w] were compared with 13 age-matched normally articulating children on ability to identify and discriminate seven synthetic stimuli representing an acoustic continuum between [we] and [re]. Results indicate that a majority of the misarticulating children have failed to phonemically…

Thirty-five learning disabled third- and sixth-graders were compared with matched peers using teacher ratings of temperament, problem behavior, and observed classroom behavior. Group differences were significant on the first temperament factor, task orientation, and teacher ratings of several problem behaviors, with each difference favoring the…

Results of observations indicated that 15 gifted preschoolers demonstrated higher degrees of physical, social, and cognitive play styles, but were equivalent to the nongifted group in sense of humor and manifest joy. Significant sex differences were also obtained, with boys demonstrating more physical exuberance, active play patterns, teasing and…

Examined the rate and reasons for suicidal attempts among adolescent Cherokee Indians (N=28). Results indicated a two percent rate of attempted suicides with overdose of medication and body cuts being the most commonly used methods. Behavioral patterns of attempters are discussed as well as implications for intervention. (BL)

Administered the Bem Sex Role Inventory and Jenkins Activity Survey to 80 college students. Results confirmed the main effect hypothesis; high-masculinity individuals obtained significantly higher Type A scores than feminine or undifferentiated subjects. (JAC)

Research on risk factors for schizophrenia is reviewed with emphasis on children of schizophrenic parents. Four areas of biobehavioral functioning that have been examined in high-risk research are discussed. Three of these are considered compatible with hypothesis neurointegrative defect underlying schizophrenic-proneness. (Author/CL)

A retrospective investigation of 97 psychologically maltreated children showed a clear relationship between clinical symptoms and intensity of the abuse. Parental neglect resulted in impairment of intellectual and locomotor development and in emotional and behavioral disorders. Neurotic manifestations of regressive type appeared in nearly half the…

Between 1975 and 1979, 98 percent of men identified as young children were retraced. Records for juvenile delinquency showed higher rates among abused, neglected, and rejected boys than those raised by loving parents. Alcoholism, divorce, and occupational success rates were similar among the four groups. Maternal self-confidence and education…

The study examined relationships between symbolic play and language in 10 developmentally delayed preschool children. As predicted, individual subject data revealed instances of correspondence and noncorrespondence between developmental levels of symbolic play and communication forms. Several patterns of play-language relationships are discussed…