Found that 75 percent of variance in children's first-grade achievement was predicted by measures of their achievement, object play, and peer interaction in kindergarten; and that aspects of first graders' personality disorders and aggressive behavior were predicted by their popularity in kindergarten. (MM)

A sociometric rating scale and a measure of social problem-solving skills were administered to 61 Chinese kindergartners. In comparison to Canadian children examined in an earlier study, Chinese children were less accepting of each other, less prosocial, and more authority oriented in social problem solving. (BC)

To investigate the extent to which street gangs in Los Angeles (California) are comprised of youth or adults, self-report data from 435 gang members are examined. Findings do not generally support the idea of the aging gang member. Gangs consist primarily of adolescents, regardless of racial and socioeconomic differences. (SLD)

Reviews problems of using traditional assessment procedures and instruments on nonnative students, citing linguistic and cultural factors. Drawing from interviews with nonnative students, describes assessment procedures utilized abroad, reports nonnatives' perceptions of assessment in United States as limited and insufficient, and offers…

Reexamines traditional social work values related to client autonomy, confidentiality, paternalism, and antidiscrimination considering the current cultural diversity of social work students. Discusses the social work educator's role in modeling professional values and the impact of culturally different beliefs about family and interpersonal…

Reports a study of the effect of sensitization on randomly selected Malaysian secondary school students' (n=90) attitudes, commitment, and knowledge toward environmental issues. Findings indicated (1) that students were favorably committed to environmental issues despite a poor grasp of environmental knowledge; and (2) that conceptual knowledge is…

Reviews theories about heavy alcohol and drug use among American Indians. Presents path models linking drug use of Indian and non-Indian adolescents to socialization characteristics: family strength and attitudes, religious identification, school adjustment, and peer drug associations (the most important factor). Lists risk factors for Indian…

Examines relationships between academic achievement and general self-esteem in light of variables of deviance, motivation, psychological distress, illness, and school absence using data from 242 high achieving students in grades 7 through 12 in a private, independent coeducational preparatory school. General self-esteem influences and is…

Assessed relationships between adolescent adjustment in stepfamilies and family context and process variables. Findings from 118 sixth and seventh grade students living with stepfathers and 32 living with stepmothers indicated that students living with stepfathers had higher self-esteem and fewer reported social problems than those living with…

A study investigated study habits of 154 educationally disadvantaged engineering students enrolled in developmental studies programs in 3 South African universities. Aspects examined include entry skills, study patterns throughout the first year, and characteristics of students whose study habits changed over time. Implications for admission and…

Through two surveys of nature and environmental centers throughout the United States, the author compares the centers' expressed goals with the goals of environmental education. These goals were determined by an accepted behavior model that is considered conducive to environmentally responsible behavior. (17 references) (MCO)

Assesses beliefs of 32 male and 35 female middle-class preschool children about the frequency and intensity with which girls, boys, women, and men experience anger, sadness, and happiness. Children's beliefs are complex; they vary as a function of the target person's age and sex and of the specific emotion. (SLD)

This study of 181 special education teachers found that job burnout levels were related to special education category, training background, and teachers' age. The typical special educator "at risk" is a younger teacher with undergraduate training who teaches in a resource room or classroom for students with behavior disorders. (Author/JDD)

Instruction types and amounts were observed for 30 educably mentally retarded, 30 learning-disabled, 32 emotionally/behaviorally disabled, and 30 nonhandicapped students in grades 2-4. The groups were compared on time allocation, grouping arrangements, student responding, qualitative nature of classroom instruction, and the home learning…

Results of this study, involving an adolescent with learning and behavior problems, indicated that self-monitoring can be successfully used in special education settings and then implemented with little effort in mainstream classes to improve on-task behavior and academic performance. (Author/JDD)