As families and institutions change, many U.S. children could fail to realize their potential to lead fulfilling adult lives. Confronted by poverty, the crack cocaine epidemic, and increased exposure to violence, children make daily choices altering their life's course. Schools are increasingly expected to resolve social problems without…

This paper examines the role of athletic participation in the social systems of adolescents. Data from 422 high school students and 319 college students indicate there are differences between males and females in all 3 social status measures of remembrance after high school, type of sport participant preferred for a date or friend, and…

Reviews research involving the LOGO computer programming language and its effect on children's achievement in mathematics, language arts, and problem solving, as well as social-emotional development. Identifies some of the unique characteristics of LOGO that may contribute to student learning. (MDM)

Observation of 200 children ages 4 to 19 attending a Massachusetts nongraded alternative school disclosed substantial age mixing. Younger children used older children to develop skills and acquire knowledge. Age mixing encouraged opportunities for creativity, helped match abilities, and fostered older children's sense of responsibility for younger…

A study identified the perceptions of six college students with visual impairments on what influenced their social activity on campus. It found influences were different for visually-impaired students than for traditional students. The need to intervene in the social development of students with visual impairments before college is stressed.…

Observed 37 pairs of low-income adolescent mothers and infants over a 6-month period to determine efficacy of clinical determinations of risk. Found that maternal-risk status was significantly associated with more sensitive parenting behaviors including responsiveness to infant cues and to infant distress, and social, emotional, and cognitive…

Examines the effect of day care environments on the social and emotional development of young children in India, particularly considering the cultural context. Considers evidence from a study of families using day care in India, and compares maternal behavioral profiles in mother-infant interaction between India and the United States, Kenya,…

Strategies teachers can use to teach parents to teach their children to be prosocial are described. These strategies include teaching incidentally, performing social skills autopsies, coaching emotions, and assigning homework. Issues to be considered when working with parents and children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds are…

A study investigated the effectiveness of a 9-week collaborative metacognitive social skills intervention program on 16 middle school students attending a private, alternative suburban school for students with learning problems. The program used cooperative learning, role play, and art therapy to improve the students' social problem-solving…

A social interactive training program that focused on eye contact, joint attention, and motor imitation was implemented during regular classroom activities with three preverbal preschool children with autism. Increases in target behaviors and generalization of eye contact and motor imitation behaviors were observed. Social validation measures by…

Compared behavioral, self-evaluative, and attributional responses of boys with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) to those of typically-developing boys on a social success and failure laboratory task. Found that ADHD boys rated their own performance more favorably than controls, were more likely to attribute success to external…

Describes selection criteria based on theory, research, and best educational practice that identify key social and emotional learning (SEL) competencies and program features for promoting students' mental health and reducing risk behaviors. Program features critical to the success of school-based SEL programs emphasize curriculum design,…

Used growth modeling to examine relationship of early parenting to cognitive, language, and social development from 6 to 40 months in full-term and very low birth weight (medically low or high risk) children. Found that behaviors that were sensitive to children's focus of interest and did not highly control or restrict their behaviors predicted…

Oakland, California's Developmental Studies Center has identified "sense of community" in school as a pivotal condition for children's ethical, social, moral, and academic development. Practices such as class meetings, collaborative learning, and buddies will not build community unless designed to meet that goal. Academic learning is…

To assist teachers, descriptions of seven defining characteristics of Asperger Syndrome are provided, including: insistence on sameness, impairment in social interaction, restricted range of interests, poor concentration, poor motor coordination, academic difficulties, and emotional vulnerability. Strategies for addressing each of these symptoms…