This study of five gifted female adolescents examined their male-female relationships, independence, perceptions of ability and expectations for success, overreliance on social manipulation, motivation, ethic of caring, superwoman syndrome, and familial influences. The study found positive examples of the use of problem-solving strategies; it also…

Reviews new government publications from various countries; includes reviews of publications released in electronic format as well as addresses for Internet access wherever possible. Covers the topics of business and economics, economic and social development, environment and earth sciences, government and politics, and health science and…

This study examined patterns of social-emotional subgroups among 122 students with learning disabilities in Israel. Cluster analysis found four subgroups: two nonlonely (one behaviorally adjusted and one with externalizing maladjustment) and two lonely (with externalizing and internalizing maladjustment). Teacher ratings, student ratings, and case…

Presents three studies of children's ability to create and detect expressions of emotion in drawings. Compared to younger children, older children used more strategies, experimented with line and color, and were more likely to explore themes of death, aging, and illness. Includes sample drawings and statistical tables. (MJP)

Behaviors and attitudes established early in life greatly affect friendships, parent-child relationships, and other personal contacts as children grow and develop into adults. Parents and other adults need to recognize and nurture the development of characteristics in children that can lead to intimacy, and to become aware of factors that induce…

Describes the use of electronic mail and coded messages by two five-year olds in an early childhood class, examining the effects of early literacy on social interaction. Suggests that teachers need to create a classroom culture that offers authentic, meaningful experiences for children and that reflect real-life uses of literacy. (MDM)

Tested four different theoretical models (risk, protective, potentiator, and person-environment fit) describing ways that geographical neighborhoods might be associated with aggression and peer relationship problems in 1,271 elementary school children. Results suggest a protective effect of middle-SES neighborhoods on the aggressive behavior among…

Argues the importance of context to the description, theory, and understanding of human behavior because it influences children's primary group relations with family members, teachers, and peers. The article explains that, to be useful for children, social policies must inform the public on how its projected changes will influence socialization…

Examines children's everyday discourse processes in three early education settings to document how friendship relations are produced in everyday discursive practices. Results indicate the importance of viewing friendship as a collective and cultural process. (CFR)

Discusses the implementation of the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child, including progress made since 1989, and aims of early childhood education under the convention's mission and ideals. Proposes that the convention should be enacted in domestic law and become a reality in day-to-day teaching, thus ensuring that the philosophy of the…

Interviews with parents of children with moderate or severe disabilities revealed positive perceptions regarding outcomes of their children's inclusion in general education. Of the 13 children (ages 5 to 20), 9 had previously been in self-contained settings. Parents reported skill acquisition in academics, communication, social skills, and…

Considers factors that may be involved in changes in the socialization process at puberty, and examines some central findings from the literature on pubertal changes from a socialization perspective. Pubertal maturation is expected to be accompanied with socialization problems in terms of unclear and different expectations to the developing…

Reviews the research concerning how the classroom environment--classroom ambiance, privacy, density and crowding, and arrangement of play and learning centers--can influence young children's play and social, emotional, and intellectual development. (BB)

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)

Describes characteristics of a high-quality school-age care program: resourceful, caring staff; recognition of the importance of peers; opportunities for mixed- and same-age grouping; children's selection of activities and experiences; guidance for children's social and emotional development; and environments that encourage a wide variety of…