Food aversion was shown to be effective in the reduction of plastic pica by a 4-year-old boy with autism. The participant was suffering from digestive complications due to the ingestion of plastic from a variety of toys. The intervention was initially conducted in the child's preschool classroom during instructional periods and was systematically…

To clarify the nature of the social cognitive skills involved in preschoolers' reenactment of actions on objects, we studied 31- and 41-month-old children's reenactment of intended acts (''failed attempts'') in Meltzoff's [Meltzoff, A. N. (1995)]. Understanding the intentions of others: Reenactment of intended acts by 18-month-old children.…

Past research provides associations between maternal parenting behaviors and characteristics such as depression and toddlers' fearful temperament. Less is known about how maternal cognitive characteristics and normal personality relate to fearful temperament. This study examined associations among the maternal cognitive characteristic of accuracy,…

Background: Recent research has shown that the range of repetitive behaviour seen in individuals with Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) extends beyond food-related behaviour. Methods: The presence and intensity of repetitive, rigid and routinized behaviour in children with PWS was compared with that seen in children with another neurodevelopmental…

The prevalence of behavioral inhibition in toddlers was examined in five cultures. Participants in this study included 110 Australian, 108 Canadian, 151 Chinese, 104 Italian, and 113 South Korean toddlers and their mothers who were observed during a structured observational laboratory session. Matched procedures were used in each country, with…

Delivering high-probability (high-p) request sequences is an effective method to increase compliance across settings. To date, researchers have used frequency of compliance and latency to initiate low-probability (low-p) requests to document these effects. Both measures focus on events just prior to and during the low-p task. In these two studies…

Using data from two waves of a panel study of families who currently or recently received cash welfare benefits, we test hypotheses about the relationship between food hardships and behavior problems among two different age groups (458 children ages 3-5-and 747 children ages 6-12). Results show that food hardships are positively associated with…

Highlights the potential value of free symbolic play to the field of sexual abuse. Preliminary guidelines are suggested for appropriate use to gain information about possible sexual abuse; a case study is presented illustrating application. Potential impact of research comparing the free symbolic play of sexually abused and nonabused children is…

Recommends the development of a routine to transform the morning getting-ready battleground into a congenial team effort. Offers hints for a successful routine, including expecting everyone to be dressed before breakfast; considering having no TV; eliminating most morning decision-making; involving everyone; and not using rewards with routines.…

Describes a model for helping parents address their child's sexually inappropriate behavior. The model focuses on: supporting parents and facilitating their ability to accept their child's sexual problems, processing their affective and cognitive reactions, and devising a plan to help parents talk directly with their child about the sexually…

This paper investigates some characteristics of families with disruptive children and depressed mothers, and compares the observed behaviors of disruptive children of depressed and non-depressed mothers. Differences observed suggest that, while children of depressed mothers employed a similar range of disruptive behaviors to other disruptive…

Reviews the Behavior Assessment System for Children (BASC), a broadband assessment tool. The BASC is designed to measure the behaviors and self-perceptions of children across both maladaptive and adaptive behavior. Each of the five main BASC components is described and evaluated. Concludes that the BASC is a comprehensive and psychometrically…

A study compared the sandplay behavior and pictures of 26 children (ages 10-11) who had experienced sexual, physical, and/or emotional abuse and 26 typical children. The children who had experienced abuse had difficulty staying within the boundary of the sandbox, displayed more regressed play, and presented more disorganized pictures. (Author/CR)

Examined preschoolers' beliefs about relationships between effort, interest, and recall; assessed actual effort and recall under different interest levels. Found that children believed recall increases with effort and interest, and that interest influences effort. Children's actual interest influenced effort, but effort was unrelated to recall.…

Interviews with 13 occupational therapists who provide school-based services identified three themes: (1) reframing children's behavior, often with sensory integration theory; (2) supporting the child's psychosocial core and self-image; and (3) collaborating with team members, including parents, to help children achieve life goals. (SK)