Study aims to extend previous research by evaluating the treatment sensitivity of items on a measure of child behavior, the Parent-Elementary form of the Social Skills Rating Scale using a clinical rather than experimental sample. Results reveal that scales formed with the subset of change-sensitive items demonstrate larger effect sizes than the…

This study finds similar levels of self-esteem in young adults who were childhood bullies, bully victims, and children not involved with bullies. However results show that as adults, bullies and their victims report significantly more loneliness than those not involved in bully situations. Examines implications for intervention and future…

Discusses two issues raised by Underwood et al.: the distinction between indirect and relational forms of aggression, and implications of indirect aggression for definitions of aggression; and the normative view of aggression that indicates that aggressive individuals may be socially skilled. Suggests that both issues lead to the conclusion that…

Tested the hypothesis that in predicting future behavior of an actor, older children rely on trait inferences, whereas younger children rely on global, evaluative inferences. Found that 9- and 10-year-olds' behavioral predictions were mediated solely by trait ratings, whereas 5- and 6-year-olds' predictions were mediated by evaluative ratings. The…

Examines the reaction of a kindergarten class at the unexpected death of their pet rabbit. Describes their spontaneous acts of writing, talking, playacting, and planning a funeral to process the rabbit's death. Asserts that if teachers had taken charge, much of the rich experience would have been lost. (EV)

This observational study suggests that many toddler friendships are occurring all the time, waiting to be discovered and fostered by astute teachers. Asserts that those working in toddler programs need to be sensitive to the potential for friendships in 2-year-olds and nurture these first fragile bonds. (EV)

Explored the association between preschoolers' hostile attribution and aggressive behaviors. Found that hostile/aggressive children were significantly more likely to possess a hostile attributional bias than less aggressive children. Also found that preschoolers were capable of distinguishing between intentional and unintentional actions when…

This study longitudinally followed Non-Hispanic White and African American children to see whether the impact of early maternal employment on cognitive and behavioral outcomes reported at age three and four persisted into school-age years. Results indicated that maternal employment in the first year of a child's life had significant negative…

Mand functions for two stimuli (A1 and A2) were trained for 3 children with autism and were then incorporated into two related conditional discriminations (A1-B1/A2 -B2 and B1-C1/B2-C2). Tests were conducted to probe for a derived transfer of mand response functions from Al and A2 to C1 and C2, respectively. When 1 participant failed to…

We examined the use of noncontingent reinforcement to decrease self-injury and increase bite acceptance in a child who exhibited food refusal. First, a brief functional analysis suggested that self-injury was maintained by escape from food presentation. Next, we evaluated an intervention that involved noncontingent access to a video during feeding…

Objective: The National Research Council identified inadequate research definitions for abuse and neglect as barriers to research in child maltreatment. We examine the concordance between child protective services (CPS) classifications of maltreatment type with the determinations of type from two research coding systems. We contrast the two coding…

The present study, using a multiple baseline across subjects design for two children and a nonconcurrent multiple baseline across subjects design for two additional children, evaluated whether the addition of eye contact and then contingent praise for compliance (CP) would lead to increases in childhood compliance for both statement and question…

Though they play the least active role, bystanders are a critical element in bullying. With peers looking on and providing at least tacit support, the bully is no longer acting alone. The bystanders have become allies to the point of magnifying the supposed negative attributes of the target. If the bullying cycle is to be broken, the role of the…

The validity generalization of the Preschool Learning Behavior Scale (PLBS; McDermott, Green, Francis, & Stott, 2000) dimensions was assessed for low-income, urban, preschool children. A three-factor structure was found: Competence Motivation, Attention/Persistence, and Attitude Toward Learning. This structure was congruent with the PLBS structure…

We examined the criterion validity of parent and self-report versions of the Junior Temperament and Character Inventory (JTCI) in children with high levels of externalizing problems. The sample included 412 children (206 participants and 206 siblings) participating in a family study of attention and aggressive behavior problems. Criterion validity…