Juvenile neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (JNCL) is one of the most common neurodegenerative disorders in childhood and adolescence. The clinical picture includes diverse and complex psychiatric symptoms that are difficult to treat. Only symptomatic treatment is available. To improve symptomatic therapy, it is important to recognize the symptoms.…

The purpose of this article is to describe the processes followed to develop an authentic, reliable and valid play-based assessment of communication-related behaviours in young children with severe disabilities. The Daily Multiple Measurement Instrument (DMMI) was developed to be used based on an intervention package of play activities. The…

Discusses negative aspects of young children's free play, including aggression, sharing, violent themes, and the exclusion of children with disabilities. Offers resources to early childhood educators for managing these concerns. (JPB)

The articles featured in this issue make apparent the variety of perceptual and cognitive competencies that follow curvilinear developmental courses as well as the complexities inherent in accounting for such phenomena. What is revealed is the way in which a fit is achieved between organisms and the environments they occupy. Curvilinear…

As the articles in this issue attest, U-shaped curves in development have stimulated a wide spectrum of research across disparate task domains and age groups and have provoked a variety of ideas about their origins and theoretical significance. In the authors' view, the ubiquity of the general pattern suggests that U-shaped curves can arise from…

Background. Associations between positive behaviour, emotion understanding and verbal ability have been reported in studies of preschoolers (Cassidy, Werner, Rourke, Zubernis, & Balaraman, 2003), but have yet to be investigated in younger children. Methods. In this study the performance of 36 toddlers (17 boys and 19 girls; mean age = 29…

Structured checklists have been used to supplement psychiatric assessment of children with normal intelligence, but for children with intellectual disability, only a few checklists exist. We evaluated the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) in the assessment of psychopathology in Finnish children with intellectual disability. The CBCL was completed by…

In this article, first I describe from observation the spontaneous vocalisations produced during free play by young children of 18 months to three-years-old. I propose that a focus on vocalisations can provide valuable insights into general aspects of children's play. Next I describe two musical play situations between toddlers and their mothers…

Three subtypes of autism based on social style have been proposed by Wing: active-but-odd, passive, or aloof. Previous research has shown evidence of an association between IQ and Wing subtype in untreated children and adults. Because IQ changes can accompany behavioral treatment, but often only for a subset of children, social subtype may be…

This paper presents the clinical/developmental framework underlying a new diagnostic observational tool, the Disruptive Behavior Diagnostic Observation Schedule (DB-DOS). The special importance of observation for clinical assessment during the preschool period is delineated. The developmental rationale for a multidimensional assessment of…

This article discusses ways in which classroom teachers can use "life skill" games to facilitate classroom management by giving student opportunities to practice desirable behaviors. There is also usually a reduction in behavior problems when children are allowed to occasionally move. In addition, research has demonstrated that periodic movement…

Three forms of objective evaluation were used to assess the impact of a nurture group pilot project on the lives of staff and pupils: Boxall Profiles, the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire, and questionnaires for staff. In addition, a micro study was carried out of two nurture groups using matched control groups. The article provides an…

Few studies have examined childhood and adolescent animal cruelty motives. Using a sample of 261 inmates surveyed at both medium and maximum security prisons in a southern state, the present study examined the impact of demographic attributes and situational factors relating specifically to a range of animal cruelty motivations. Almost half of the…

Parents generally want the best for their children. They want their young children to feel supported while being challenged and encouraged and led toward independence. Parenting that is most supportive of a child's development and adjustment to the outside world is characterized by consistent enforcement of standards for behavior, concern for…

Perceptual perspective taking is regarded as a major milestone in sociocognitive development that sighted children have generally mastered by the age of 4-5 years. In children who are blind, however, most prior research reports a strong developmental delay of several years compared with sighted peers. After examining the current state of research,…