Explores the role of observed parental affect and encouragement in children's empathy-related responding and moral behavior, specifically cheating on a puzzle activity. Finds that (1) parents' affect and encouragement positively related to children's sympathy (not empathy) and (2) boys' cheating on the puzzle correlated to parents' affect and…

A study involving 26 toddlers used an observational procedure, the Box Task, to elicit non-self-regulatory behavior. Both mothers' and fathers' interaction was found to be related to children's behavior. For mothers, synchrony of interaction most strongly predicted internalizing behavior, whereas for fathers, focus on control and direction style…

Studied boys' dominance behavior as they made the transition from primary to middle school. Found that dominance decreased as boys made the transition to a new group; dominance had a significant aggressive dimension at the start of sixth grade; and both affiliative and aggressive dimensions of dominance predicted heterosexual relationships at the…

Examines the role and effects of negative responses and uncooperative behavior in young children. Describes four basic types of uncooperative responses. Offers eight strategies for managing inappropriate responses before they become barriers to learning and development, as well as suggestions for teacher monitoring of their own attitudes. (SD)

Describes a program for the prevention of conduct problems among preschool-age sons of alcoholic fathers. Families (n=42) participated in a 10-month intervention involving parent training and marital problem solving. Significant changes in child behaviors were observed only within the group of families who completed the program and in which…

Examined the association between otitis media with effusion (OME) during the first 3 years of life and cognitive, academic performance, and behavior outcomes at 12 years of age. Results indicated that OME during early childhood was not related to intellectual performance, academic achievement, behavior, and attention. Suggests that generalizations…

The Early Coping Inventory was adapted to rate coping behaviors objectively in 114 infants and toddlers in 3 categories. The typically developing children were rated as significantly more effective than children at risk or developmentally delayed. Children at risk received significantly higher coping ratings than did the children with…

Investigated whether 7- to 9-year-olds use gender category to resolve uncertainty when evaluating behavior. Subjects were shown pictures of unfamiliar children and were told that each had performed a behavior open to multiple interpretations. When the unfamiliar peers were male, both male and female subjects were more likely to remember behaviors…

Explains that punishment in education and upbringing must be seen as an interactive moral process. States that educative punishment is based on a relationship between trust and authority. Analyzes the connections among punishment, guilt, and shame and explores the idea of punishment as related to moral development. Includes references. (CMK)

Examined 7- to 11-year-olds' perceptions of their Cleveland, Ohio neighborhoods. Found that children in neighborhoods with low and elevated levels of violence were exposed to violence and expressed concerns about victimization. The children described strategies for maintaining personal safety while seeking help; the strategies illustrate children…

Examined whether activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical system, as indexed by average home afternoon levels of cortisol in children age 4.5 years, would predict socioemotional adjustment measured a year and a half later. Found that higher cortisol levels were associated with withdrawal-type behaviors of internalizing and social…

Notes that camp directors and counselors should be familiar with learning disabilities. Defines learning disabilities and explains accommodations of materials, procedures, and equipment; modification of activities; individuals' learned compensation strategies; and communication issues. Sidebar defines types of learning disabilities. (SAS)

Explains characteristics of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): delay in self-regulation; living in the moment; difficulty remaining focused; lag in social development; and the positive characteristics of intuition, spontaneity, energy, creativity, and artistic skills. Sidebars discuss a neurobiological understanding of ADHD and tips…

Examined relations between social-cognitive skills, aggression, and social competence using teacher questionnaire and tabletop tasks with preschool and kindergarten children. Found that generation of forceful solutions in a traditional social-problem solving task and performance on the false belief tasks were significantly related to social…

To decrease noncompliance of a child with disabilities in the home and community, a precision request procedure was examined and evaluated in the home and community. The use of a precision request format was evaluated with ABAB single subject design. The difference in compliance for baseline and precision request procedure was statistically…