We examined social anxiety and internalizing symptoms using the Social Phobia and Anxiety Inventory for Children (SPAI-C), the Social Anxiety Scale for Children -Revised (SASC-R), and the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) in a sample of fifty-four high-functioning subjects with autism or Asperger syndrome (HFA/AS) (M = 11.2 plus or minus 1.7 years)…

The present study describes the depressive symptomatology of 393 parents of prekindergarten children and assesses ethnic differences in the depression scores of these parents and their differential consequences for children's social competence. Data are drawn from the National Center for Early Development and Learning (NCEDL) classroom study, a…

Background: Intensive Interaction is an approach to developing the pre-verbal communication and sociability of people with severe or profound and multiple learning disabilities and autism. Previous research has indicated many potential benefits; however, the approach is not consistently used in social care. Aim: To report on the significant and…

Background: An important question in community living is what factors influence the extent to which staff provide "active support". Methods: Engagement, care practices and a range of staff and organizational characteristics were studied in 72 residential homes serving 359 adults with intellectual disabilities. Managers in 36 settings were trained…

This study demonstrates the efficacy of Equine Assisted Counseling (EAC) by comparing EAC to classroom-based counseling. Students (n = 164) identified as being at high risk for academic and/or social failure participated in 12 weekly counseling sessions. Within-group paired sample t-test results comparing pre- and post-treatment scores for…

The present study investigated the factor structure of parent and teacher Autism Spectrum Screening Questionnaire (ASSQ) in a population of 7-9 years old children. For validation purposes, factors derived were correlated with results on the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). A three-factor solution was identified on both parent and…

Many adults come up short on social skills. Some of these may be co-workers, friends, or family members who make occasional blunders. Some of these individuals may experience marked social skills deficits throughout life, as is the case with young adults who are diagnosed with High Functioning Autism or Asperger Syndrome (HFA/AS). Following years…

Objective: Mediators of childhood sexual abuse (CSA) and HIV risk behavior were examined for men-who-have-sex-with-men (MSM). Method: Data from a dual frame survey of urban MSM (N = 1078) provided prevalence estimates of CSA, and a test of two latent variable models (defined by partner type) of CSA-risk behavior mediators. Results: A 20%…

Background: Parents of children with intellectual disabilities (ID) typically report elevated levels of parenting stress, and child behaviour problems are a strong predictor of heightened parenting stress. Interestingly, few studies have examined child characteristics beyond behaviour problems that may also contribute to parenting stress. The…

Teacher educators describe a developmental process they use for preparing pre-service teachers to support preschool-age children with and without disabilities in becoming socially competent. Social competence is crucial in developing the "whole" child and may actually foster other areas of development. Using qualitative data gathered from multiple…

Aggression and defiant behavior in preschool children have been linked to lower self-esteem (Scott, 1998), and a lack of core social and emotional competencies (Giles & Heyman, 2004). This study concerned the implementation and evaluation of an educational/guidance group with one preschool class. The intervention focused on self esteem, emotional…

This study examined the effects of adding perspective sentences to Social Stories[TM] on improving the adaptive behaviors of students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and related disabilities. In Study 1, two students with ASD read two different types of Social Stories: Social Story without perspective sentences (SS without PS) and Social…

Ghana is witnessing an increasing number of 2nd generation street children (SGSC) living in the street of Accra, the capital city as a result of many factors including teenage pregnancy among street girls, ethnic conflicts and rural-urban migration. Street presents enormous risks to street children; they are excluded from safe-family environment,…

Schools generally have been unable to keep up with the rapid technical changes in modern society. As a result, primary school age children worldwide are becoming self-taught independent e-learners and the gap between what they know and are able to do exceeds the learning outcomes for their schools' ICT (information communication technology)…

Selective Mutism (SM), normally discovered at a young age, is a selective anxiety disorder in which a child demonstrates a persistent lack of speech in one or more social settings, notably in school, despite his or her ability to speak comfortably at home. In this article, the author presents Betsy, a child who was diagnosed with SM and was helped…