To avoid the ivory tower syndrome, responsible school executives can adopt a class (instead of teaching one), meet with employees on their own turf (but not their own time), humanize and personalize remarks, arm themselves with specifics about students and staff, and listen more than they talk. (MLH)

Asserts that many youths wanting to refuse drugs or alcohol lack interpersonal abilities to refuse. Describes Skillstreaming, interpersonal skill training approach of apparent effectiveness when used for behavioral enhancement purposes. Presents Skillstreaming constituent training procedures, specific skills content, and methods for promoting…

The relationship between non-verbal decoding ability and social intelligence, defined as the ability to decode social information accurately, was studied using 40 adults. Results are discussed in the framework of R. J. Sternberg's triarchic theory of human intelligence. Decoding skills appeared to be an important part of social intelligence. (SLD)

The article discusses research on the chronic emotional, social, and physical changes associated with traumatic brain injury (TBI) as it relates to the planning and effective management of TBI patients' behavioral and social problems. At five years post-trauma most of 39 patients followed were still socially dysfunctional in one or more ways.…

This study of 150 males and 121 females approximately 16 1/2 years of age explored relations among developmental levels and styles of interpersonal negotiation strategies (INS) and competence in social problem-solving skills. Also assessed relations among levels and styles of INS and self-reported engagement in problem behaviors. (RH)

A study of the relationship between parental opportunities for and management of children's peer interactions and the social competence of their child suggests important links between parental opportunities provided for play and the peer social system. (JOW)

Leadership development is a learning process that extends over many years. A single, all-purpose instrument of leadership is effective communication. Despite growing dependency on leadership development programs, centers for advanced training, and graduate studies, the workplace remains the most effective arena for personal growth. (MLH)

The study compared the attention-directing behaviors of 15 autistic children, 14 children with developmental language delay, and 13 young normal children. Although the autistic children's behavior was most unlike that of the other groups, autistic children did not produce more attention-directing behavior when a high degree of adult direction was…

Observed 4-year-olds during interaction tasks, and 2-weeks later recorded brain wave functions while subject attended to a visual stimulus. Found that children who displayed social competence exhibited greater relative left frontal activation than children displaying social withdrawal during the play session, who exhibited greater relative right…

A literature review notes how gender expectations lead to nonverbal communication differences in such behaviors as smiling, eye contact, kinesics, proximics, and decoding. The importance of the effective use of nonverbal communication in human resource development is emphasized. (SK)

A model for competency-based assessment of communication skills uses a holistic, authentic approach to assess competence and a process approach to assess communication skills. The model is based on the concept of a dynamic communication environment, including context, content, and interactants. (SK)

Randomly assigned 72 social phobics to behavioral (flooding) or drug treatment with atenolol or placebo. Found that flooding consistently was superior to placebo, whereas atenolol was not. Flooding also was superior to atenolol on behavioral measures and composite indexes. Subjects who improved during treatment maintained gains at six-month…

Disputes the claim that distinctions between education and training are obsolete by showing the conflicting purposes of modern training and a broader liberal concept of education. Suggests that the conflict between utilitarian and liberal aims is reaching a crisis point in which activities must increasingly be justified in terms of economic…

This literature review discusses 21 studies on facial emotion recognition by persons with mental retardation in terms of methodological characteristics, stimulus material, salient variables and their relation to recognition tasks, and emotion recognition deficits in mental retardation. A table provides comparative data on all 21 studies. (DB)

Inspired by the survivalist strategies of James Clavell's protagonist in "King Rat," this article advises administrators how to practice creative insubordination by informally lobbying board members, winking at obstructive rules, and pursuing devious ends in their school's interest. The best administrators take chances, hiding their…