Cognitive skills, engagement in school, social skills, and physical well being are all important for children's early success in school. However, some groups of children begin kindergarten less ready for school than others and, by the end of first grade, still haven't "caught up" with their more successful peers. This CrossCurrents brief reports…

Article briefly discusses an analysis of students' academic and social scores in a Montessori school as compared with other elementary school education programs. Montessori education is characterized by multi-age classrooms, a special set of educational materials, student-chosen work in long time blocks, collaboration, the absence of grades and…

Describes classroom approaches for encouraging healthy social interaction: social skills training, and interpersonal cognitive problem solving. Addresses service delivery considerations, such as personnel, purpose, types of children, research and service, and scheduling. (AOS)

Contrasted high-functioning and low-functioning persons in small groups using two studies based on Carkhuff's and Maslow's models of effective functioning. Results revealed high-functioning persons perceived interpersonal effectiveness as a Gestalt; low-functioning persons perceived interpersonal dimension operating independently. (JAC)

Results showed LD children's cognitive and affective role taking skills to be poorer than those of age-matched controls. However, performance on these tasks was not related to measures of peer domain social skills. Instead, these were found most consistently to relate to hyperactivity ratings. (Author/SEW)

Compared the educational aspirations, self-esteem and personal skills assessment of returning (N=39) and traditional (N=89) community college students. Results confirmed a positive relationship between educational aspirations and self-esteem in both groups. Personal skills assessment was not related to educational aspiration in returning students.…

General curriculum emphases on behavioral science in the first- and second-year dental curriculum culminate in a course on doctor-patient relationships, preparatory to clinic activity. The course includes discussion and essay quizzes about videotape recordings of typical doctor-patient encounters. Topics and issues included are outlined. (MSE)

As part of a iatrosedation program, a computer-assisted system was developed to enhance evaluation and feedback processes central to course design. Computer-controlled audio and video playback devices and computer technology are used to record and play back physician-patient interviews and print a record of the interview evaluation session. (MSE)

Defines peer counseling as a process where students are trained in helping skills to offer, under supervision, listening, support, and alternatives to other students. Discusses the implementation procedures of identifying needs, setting goals, marketing the program, training and supervising, establishing peer counseling services, and evaluating…

Illustrates how children handle conflict and adjust to one another when their goals are incompatible. Found clear developmental trends: with increasing age, children used more compliance-gaining strategies; their compliance-gaining strategies became more adaptive; and their conflict episodes became more complex. (PD)

Proposed the degree of social discomfort to be indicative of an individual's perceived locus of control and level of self-esteem. Students completed questionnaires for Social Avoidance and Distress (SAD). Found high SAD subjects had significantly greater external locus of control and lower self-esteem than moderate or low SAD subjects. (Author)

Describes behavioral procedures used with adolescent students which involved manipulating type and delay of reinforcement, teaching desirable behaviors, and training in several skills. Implemented procedures through an independent group-oriented contingency system. These students performed significantly better on grades, school attendance, and…

Concerns types of communication strategies people choose when confronted with situations which have no model. Found that subjects (women returning to college) did not attempt to fit into the established student role. Instead, they invented various strategies and reported the "active friendly" strategy as most positively related to communication…