Examined dating violence in a racially/ethnically and socioeconomically diverse sample of students (N=939). Results reveal that males were more likely to attack a dating partner when they had witnessed interparental violence; believed that male-female dating violence was justifiable; used alcohol/drugs; or were the recipients of dating violence.…

A study used direct and indirect methods to assess and treat several topographies of the aggression of a 7-year-old boy with severe mental retardation and pervasive personality disorder. Functional communication training with extinction reduced all forms of aggression except chin grinding, which was reduced by an alternative treatment. (Author/CR)

Discusses the Brain Power Program, an attribution retraining intervention to reduce peer-directed aggression. Results suggest that improvements in behavior are related to changes in subjects' attributions. Intervention effects are moderate to strong for many students but not evident at all for some students. Treatment effects diminished over time.…

Focuses on teasing as a form of verbal aggression in the educational environment. Examines the relationships between undergraduate students' recollections of receiving peer teasing during their junior and senior high school years and students' self-esteem and affect for school. Yields limited correlations between peer teasing and self-esteem, and…

Pretreatment assessment data were used to enhance an existing treatment package to reduce aggression and to increase the positive social interactions of a 9-year-old boy with moderate mental retardation and Hunter's syndrome. Additional reinforcements and punishment components were added and resulted in positive social interactions and suppressed…

Cumulates findings across existing empirical research on the effects of violent video games to estimate overall effect size and discern important trends and moderating variables. Suggests there is a smaller effect of violent video games on aggression than has been found with television violence on aggression. (SG)

The efficacy of noncontingent reinforcement with variable-time (VT) schedules was evaluated by comparing the effects of VT and fixed-time (FT) reinforcement schedules with two individuals with moderate to severe mental retardation and severe behavior problems. Both VT and FT schedules were effective in reducing problem behavior. (Contains…

Asserts that teasing and bullying are hurtful to children physically and emotionally, and can seriously affect the child who does the teasing or bullying, the child who is teased or bullied, and bystanders who see it happening. Offers suggestions for Head Start to take positive action to address this behavior before it takes root and grows. (SD)

Videotaped rough and tumble play to examine how preadolescent boys expressed care and intimacy through such play. Found that, when commenting on videotapes, the boys were clear on where and when it was appropriate to express care and intimacy for one another. Findings suggest teachers and administrators reconsider the importance of this kind of…

Reviews the social sciences literature and reports on the interventions used by professionals and policymakers to reduce school violence, in addition to the effectiveness of the interventions. Recommendations consistent with social work principles are made for social workers concerned with school violence. (JPS)

Effects of extinction and negative reinforcement on latency of responses (including aggression and self-injurious behavior) following activity requests to an adolescent girl with mental retardation and autism were evaluated. Results showed that latencies occurred in a predictable order. The response class was expanded to include an appropriate…

Because bullying affects school climate, schools and parents must address it by collaboratively developing guidelines for zero tolerance, effective monitoring, well-publicized consequences, and supports for the parents of both victims and aggressors. (SK)

Examines the effectiveness of short-term cognitive-behavioral therapy with probationary and incarcerated offenders (N=107). Results showed significant changes on a Buss-Durkee guilt scale for probationary offenders, and significant changes in verbal hostility and resentment for incarcerated offenders. (JPS)

Examined whether social cognitions forecast change in aggressive habits over the school year for 189 third through seventh graders. Found that aggression-encouraging cognitions assessed in the fall promoted aggression over the school years, but that such developments hinged on the child's sex and on initial levels of aggression and victimization.…

Notes the shift in bullying behavior to more vicious, violent acts. Explores factors contributing to this behavior, how some schools fail to address the problem, and steps parents can take to keep their child safe and to work with schools to prevent aggressive behavior. (HTH)