Describes a comprehensive prevention program designed to stop bullying in the elementary school. Discusses the program's goal: to create a safer school environment for all by fostering within the school a culture that does not tolerate acts of physical or psychological aggression. Outlines staff training and classroom intervention. (RJM)

The ability of 18 aggressive and 21 nonaggressive men with moderate mental retardation to label and discriminate facial expressions was investigated. Although aggressive participants did not have greater difficulty with emotion labeling, they did have a negative emotional bias for facial expressions that were ambiguous to them. (Author/CR)

A study of 216 undergraduate psychology students investigated the relationship of parental support to child abuse. Results indicate that less severe abusive behaviors, especially emotional abuse, may have detrimental outcomes of hostility and aggression and that supportive behaviors by both mothers and fathers may be important factors in the…

Elucidates many of the pertinent factors, symptoms and characteristics of violence in schools. Highlights the importance of a child's perspective in educational and sociological issues in which the child is a central player. Defends peer group facilitation as a vital tool for providing a forum and medium to disseminate information from a child's…

Answers to commonly asked questions about female gang members. Girls typically join gangs at age 14 to 15. If given alternatives, females will often leave gangs sooner than males. Female gang members are respected, and see themselves as strong, committed soldiers. Includes "Myths about Females in Gangs" and suggestions for additional…

A study examined the validity of the SCARE program; an anger management program developed with high school students. Adolescents (n=207) exposed to the SCARE program had significantly lower levels of anger and aggression, slightly higher anger control, and lower scores on aggressive and violent attitudes a year after exposure. (Contains…

This article describes use of "comic strip conversations," a type of social story adapted for younger students or those with limited verbal communication skills. It utilizes simple symbols, stick figures, and color to identify key elements of a social interaction. Three steps to implementing the technique are explained and illustrated with…

Considers four issues pertaining to aggression and adaptation: (1) conceptual and operational definitions of aggression; (2) how aggression relates to adjustment difficulties for boys and girls and for children from different ethnic and socioeconomic groups; (3) whether specific forms of aggression relate to truly positive correlates and whether…

Assessed the relationship between moral reasoning, moral affect, social problem solving skills, and social preferences in preschool children. Found that girls who scored highest for relational aggression also rated highest for moral maturity, suggesting an evolutionary theory in which effective resource controllers would be simultaneously…

Four studies based on two longitudinal investigations examined the relation between social rejection and increased antisocial behavior. Found that early peer rejection (ages 6 to 8) predicted growth in aggression (at ages 10 to 12); findings were replicated in children ages 5 to 8. Rejection exacerbated antisocial development only among children…

Assesses high school students' levels of dispositional optimism and pessimism, explanatory style and anger in relation to the school setting. Results suggest that anger management programs focusing on cognitive restructuring and related strategies can be a powerful means for reducing aggressive behaviors at school. (Contains 38 references.) (GCP)

Study compares 36 youths involved in street corner gangs in Singapore with 91 age-matched controls on measures of self-esteem, aggression, dysfunctional parenting and parent-adolescent communication. Results revealed that gang youths had lower self-esteem and higher levels of aggression than controls. Findings diverge from anticipated familial…

Studied the adjustment status associated with engagement in gender normative versus gender nonnormative aggression for boys and girls. Teacher and self-reports were used to assess internalizing and externalizing difficulties. Found that 9- to 12-year olds who engaged in gender nonnormative aggression were more maladjusted than children who engaged…

Examined the effects of level of resistance and type of sexual behavior on judgments regarding sexual aggression on a date. Findings from 195 undergraduates who read one of six vignettes describing a date in which unwanted sexual behavior occurred, reveal significant differences between levels of resistance and significant but smaller differences…

Discusses behavior management of confrontational situations in the classroom, including prevention, defusion, and follow-up. Strategies for defusion are suggested, such as focusing on the task rather than the attention-getting behavior, presenting options privately, reducing agitation, preteaching and presenting choices to establish limits, and…