A functional analysis of the aggressive behaviors of a 14-year-old boy with moderate mental retardation found that aggression occurred during instruction on difficult tasks. Researchers taught both a high-efficiency/low-effort and a low-efficiency/high-effort response using communication devices. The high-effort response was used regularly, was…

Two studies of three youths (ages 12-14) with severe mental retardation, who used aggression and self-injury to avoid difficult instructional situations, found that simple commands interspersed among more challenging instructional trials were effective at increasing the learners' responsiveness to instructions and decreasing levels of problem…

The author of EC 607 583 responds to questions about her research on mainstreamed behaviorally disordered aggressive adolescents' perceptions of helpful and unhelpful teacher attitudes and behaviors. Issues relevant to future research in this area are noted. (JDD)

Examined generalization of treatment effects of social learning family therapy for families with aggressive boys to child's classroom, parental level of marital satisfaction, general family relationship environment, and parental level of depression. Results showed that teachers reported improved child behavior following treatment. Parental level…

A study involving 265 Australian parents of children enrolled in preschools found most preferred informal sources of support on child management. Inconsistent management techniques, greater use of punishment, lack of confidence, and a need for help with coping strategies were found in families experiencing more aggressive behaviors in their…

Examines racial/ethnic differences in a sample of 436 African-American and 387 Latino elementary school students in the mean levels of children's internal beliefs, fantasies, and attributions about aggressive behavior; interpersonal negotiation strategies; and psychological symptomatology. Looked at relationships among these factors. Differences…

Examined relationships among parenting, sibling aggression, and peer outcomes in 8- to 10-year old boys, their siblings, and mothers. Found that siblings with more rejecting mothers were more aggressive with one another than siblings with less rejecting mothers. Boys with more aggressive sibling interactions were more likely to be nominated by…

Extended and tested Deutsch's theory of competition effects. Predicted that people view competitive situations as inherently more aggressive than cooperative ones. Predicted that leading people to think of an aggressive situation in competitive terms would increase aggressive behavior. Increase of kill ratio occurred in absence of changes in…

Presents statistical information on rates of violence and victimization in a substance abuse program for homeless mothers, with accompanying anecdotal details to indicate the depth and effects of the problem. The majority of the women acknowledged incidents of childhood and adult victimization, and reported engaging in adult aggressive or abusive…

A study examined the effects of a 2-year follow-up prevention program for 31 Head Start kindergarten and first-grade students with behavior problems. Results indicated reduced inappropriate behaviors, including aggression, grabbing, out-of-seat behaviors, and negative verbal statements. Improved compliance and more positive peer interactions were…

Examined how the social context of working within same- or different-sex peer dyads related to gender-typed ideas expressed in creative stories. Sixth graders collaborated to write creative stories. Boy dyads' stories included more overtly aggressive ideas and fewer prosocial story ideas than girl dyads' stories. Mixed-gender dyads' stories…

A study assessed bullying and psychological disturbance among 5,813 elementary children in Finland. More boys than girls were found to be involved in bullying, and children involved in bullying, especially children who both bullied and were bullied, were psychologically disturbed. Bully victims were most likely to be referred for psychiatric…

Describes a social problem-solving process to resolve interpersonal conflicts between young children. Gives techniques for teaching the process, advises on getting started in the classroom, and identifies situations for using the process. Suggests that classroom climates improve as incidences of aggression and victimization decrease and positive…

A study investigated the perceptions of five male elementary students with behavior disorders regarding aggression and violence in schools. Students associated aggressive and violent behavior with drug use, stealing, destruction of property, fighting, and gangs. Participants suggested adding more police to schools and involving students in…

Examined the relationship between adolescents' detection of self-discrepancies and internalizing and externalizing problems. Found that self-discrepancy, independent of actual-self positivity, predicted internalizing and externalizing problems. For girls, discrepancy with parental standards predicted functioning, and discrepancy with independent…