Suggestions are presented from parents on how to help children with disabilities (with particular focus on Downs Syndrome) learn good grooming habits in such areas as good health, exercise, cleanliness, teeth and hair care, skin care, glasses and other devices, and social behavior. (CB)

When second- through fifth-grade learning disabled (N=24) and nonhandicapped (N=24) boys were shown four hypothetical social situations and then interviewed about social interaction goals and strategies, the learning-disabled students were found to perform with less social competence and at lower developmental levels than nonhandicapped peers in…

The paper describes the "Early Social Communication Scales" designed to assess social and communication skills typically acquired in the first 30 months of life. Stressed is the role of the tester as an interactive partner for the infant. Reliability data suggesting reliability over time with the same partner are presented. (Author/DB)

Reviewed is research that describes how forms and features of child care systems can influence the development of social competency with peers during the infancy to preschool periods. Interactions between child care and familial systems in influencing social competency with peers are also examined.

This paper critically examines existing social perception research regarding mildly handicapped students, offers another perspective on assessing deficient interpersonal performance, and suggests a research agenda for future empirical investigation. (Author/MT)

Investigates relationships between dating competence and loneliness. Concludes that individuals with low loneliness reported significantly greater skills in dating, proximity, satisfaction in dating, and frequency of dating. Reports no significant differences between individuals with high and low levels of loneliness on apprehension about dating,…

The article focuses on the role of peer-mediated instructional approaches in improving the academic and social performance of secondary learning-disabled students. Two peer-teaching programs, Classwide Peer Tutoring and Classwide Student Tutoring Teams, are described. (Author/DB)

A social interaction intervention program implemented with three groups of preschool hearing-impaired children increased positive interaction, sharing, and conversation. Generalization of skills was observed when toys incorporated into intervention activities were presented during free-play probes. The importance of incorporating generalization…

Group affection activities were used to increase the interaction of three autistic children (four- and seven-years-old) with nonhandicapped peers in an integrated early childhood setting. Increased interactions included initiations by both autistic and nonhandicapped children, with reciprocal interactions occurring more frequently with…

Compared interpersonal cognitive problem solving skills of 30 mainstreamed learning disabled (LD) and 30 non-learning disabled junior high school students. Found LD students scored significantly lower than peers on four of five measures of interpersonal problem solving skills, but did not on measures of classroom social behavior. Found no…

The study examined effects of varied punishers (overcorrection, time-out, or a verbal "no" compared with the single presentation of one punisher (a loud noise) on occurrence of inappropriate behaviors in three developmentally delayed children (ages 5-6). Both formats produced a decrease in target behaviors, with the varied-punisher format slightly…

Current hypotheses explaining the link between learning disability and delinquency are evaluated. An alternative hypothesis is proposed which postulates that ineffective social cognitive problem-solving skills increase risk for delinquency in learning-disabled youth. (Author/DB)

Outlines the difficulties of the bisexual lifestyle, the resistance to treatment, and the supportive experiences of counseling groups for bisexual men who are married or cohabiting with women. (Author/KS)

Despite recognition that children with learning disabilities frequently lack social competence and peer acceptance, the focus of both diagnosis and remediation continues to be almost exclusively academic. To truly serve this population, it is necessary to attend to their social and emotional needs as well as their academic progress. (Author/VW)

A social skills training program for deaf adolescents was developed which stresses (1) observable positive social behaviors and (2) social problem-solving thinking skills. Pilot evaluation of the eight-week program with 35 male adolescents revealed that the experimental group scored significantly higher than controls on a test of social skills and…