Observation of 39 preschool maltreated children from 13 child care facilities revealed that ratings of the quality of care were significantly correlated with the children's social competence in child care. Aspects of social behavior were related to program organization, physical facilities, traits of the caregiver, and caregiver expectations.…

Reports on a study to determine the extent to which personnel have access to and perceive a need for interpersonal relations skills assessment strategies and procedures in secondary vocational preparation programs. A survey of 31 secondary area vocational center directors indicated a need for access to practical assessment instruments. (CH)

Social strategies and expectations as components of social competence were examined. Results indicated that high-competent subjects reported more original (not prompted) positive strategies, and more cognitions. Low-competent subjects made more negative statements when describing the dyad they had formed with the confederate, and were more…

Effects of an intervention and fading package (teacher prompting and contingent praise) on social initiations of three withdrawn preschool subjects were investigated. Among reported results was that abrupt removal of prompting resulted in similarly abrupt reductions in subjects' social initiations, whereas response-dependent fading maintained…

Examines reasons children find superhero play so attractive and discusses how it relates to children's development. Also makes a case for allowing superhero play and suggests strategies to make such play a constructive experience for children. (KS)

Investigates whether unpopular children exhibit a bossy interpersonal style in a problem-solving situation. A detailed sequential category coding system was constructed and focused on patterns of influence among children. Sociometric measures were used to pair 44 third- and fourth-grade children into 22 dyads containing an average-status child and…

Examines benefits to individuals and society of cooperative--as opposed to competitive--interpersonal relationships. Discusses children's sports, games, and play as means to promote cooperation and reviews research showing positive effects of children's cooperative play. Provides standards for a cooperative philosophy that would promote positive…

Teachers of learning disabled children should view social learning as a constructive task and should plan activities to match social development goals, use all available classroom sources to stimulate social development, and use social studies to encourage development of social knowledge. (CL)

Examined impact of birth order on social skills and academic performance of children and adolescents (N=3,568). Results revealed no significant relationship between birth order and academic performance but did reveal a significant positive relationship between birth order and social skills. Leadership skills were related to birth order for males.…

Concluded that improvisational drama made a definite impression on residents but that the use of creative drama with the mentally retarded cannot be generalized based on this pioneer study. Offers guidelines for further research and recommendations to parents, teachers, and caretakers of the mentally retarded.

Fifteen deaf elementary-age children were observed in free play, and their interactions were videotaped. Differences were noted in the interaction and communication skills of children with early sign language experience and orally trained deaf children with late sign language experience. (CL)

Cluster analysis of 81 gifted and talented elementary students on three measures of motivation, creativity, social awareness, social skills, and perferred learning activities revealed four subgroups evidencing considerable variation in creative personality traits. Learning needs of the four groups were briefly identified. (CL)

Stresses the value of early peer interaction among young children for future academic, social, and career development, describing the components of social skills and suggesting ways to help children become socially competent. (KS)

Examines social fantasy play in relation to several indices of social competence in a sample of 91 preschoolers (ages 35 to 69 months). Results indicate the amount and complexity of fantasy play significantly predicted four competency measures: teacher ratings of peer social skill, popularity, affective role taking, and a behavioral summary score…

A study examined an assumption commonly held by many smoking prevention programs that social skills can affect the onset of tobacco smoking. Data from 129 sixth graders were used to predict smoking behavior 15 months later. Five skill variables emerged as the best predictors of future smoking. (Author/CB)