A study involving 60 primary-level students and 50 intermediate-level students in an inclusive-education program found significant increases in self-perception of cognitive competence for primary students with and without disabilities. Intermediate students with disabilities reported higher perceptions of their academic and social abilities than…

Three preschool children with developmental disabilities participated in a social-skills intervention involving use of collage placemats with pictures to foster turn-taking verbal interactions with peers at the lunch table. The intervention resulted in doubling the rate of interactions with peers. Generalization to regular lunchtime occurred when…

Addresses the importance of teaching students with hearing impairments zero-order pragmatic-language competencies (PLCs), those communicative and interactive behaviors necessary in everyday social situations to avoid being seen as deviant. Among PLCs are taking turns, initiating or adding to a conversation, and making repairs when necessary. Many…

A study used the ABILITIES Index to assess the relationship of inappropriate behaviors to social skills and behavior, vision, intellectual function, and intentional communication in 202 children (ages 6-59 months) with visual impairments. Results indicate inappropriate and unusual behavior continued to increase between birth and age 5. (CR)

A multimethod assessment (i.e., direct observation, observer impressions, teacher rating, peer ratings) of children's social competence was conducted with 222 preschool children with and without disabilities. Principal component analysis yielded four factors, the first of which accounted for the largest percentage of variance. (Author/CR)

A measure of children's attributions (effort, external, ability) for success and failure outcomes in the school domain was developed and administered to 237 fourth and fifth graders. Moderate to good psychometric properties were obtained. Social outcomes attributed to ability and effort were significantly related to self-concept and social…

Examined the differential predictive power and effects of representations of child/mother and child/father attachment for children's representation of self and socioemotional competence. Found that the child's positiveness of self was better predicted by quality of child/mother attachment representation than child/father attachment representation.…

A social learning approach (modeling, role play, feedback) was used with 52 business students and experiential learning exercises with 53. The social learning group outperformed the experiential group on two of three criteria. There were no significant differences in student preferences for either approach. (SK)

The authors of an earlier article, which argued that the social skills deficits typically found in children with learning disabilities (LD) are largely due to the comorbidity of LD with psychiatric disorders such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and depressive disorder, respond to a critique that did not find this relationship…

A study explored transformations in the lives of 80 parents of children with disabilities. Results indicate that most parents reported many positive changes in their lives as a result of parenting a child with a disability, including personal growth, improved relations with others, and changes in philosophical or spiritual values. (Contains…

Two studies compared the descriptions given by children (N=74) with and without autism of animated stimuli depicting mechanical launching effects, intentional reactions, or sequences of mechanical and intentional reactions. Although children with autism were as able as control groups at these differentiations, differences were found in their…

This article discusses the difficulties some elementary children with hearing impairments have in developing social skills. The need to promote language development, to provide ample communication opportunities, and to analyze the level of social understanding is stressed. Positive reinforcement, provision of clear, concise rules for behavior, and…

Demonstrates quantitatively that children with learning disabilities can improve and maintain social and oral expressive language (speaking) skills through a creative drama program with an emphasis on specific social and oral language usage. Demonstrates how social skills may be targeted successfully by developing instruments appropriate to…

Describes a multimedia resource developed for camps by the American Camping Association and Peter Yarrow, of Peter, Paul, and Mary, to help children express and manage their emotions, cooperate and appreciate the individual strengths that each child brings to a group, celebrate diversity, and practice negotiating and resolving conflict creatively.…

Explores the effects of a proactive school-wide discipline approach on the frequency of problem behavior displayed by elementary students. Study was designed to explore the impact of a social skill instruction program and direct intervention on problem behaviors in three school settings (cafeteria, recess, and hallway transition). Results indicate…