Presents author's perspective on the challenging behavior of her son, theorizing about that behavior while drawing on research into temperament. Outlines history of "attention and behavior problems," culminating in most recent work on neuropsychological factors. Considers ways various approaches assign blame for "problems" to…

Finds a generalizable pattern that is learned and followed by most children when they select books. Suggests that refinements and elaborations are best demonstrated by "outlier" behaviors atypical to the basic book-selection routine. Shows children typically select books based upon the physical characteristics of the book and a holistic,…

Summarizes 12 recent documents and journal articles from the ERIC database that discuss topics related to television violence and children. Articles cited address the effects of television violence on child behavior and attitudes at school and home, and methods of reducing the impact of television on children. (JPB)

Discusses the use of anecdotal records to document young children's school behavior and accomplishments. Considers the use of informal records to capture daily events and formal records to document milestone behaviors. (JPB)

Data on 11 samples of 1,012 toddlers used to construct and validate the Toddler Behavior Assessment Questionnaire (TBAQ) revealed that the component of negative affectivity (anger proneness and fearfulness) were independent, and item analysis suggested that shyness and other fears were independent as well. (MDM)

Discusses the public perception of childhood innocence as a treasured concept that appears to be under attack according to media reports of child abuse and neglect and child murderers. Discusses cases of children who kill, focusing on the United Kingdom's 1968 case of Mary Bell. Considers causes of childhood crises that threaten innocence. (JPB)

The behavior of seven children (ages 3-6) with depression and 7 typical children was compared in solitary free play, interactive free play, and play narratives. Children with depression played significantly less, particularly in the area of symbolic play, showed significantly more nonplay behaviors, and showed less coherence in their behavior.…

Uses Lewin's field theory as a framework to appraise children's momentary state of curiosity and exploratory behavior. Discusses two levels of analysis: child-stimulus situation and child-stimulus-adult situation. Argues that a parent can be a barrier hindering a child's exploration, or a facilitator to remove barriers. (Author/SD)

Notes that attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is commonly diagnosed in the first few years of education. Details characteristics of ADHD and education interventions, including: (1) giving frequent, immediate, and specific feedback; (2) breaking tasks into smaller units; and (3) using preferred activities to reinforce appropriate…

Provides guidelines for counselors interested in developing their own assessment procedure to evaluate child and adolescent sleep disturbance. Guidelines include reviewing the developmental and medical history, screening for parental psychopathology, obtaining a child behavior rating scale and sleep diary, and conducting a semistructured clinical…

Reviews research concerning the origins of violent behavior in the early childhood years. Discusses the importance of early childhood intervention, and offers recommendations for the coordination of intervention efforts by behavior specialists and early childhood educators. (Author/EV)

Examined development of inhibitory control using a stop-signal procedure with subjects ages 6 to 81 years. Found that the speed of stopping becomes faster with increasing age throughout childhood, with limited evidence of slowing across adulthood. The go-signal reaction time clearly increased through childhood and slowed markedly through…

Provides information on the career and accomplishments of Ella Jenkins focusing on issues such as her musical background, the similarities among children in various countries, teaching children to sing in different languages, and how music teachers can reach more children and improve musical instruction. (CMK)

Describes a methodology that may offer an operationalized model that allows empirical analysis of paired associate versus symbolic learning. Presents an operational definition of the phenomenon in question and why it might be useful to model the phenomenon. Illustrates distinct advantages offered within this approach to scholars interested in…

A judgment checklist can be presented to camp counselors through brainstorming sessions in which actual or imagined situations are reviewed. Camper and counselor behavior results from choices they make. Talking to children about their behavior is easier when adult jargon like "inappropriate behavior" is replaced with child-friendly…