Examined psychosocial development in student paraprofessionals (N=22) in a college orientation program and control students (N=20) who had not been accepted into the program. Found student paraprofessionals exhibited greater gain scores than nonparticipants on interdependence and tolerance as measured by the Student Developmental Task Inventory.…

Examines the importance and development of friendships among children. Explains the value of friendships in developing sense of self and social skills. Suggests ways in which parents and teachers can be instrumental in facilitating friendships. (BAC)

In a Lilly endowment study, field notes and interviews with two elementary teachers reveal that caring relationships between teachers and students played a large role in encouraging students' academic and social development. Teachers can promote caring by helping their students in ways they value and by using stories, symbols, rituals, and…

Discusses the article by Lewis in this issue in the context of complex systems theory. Reviews several concepts of complex systems theory, including self-organization, entropy, phase transitions, stochastic processes, nonlinearity, and attractors. Notes that Lewis highlights the need for psychological models to treat nonlinear processes, chaotic…

Presents findings concerning the role of symbolic play. Assumes that symbolic play has seven functions in the child's development: cognitive, creative, ordering, stimulative, social, expressive, and substitutive. Considers play as a phenomenon that prepares children's abilities through symbolic play. (BAC)

Studied responses of children aged 48-77 months to scenarios in which a friend or an acquaintance was frightened or angry. With friends, children were more likely to report sympathetic responses and propose an intervention. With acquaintances, children were less likely to intervene and more likely to report being unaffected. (BG)

Highlights key findings described in Barrie Thorne's book, "Gender Play: Girls and Boys in School," which reports research focusing on American children in kindergarten through sixth grade. Indicates that gender segregation starts at birth and that socialization and the environment are the most salient factors in gender segregation. (AC)

A fourth grade teacher examines the ever-changing and developing student teacher relationship. As students move on each year, past teachers still feel some degree of responsibility, and students learn about changing relationships. (SM)

The community practice model illustrates how goals of participation, empowerment, cooperation, and institutionalization are affected by inputs from human resources, program characteristics, finances, social costs, and policy requirements within the context of the social, economic, and political structure; population diversity; physical…

This prospective study of 17 high-functioning residentially treated adolescents with autism found that cognitive shifting, as measured by card sorting tests, was the only significant factor in predicting progress in social understanding. (Author/JDD)

Conducted study as part of longitudinal research project designed to discover more about the relations between religious involvement and mental health. Collected data through semistructured interviews and a psychological test battery from 56 religious young adults in a 3-year followup. Revealed lack of evidence of link between orthodox religiosity…

Describes what goes on in teenage hangouts and why hangouts are important in providing a social meeting place for teenagers. Discusses physical features that make hangouts attractive, how small communities can effectively manage teenage hangouts, and how teenage hangouts encourage social development including developing a sense of community. (LP)

Considers the role of the essential functions of adult education: economic and social/moral development. Describes the implementation of these functions in Chinese history. (SK)

Examined patterns of socio-cognitive growth among 23 Anglo-American and 23 Chicano college students. Results indicated that patterns for the two groups differed. Although groups were similar in epistemic performance levels, factors associated with performance levels of Anglo-American students were unrelated to performance levels of Chicano…

Although multicultural education is helpful for developing perspectives of various traditions, the significance of individuality should not be overshadowed. Equal time should be given to individual development, internal locus of control, and nurturance of stable, consolidated personality. (SK)