A program was designed to prevent school adjustment problems in primary school children by identifying at-risk children using a behavior rating scale and training them in coping and self-expression skills. A study of the program's effectiveness with 26 children found no significant differences between experimental and control groups on behavioral,…

The relationships between student affective performance and classroom physical environment, social climate, and management style were studied for 21,622 students, mostly sixth graders, in Hong Kong. Perceived quality of physical environment and class master's expert, personal, and coercive power were the strongest predictors of affective…

Two studies involving three adolescents with severe emotional disturbance/behavior disorders and learning difficulties examined effects of problem difficulty and reinforcer quality upon time allocated to two sets of arithmetic problems. Results have implications for understanding the effects of problem difficulty and reinforcer quality on behavior…

This paper discusses developments in special education classroom observational assessment. Conceptual advances include increased focus on assessment with practical value for teaching and benefits gained from merging classroom instructional factors with behavior. Methodological advances include development of ecobehavioral observation protocols and…

Reports the results of a study that examines differences in substance-related attitudes, use patterns, and related consequences among three typical college campuses in order to underscore the need for campuses to develop and market prevention/intervention programs based on the unique patterns inherent on their individual campuses. (LKS)

User-centered design of catalog records requires the study of user behaviors and cognition related to interaction with the catalog. During 3 phases of a pilot study, 103 catalog users described 386 searches; searchers generally knew the title, publication date, page numbers, and/or the author. (Author/AEF)

Deaths from meningitis-type illnesses among college students are worrying health officials. Concerns include behaviors of students that may put students at risk, risk characteristics of dormitory housing, ethical concerns about disclosing the names of infected students, and possible need for immunization programs. (MSE)

Examined the role of individual characteristics and peer influences in evoking early substance abuse in young boys. Individual characteristics, such as fighting, hyperactivity, oppositional behaviors, and likability, were found to be pivotal in the development of substance abuse--more than friends' deviance. Results suggest that prevention…

Presents data that establish the convergent and discriminant construct validity of a new behavior-rating scale for use with the early childhood-preschool population, the Preschool and Kindergarten Behavior Scales (PKBS). The scale appears to show promise as a research tool, screening device, and assessment instrument for assessing social-emotional…

The Test of Reactions and Adaptation in College (TRAC), a measure of students' personal dispositions toward learning, is presented. Results from 2 different samples of college students (n=1,081) indicate acceptable psychometric characteristics for the TRAC. The TRAC predicted college success better than high school weighted academic average did.…

A study investigated study habits of 154 educationally disadvantaged engineering students enrolled in developmental studies programs in 3 South African universities. Aspects examined include entry skills, study patterns throughout the first year, and characteristics of students whose study habits changed over time. Implications for admission and…

Comparison of 29 children prenatally exposed to drugs and 20 children without such exposure in preschool special education programs in New York City found the groups differed in mood, attachment, aggression, attention, movement level, organization and level of play, language usage, anger, and unoccupied behavior. Great variability was found in the…

In a study of differences in frequency of interruptions, aspects of dominant-submissive sex role behavior in preschool children and their teachers during conversation were examined. Boys interrupted teachers more than girls did, and teachers interrupted girls more than they did boys. (LB)

A study of student/teacher interaction patterns in 11 Austrian grammar school mathematics classes was conducted to examine gender-specific classroom management methods. Results indicated no gender differences, but five types of gender-related modifications of the ordinary interaction patterns are identified that produce greater success for boys.…

The ability of investment theory to account for intent and behavior of 421 part-time, working community-college students concerning departure from or persistence at college was studied. The contribution of investment to institutional persistence, and a framework for the departure decision process among nontraditional college students are…