The role of peer counselors has become increasingly important as time and resources of professional counselors grow scarce. One midwestern institution recruited peer counselors to conduct a training program on the issues of intimacy. Students who participated in the program had favorable attitudes toward the peer counselors. (BF)

Notes that Grusec and Goodnow's model of discipline encounters as context for children's internalization of parental values seems best suited for middle childhood and adolescence. Suggests that processes such as social referencing, sensitivity to standard violations, emergence of self, and self-regulation may be important antecedents and signs of…

In response to commentaries on their model of discipline effectiveness, Grusec and Goodnow note that the model places as much emphasis on affect as on cognition and that it is certainly applicable to preschool years. They discuss development of sense of self, ability to self-regulate, and attachment as important precursors of internalization. (MDM)

The Individualized Education Program of an 11-year-old boy with severe disabilities was written to emphasize development of social skills and friendships. Opportunities to develop friendships were created, classmates examined their feelings about the meaning of friendship, and parents' and teachers' reactions were assessed. (JDD)

Discusses the importance of social skills in young children, and the need for "naturalistic" procedures rather than teacher direction to intervene in social development of children with disabilities. Presents strategies for supporting social behaviors in preschoolers that foster social skills development in areas including large- and…

This article reports on the activities and interactions of a highly gifted 9-year-old boy working in a fifth grade classroom with students of mixed ability levels. School modifications to manage gaps between the boy's intellectual development and his social and emotional development took little account of his affective needs, and resulted in…

Two studies explored preschool, second-, and fifth-grade children's moral and dispositional judgments as influenced by an actor's efforts. Findings indicated that older children's judgments and predictions reflected coordination of the actor's effort with information about the actor's anticipated goal. Preschool children focused more on the…

Only the Social Withdrawal and Social Competence subscales of the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) tapped a Social Competence factor in common with Social Competence subscales from a parent rating scale (Social Skills Rating System) and a scale (Pupil Evaluation Inventory) for teachers. Mothers of 93 boys (aged 7 to 11 years) completed the CBCL.…

Preparation for the transition from school to work has often relied on rational approaches that include planning strategies and information provision. Proposes alternative programs with a developmental focus that address personal, social, and career development. (Author/LKS)

Discusses the role of the international organization INTERMON in education for social development. Highlights include objectives, content, values, conflict-resolution, cooperative learning, teacher training, and the use of audiovisuals, networked telecommunications, electronic mail, and teledebates. (AEF)

Reviews research on the development of children's awareness and feelings related to race and class. Suggests that children's perceptions of themselves and others depends on their majority or minority status in their community and on the quality of contacts they have with other racial groups. Proposes teaching practices that can raise awareness and…

This survey with 68 parents of students with mental disabilities found parents of students with moderate disabilities rated functional life skills most highly whereas parents of students with severe/profound disabilities rated friendship/social relationship development most highly. (Author/DB)

Swedish official documents for nursery and compulsory schools suggest that mixed-age groups are beneficial to children's learning and socioemotional development. Early evaluations confirmed these assumptions. However, results from more sophisticated comparative evaluations do not support these assumptions. Instructional recommendations based on…

Gifted and talented adolescents have two primary social needs: to have normal social interaction with others and to develop an identity as a person who is gifted and talented. The choices an individual makes are always influenced by personal needs in a social context. Gifted children are members of a subgroup--the gifted--which has negative and…

Considers eight models for the study of pubertal change that explore possible links between hormones and negative affective experiences, such as depression and aggression. Notes that hormonal effects, though small, have demonstrated stability and have interacted with psychological and social factors, implicating hormonal changes in the development…