This paper presents the Hypothesis Testing Theory/Model and the Information Processing Model developed by M. Parrill-Bernstein in relation to the field of behavior disorders. The models provide a framework for (1) studying both problem solving skills and social behavior and (2) developing intervention programs for behavior disordered adolescents.…

This study tested the hypothesis that social competence of mother-infant play reflects both secure mother-infant attachment and more advanced cognitive development. Subjects were 58 toddlers between 16 and 19 months of age and their mothers. Two general methods were used: observation and maternal report. Standardized developmental assessments were…

This study replicated a social skills training program previously designed to eliminate verbally aggressive behavior in six institutionalized elderly, by substituting physical acts of aggression for verbal ones. The treatment package consisted of instructions, modeling, role playing, and feedback. Dependent measures included confirmed incidents of…

In recent years there has been some evidence of a resurgence of interest in experiential groupwork methods such as T-groups among cooperative and community development workers, feminists, and those concerned with heightening sensitivity to social problems. Two adult educators who believed that experiential laboratory methods can enable students to…

In recent years, scholarly and applied inquiry has addressed the importance of interpersonal communication patterns and problems in maximum security institutions for males. As a result of this research, the number of programs designed to improve the interpersonal effectiveness of prison inmates has increased dramatically. Research suggests that…

Social support systems often relate to a person's ability to cope with stressful events. When the stressful event involves relocation, however, the benefits of social support may not extend beyond the relocation. A study was conducted to examine how a move to college affects social support and homesickness. College freshmen (N=70) who were from…

The paper discusses some of the available curricula on the aging, their goals, their shared characteristics, and some outcomes of the curricula. Appearing in several formats for grades K-12 classroom use and including texts, videos, and workbooks, the curricula are presented as activities that may be integrated with other prescribed content. Each…

This study investigated whether physical self-awareness and age are significant predictors of interpersonal problem-solving ability in young children. A total of 84 preschool and kindergarten children were administered the Preschool Interpersonal Problem Solving Test and the Body Awareness (Part I) microcomputer program. A backward-stepwise…

Although marriage enrichment programs have been shown to be effective for many couples, a multidimensional approach to assessment is needed in investigating these groups. The components of information and social support in successful marriage enrichment programs were compared in a completely crossed 2 x 2 factorial design with repeated measures.…

A study investigated ways in which masculine, feminine, androgynous, and undifferentiated individuals differed with respect to the importance placed upon receiver and sender characteristics as prerequisite conditions for self-disclosure. Subjects, 492 college students, completed a personal attributes questionnaire, which identifies individuals as…

The packet includes a manual describing the Michigan Life Role Competencies (MLRC), a set of appropriate expectations for high school graduates, and an adapted version of those competencies for special education students. MLRC addresses four major areas in functional adult living: (1) employability and occupational skills; (2) personal and family…

The maternal affective environment to which children are exposed, conceptualized by (1) percentage of total emotional displays (happy, sad, angry, tense, or tender) and (2) global indices of current maternal psychosocial functioning, is likely to be related to children's expression of emotions and overall social-emotional competence. Thus,…

A variety of methods are presented for developing skills for critical thinking, which is described as reflecting on assumptions underlying actions and considering new ways of looking at and living in the world. Critical thinking is viewed as not just an academic exercise, but a productive process enabling people to be more effective and innovative…

Little research has focused on the particular characteristics necessary to gain and retain social support. To examine whether individuals' differing social support level could be differentiated on social skill level and physical appearance, and if these differences apply equally to males and females, 168 college students (84 males, 84 females)…

An extension of a project that examined the associations between parental responses to children's emotional upset and children's competence in preschool, this study focuses on gender differences in the socialization of competence. Parents' warmth and responsiveness, firmness and control, and responses to their children's emotional upset were…