Introduces Family Behavior Loop Mapping as diagraming method for wet and dry repetitive behavior cycles of substance abusers. Explains family wet/dry behavior cycles as changes in family function corresponding to abuser shifts from active use (wet) to abstinence (dry). (Author/CM)

Specifies parameters of adolescent girls in distress in terms of behavioral and personality features. Discusses main characteristics of adolescents, females, and those in social distress. Develops an integrative theoretical model that illustrates uniqueness of this group and its problems. Concludes that needs of this group require establishment of…

The ability of three-year-old children to deceive was examined in order to determine whether they were able to hide their emotional expression intentionally. Results indicated that very young children have begun the process of learning how to mask their emotional expressions and support the role of socialization in this process. (RH)

Manifest discrete time and latent Markov chain models are described, and the results given by each are compared for the re-analysis of a three-wave table of repeated behavior ratings of children. More recent developments in latent discrete time Markov chain modeling address the problems of the table more efficiently. (SLD)

A longitudinal study of leisure participation and motivation revealed that sports/recreation, unstructured leisure activities, domestic, organizational, and intellectual activities showed significant five-year stability coefficients. Motivations for leisure activities--achievement, supervising others, social interaction, creativity, physical and…

The case study of a nine-year-old boy with autism suggested that his frequent repeated utterance "can I talk" served important social and communicative functions for the child who used the phrase as a compensatory strategy to ensure predictability within conversational exchanges while maintaining social interactions. (DB)

Investigates the influence of several factors on accuracy in detecting truth and deceit. Found that accuracy was much higher on truth than deception, novices were more accurate than experts, accuracy depended on type of deception and whether suspicion was present or absent, suspicion impaired accuracy for experts, and questions strategy…

The dendritic structure of layer II-III pyramidal neurons of the parietal cortex in 41 Long-Evans rats was compared to behavioral assessments of attention to novelty, response flexibility, and reasoning. A significant correlation between dendritic arborization and behavioral performance was not demonstrated. (SLD)

Sees research on Type A behavior as plagued by inadequate theory, insensitive assessment, and insufficient interventions. Discusses conceptual models (transactional model, social cognitive theories, and associative network theory); questions view of hostility as only pathogenic feature of Type A behavior; and describes ethnographic gap in Type A…

Discusses issues to consider when investigating behavioral effect of foods, including idiosyncratic response to particular food, necessity of identifying individual sensitive to food being studied, necessity of including washout phase, consideration of withdrawal effects, assessment of change, dietary challenge, and time parameter necessary for…

Critically reviews data about the behavioral characteristics of mentally retarded sexual offenders. Discusses possible interactions between mental retardation and the provision of services and directions for future research. (Author)

Examined the reliability and construct validity in an older adult population (n=149 older adults and their informants) of scores on the Behavioral Competence Inventory (BCI) (P. Hartman-Stein). Results indicate that scores on the BCI's seven scales show adequate internal consistencies and represent seven overlapping but distinct constructs in this…

Four studies analyzing body-rocking in individuals with mental retardation found: (1) rocking chairs are not necessarily preferred and produce higher amplitude rocking; (2) body-rocking characteristics were stable over a 21-month period; (3) when compared with body-rocking college students, persons with mental retardation engage in more…

Three studies analyzed stimulus feedback and the concept of control with three children and two adults having autism. The first study explored feedback from spinning tops, while the second and third emphasized control of various stimuli including spinning tops. Results indicate that autistic individuals' common interest in spinning tops is…

Explores the role of biological causation in the development of behavioral outcomes. Genes and other biological structures constitute complex behavior, but the behavior of complex organisms cannot be derived from the biogenetic units of which it is composed. (SLD)