This article suggests specific strategies to prevent rejection and isolation and encourage interactions when students with disabilities are integrated into general education classes. Teachers are encouraged to foster proximity, teach peer support and friendship skills, foster respect for individual differences, and provide a positive model. (DB)

Observed kindergartners and first graders playing in dyads. Children who were frequent pretenders had more predictable behavior pathways to and fewer exits from social pretend play (BSP) than children who were infrequent pretenders. Children's social interaction increased in complexity sooner after the onset of BSP than of nonpretend social…

Five traits common to gifted children that result in social and emotional vulnerability are described, including divergent thinking ability, excitability, sensitivity, perceptiveness, and entelechy. Specific issues that parents must face to enable their children to reach their full potential are explored. (Author/JDD)

Investigated effect of cognitive-behavioral treatment adherence intervention in course of criticism skill group training program. Assigned 86 participants to treatment condition with or without adherence intervention or to control. Results suggest that adherence activities facilitated arousal optimal to greater program attendance and outcome gains…

Examined the links between marital relations, parenting, and children's higher and lower forms of play in the day care peer group. Reported (1) discrepancies between parents' ideal and real modes of parenting; (2) a correlation between mothers' assessments of marital stress and companionship and children's play; and (3) no correlation between…

This article reviews studies that have attempted to increase three types of social skills in blind and visually impaired individuals: assertiveness training, interactional skills, and skills in physical expression. Most of the studies reported increased social skills following intervention; however, many did not report empirical evidence of…

Examines teacher cognitions about their classroom interpersonal behavior in relation to student perceptions of teacher behavior. Questionnaires from secondary teachers and students indicated self-reports can reflect the beliefs held by teachers even more than the actual behavior, causing a mismatch between teacher self-reports and students'…

Discusses research concerning individual differences in children that appear to be associated with vicarious emotional responses and a tendency to engage in prosocial behavior. Focuses on research concerning parents' influence on children's methods for coping with their own and others' emotions and children's social behavior. (BB)

Studied the ability of measures of inhibition to unfamiliar events that are obtained in toddlerhood to predict social behaviors during an interaction with an unfamiliar peer at the age of five years. Results revealed that the role of child inhibition as a predictor of social behavior may be more evident during the initial encounter with the peer.…

Task-related and social behaviors of preschool children (n=21) at risk for behavior problems were examined in two school settings, a structured instructional context and an unstructured free play context. Results indicated that group differences in on-task, aggressive, and prosocial behavior depended on context. (Author/DB)

Examines how allowing children to make choices can affect the quality of thinking in the school environment. Discusses teacher's role in creating a learning environment in which an exchange of viewpoints is encouraged, one that allows children to make and defend their own intellectual decisions. Offers several examples of classroom choices that…

Reviews studies examining children's nurturing behaviors and suggests ways to encourage those behaviors in early childhood settings. Discusses age, gender, and cultural differences in the nurturing behavior of young children. Recommends that teachers expose children to positive role models and suggests several children's books with characters that…

A multifaceted model to promote peer play was implemented with play groups including 3 children (ages 6-8) with autism, resulting in decreased isolate play and collateral gains in social play, and decreased stereotyped object play and collateral gains in functional object play. Advances in play behaviors were generalized and were accompanied by…

A program used role playing to help physicians and nurses to understand problems in gaining patient compliance with medical regimens. Practitioners found they gained insight into sources of patient noncompliance and were able to generalize the experience to later interactions with patients. (Author/MSE)

This article reviews the content and procedural requirements of social competence assessment for children with disabilities and presents information on multiperspective prototype assessments using a videodisc and a microcomputer with a "touch screen." Preliminary psychometric data on sensitivity, reliability, and construct validity are…