Examined underlying factors, reliability, and predictive validity of the Family, Friends, and Self (FFS) Assessment Scales based on data collected from 700 Mexican-American youth aged 13-18 admitted to 11 drug abuse prevention programs in Texas. The revised FFS drops the content approximately 25 percent to 63 items covering 10 scales. (KS)

Examined social and cognitive play behaviors of preschool children in comparison to tests of convergent and divergent thinking. High levels of nonsocial activity were associated with low scores on the convergent thinking measure. There were negative relationships between nonsocial play and divergent thinking. (GLR)

Describes a peer leadership program implemented at a small rural Vermont school that grouped junior high students identified as having social skill problems with model high school students for activities such as field trips, challenge games, and community service projects. As a result, referrals for disciplinary action decreased among junior high…

Four high school students who were peer tutors to students with severe disabilities received social interaction training and were then compared to four controls. The training increased the frequency of initiations of interactions from tutors, increased the proportion of social rather than task interactions, and increased targeted social behaviors…

Analysis of questionnaires completed by parents of 91 young blind children and 74 matched sighted children indicated that sighted children engaged in more complex levels of play at an earlier age; blind children interacted less frequently with other children than did sighted children; blind children preferred tactile-auditory games and toys; and…

Examined the role of natural peer-group selection and socialization processes in children's school motivation in two fourth- and two fifth-grade classrooms. Student and teacher reports of students' classroom engagement, and student interviews allowed the construction of composite maps of the social networks in these classrooms. A significant…

This article focuses on factors counselors should consider when forming groups for HIV-infected gay and bisexual men. Some issues that may arise during group counseling include existential and spiritual concerns, physical and medical issues, intraindividual concerns, the social stigma of AIDS, and homophobia, as well as other gay and bisexual…

Offers a theoretical and methodological approach to study of children's socio-cognitive interaction. Observation of object-centered activities among three age groups of children showed different modes of collaboration. Processes were similar across age groups; roots of basic peer interaction patterns reach back into infancy. Similarities across…

Comments on Verba's ideas about collaboration in peer interaction in this issue. Praises Verba for setting new direction in the study and understanding of social processes in cognitive development and for establishing important continuities in how children communicate with peers. Notes that Verba's analyses suggest natural categories of…

Defines conflict resolution and peer mediation and reviews the theoretical base for conflict resolution research. Examines the goals and activities of several peer mediation programs, and discusses the benefits of such programs. Notes that conflict resolution and peer mediation offer feasible opportunities for an entire school community to create…

Explored adolescent age and gender differences in patterns of emotional self-disclosure to parents and friends among 174 junior high school students. Found that girls exhibited greater emotional self-disclosure to parents and peers than did males, and that emotional self-disclosure to friends was greatest among older adolescents. (Author/NB)

Reviews two areas of cross-cultural research (sociolinguistic research on oral interaction and the applied linguistic research area of contrastive rhetoric). Makes recommendations for using collaborative peer response groups successfully with multicultural classes. (MG)

Describes interactions among children in four preschool kindergarten art classes. Examines the nature of the talk surrounding children's mutual participation in voluntary art activities. Concludes that classroom social life demonstrated children's capacity to collaborate in meaningful ways and to benefit from the sharing of perspectives. (KM)

The relationship between the conversational competence of mildly retarded children (two speakers) and acceptance by regular education students was studied. Ninety-four students in grades four through six responded more positively to videotapes of mildly retarded children who managed conversations well and less favorably to those with…

Found a consensus in children's judgments of videotaped fighting episodes as playful or serious. Results were similar for Italian and English children, for 8 and 12 year olds and for girls and boys. The most frequently cited judgment criterion was physical actions. A questionnaire study yielded a further criterion of facial expression. (BC)