Comparison of the social interactions of nine children with visual impairments and a comparison group of nine children with full sight found that children with visual impairments were capable of interacting with others, but there were differences in the frequency of social initiations and the targets of these initiations. Results support…

Using interview data from 241 single African American mothers and their seventh- and eighth-grade children, this study tested a model of how 2 economic stressors, maternal unemployment and work interruption, influenced adolescent socioemotional functioning. Found that current unemployment, but not past work interruption, contributed to depressive…

Describes the problems of a child who is academically underachieving and has problems making friends. Analysis of the problem was presented by three physicians. Emphasizes the role of pediatricians in working with schools to assess children's aptitude and emotional functioning. Concludes that more research is needed to define cost effective…

Addresses the role of perceived physical attractiveness in everyday exchange. Indicates that decisions to enter into play and to cooperate with others is directly related to individuals' perceptions of others' attractiveness, but that individuals' perceptions of their own attractiveness affects men's and women's decisions differently. Suggests…

Discusses (1) the significance of art-making in the emergence and development of the human species and (2) the importance of the "biocultural" view in framing policies that affect the uses of the arts in public institutions. Addresses the arts in the context of U.S. culture and how and why art making is central to learning. (CMK)

Assesses coping attitudes, sources, and practices within and across a sample of Asian American college and graduate students (N=470) from four ethnic groups. Findings reveal that Asian Americans tended to endorse coping sources and practices that emphasized talking with familial and social relations rather than professionals such as counselors and…

A study compared the performance of 12 general education students and 12 students with mental retardation in a high school lunchroom. Both similarities and differences were found in social behaviors, conversational topics, and interaction context. Students with mental retardation, however, rarely interacted with any general education students.…

Conceptually distinct dimensions of classroom social position (number of mutual friendships, social network centrality, sociometric status) were examined in relation to each other and to peer-nominated behavioral reputation. Findings showed that number of friendships associated with prosocial skills; network centrality associated with prosocial…

The Adlerian concept of behavior being purposeful and socially embedded offers a contextual backdrop for understanding teens. This article offers an overview of the Dreikurs scheme, its applicability to understanding teen behavior, and, through a case study, the method to be used to speculate about the goal and purpose that undergrid a teenager's…

During recent years, there has been increased interest in the relationship between neighborhood environments and social deviancy. This article reports on the development of an index of neighborhoods, which is built upon community features of social and physical incivilities (Wandersman & Nation, 1998). Factor structure and internal consistency…

A study investigated the relations between various measures of social understanding and social interaction competence in verbally able children with autism (n=20). Initiating joint attention and empathy were strongly related measures of social interaction competence. No understanding-behavioral links were identified for 20 language-age matched…

A longitudinal study of the developmental and behavioral characteristics of 26 boys (ages 12-36 months) with fragile X syndrome, found there was an increase in their developmental skills over time, although there was a great deal of variability. Motor skills appeared least delayed, whereas communication skills appeared most delayed. (Contains…

This article describes a number of strategies and social-emotional interventions for use with maltreated children. These include: structure to increase feelings of safety and security, positive behavior management techniques, and methods that foster social and emotional resiliency. (Author)

One frequently used research protocol involves presenting several conflict scenarios to participants during a single session. However, in real-life situations multiple conflicts rarely occur within short periods of time, and the nature of presentation may change adolescents' reports of conflict behaviors. Trend analyses of responses suggest that…

Examines the relation between teachers' perceptions of their relationships with students and teacher ethnicity; child age, ethnicity, and gender; and ethnic match between teacher and child. Child age and ethnicity and teacher-child ethnic match were consistently related to teachers' perceptions. Discusses results in terms of classroom social…