Examined peer group contextual effects on relations between academic achievement and social functioning among Chinese 9-, 13-, and 16-year-olds. Found that peer groups were highly homogeneous on academic achievement. Academic achievement and social adjustment were associated at within-group individual and group levels. Group academic performance…

Discusses language and interpersonal communication skills in light of the pervasiveness of electronic devices, that do not require speaking. Correlates the lack of communication skills to the rise in violence in America. Concludes that we cannot allow the proliferation of information technology to vitiate the strength of our personal communication…

Studied adolescent personal and interpersonal characteristics, including social competence and thoughts on friendship and romantic interests during a camp reunion. Found that concurrent interest in relationships is a stronger predictor of social competence for participants with anxious histories, although participants with secure histories were…

Examined the impact of computers on the social behavior of 14 preschoolers over a 2-month period. Found that there were a total of 91 peer interactions and 33 teacher interactions, including children acknowledging each other, children commenting and being ignored, and children sharing or helping each other. Boys used the computer more than girls.…

Studied whether social skills intervention would be more effective when delivered in presence of high-social-status (HS) students in grades two, three, and four. Assigned 35 low-social-status students to intervention with HS peers, without HS peers, or no intervention. Evaluations of peer ratings, social problem solving, and teacher ratings…

Examines fifth- and sixth-grade children's responses to social rejection in relation to beliefs about the relative malleability of social skills and perceptions of responsibility for and control over social outcomes. Results show such beliefs and perceptions are associated with children's ability to surmount rejections and persist toward social…

Examines the importance of goals and style in female competition. Describes an ethnographic study of 27 girls and 12 boys playing a ball game at a Quaker school. Finds that the girls used stereotypically feminine rhetoric to support aggressive competition. (FMW)

A small group program designed to improve social interaction between children and their autistic siblings is evaluated. Problem solving, role playing, rehearsal, homework projects, and contingency management procedures are used in group sessions. Results of the observational assessment confirm the feasibility of successful interactional training…

Describes an ethnographic study of the electronic community comprised of masters and doctoral students involved in a seminar on networking. Ethnographic research facilitated observation and description of the networked learning community. The exploration of the cultural meaning of class events led to enhanced understanding of online education and…

Applies Coleman's concept of social capital to understand differences in development among at-risk youth. Utilized data from longitudinal study of 252 children of teenage mothers to explore relationships between social capital and success. Results suggest social capital plays a role in helping youth negotiate their way out of disadvantage. (JBJ)

Examined how social appearance and affective factors can influence social categorization and intergroup bias. Positive affect increased the extent to which subjects formed inclusive group representations, anticipating that the members of two groups would feel like one. Subjects in dissimilarly dressed groups expected the members to feel less like…

Develops a conceptual framework for understanding contemporary race relations in the United States. The framework focuses on the critical components involved in the development and institutionalization of dominant-subordinate relationships. (GR)

The user-friendly Classroom Ecobehavioral Assessment Instrument was developed to incorporate advantages of environmental assessment and functional assessment. Relatively simple behavior sampling procedures and scripted steps for summarizing and analyzing data lead to prescriptions for altering assessment and/or intervention practices. Results of…

Two cohorts of children from inner-city elementary schools were provided a paraprofessional tutoring intervention to ease their transition to new schools. Participants had low-income status, lags in achievement tests, and stressful life events. Academic and sociometric follow-up data showed some academic improvements over the next three years but…

This article describes the use of social-story intervention programs to teach appropriate social behavior to 3 children with autism (ages 7 and 11). The intervention combined social-story methodology with a behavioral social skills training strategy. Suggestions for developing, implementing, and evaluating social-story programs are provided.…