Much of psychology focuses on universal principles of thought and action. Although an extremely productive pursuit, this approach, by describing only the "average person," risks describing no one in particular. This article discusses an alternate approach that complements interests in universal principles with analyses of the unique psychological…

Counseling concerns of highly able students may reflect characteristics associated with giftedness. Yet school counselor training programs give scant attention to this phenomenon and to the social and emotional development of these students. School counselors therefore may be unaware of and unequipped to respond to these concerns. Referencing…

Educators have come to recognize the importance of their efforts in building students' social and emotional skills. However, the creation of lasting programming often fails to keep pace with educators' best intentions. In this article, the authors suggest guidelines for ways in which school counselors can be involved in implementing sustained…

Outside of the family, schools are one of the more pervasive socializing contexts, helping children to acquire the appropriate behaviors and values needed to become acceptable and productive members of society. Traditionally, North American schools and teacher training programs have focused almost exclusively on the academic curriculum or what is…

The main purpose of this article is to share the author's observations of children's broader experiences in school as they relate to barriers to positive social development. In this article, the author enumerates the four barriers together with its barrier bluster to social development. Furthermore, the author states that a well-organized physical…

From sexual name-calling and grabbing to sexual threats, Iowa high school students face situations in their schools that fit traditional definitions of sexual harassment. This report details a first-of-its-kind study of 503 Iowa high school students. Incidents that could be described as harassment are common in Iowa high schools: 19 percent of…

The curricula and instructional approaches often used in elementary school classrooms, which too often avoid difficult issues, may restrict the social development needed to promote societal well-being. This problem is exacerbated in the early grades, where the discussion of controversial social issues seemingly contradicts the goal of maintaining…

This monograph presents a rationale for proactive social skills training for persons with mental retardation as well as over 100 examples of such instruction across the K-12 continuum. Chapter 1 provides a conceptual framework of social competence with principles of what, when, and how to teach social skills. Chapter 2 discusses the direct…

The cognitive nature, power, and educational value of college women's friendships were studied. As a means for dissolving the boundaries between the academic and intellectual, and as a place where autonomy and interdependence are in dynamic exercise, female friendships can provide a model for peer-assisted learning in higher education. Data were…

This study addressed the question of developmental processes underlying gender differences in aggression. Specifically, the study examined stories young children tell about nice or mean social interactions. A total of 100 middle-class 3-year-olds participated in storytelling sessions with trained experimenters. Subjects also completed the Peer…

This research examined Chickering's psychosocial developmental characteristics of nontraditional aged (25-45) university freshmen and compared these developmental characteristics with those reported for traditional aged (18-24) freshmen to determine if significant differences exist between these groups of students. The Student Developmental Task…

Anthropologists have documented the importance of rites of passage rituals for marking the successful passage from one position in the social structure to another. The characteristics and importance of rituals and rites of passage to mark the transition high school to college will be presented. It is proposed that colleges and universities utilize…

Current practices in implementing social skills instruction into elementary and secondary curricula are explored in this report. Two issues are addressed: (1) teacher reports of current and desired activities; and (2) the extent to which curriculum availability, other resources, teacher training, and values affect teacher activities.…

The proceedings of a 1983 symposium on early education and the exceptional child features 18 presentations of overall issues, cost effectiveness, special projects, social interaction, and curriculum and instructional issues. Works with the following titles and authors are included: "Education: A Look to the Future" (J. Tawney);…

Focusing on parents' most persistent concerns about their children's growth and development, the 54 brief articles collected in this volume first appeared as monthly columns in "Parents Magazine." Section 1, "The Challenges of Parenthood," includes essays on alternative approaches to discipline, the limits of openness, teaching…