An analysis of naturalistic observations of 20 children attending a preschool for the gifted suggests that young gifted children behave in a manner similar to unselected preschoolers. However, gifted preschoolers frequently demonstrate advanced knowledge, thinking abilities, creativity, and social maturity. Other observed behaviors include…

A concealed video camera can record learning disabled students' behavior and provide a nonjudgmental way for them to see how they appear to others. Such an approach can include a positive emphasis on redirecting energy as well. (CL)

Determines the time course of circulating cortisol following circumcision in 80 healthy newborns and investigates whether changes in behavioral state following circumcision in anyway paralleled the adrenocortical time course. Adrenocortical and behavioral data indicated that subjects were able to cope with circumcision trauma. Cortisol levels…

The authors suggest that line graphs that average response frequency over long periods obscure the major rate changes that indicate sources of behavioral control. A scatter plot can make patterns of responding identifiable and, in turn, suggest environmental features that occasion undesirable behavior. Use of scatter diagrams is illustrated in…

An examination of interpersonal antecedents for self-injurious behavior was conducted with eight retarded children. Initial analyses indicated no systematic differences in self-injurious behavior or antecedents across settings. Further analyses indicated that, relative to total occurrence, self-injurious behavior occurred significantly less…

Groups of 100 mentally retarded adolescents, exhibiting both self-injurious behavior (SIB) and stereotypy, stereotypy alone, SIB alone, or neither of these types of behavior were rated in terms of response to sedative-hypnotic medication. Results suggested that the paradoxical response to sedative-hypnotics may be a form of withdrawal. (Author/CL)

Describes 12 phases of adjustment to physical disability, including : (1) shock; (2) anxiety; (3) bargaining; (4) denial; (5) mourning; (6) depression; (7) withdrawal; (8) internalized anger; (9) externalized aggression; (10) acknowledgement; (11) acceptance; and (12) adjustment. Discusses observable behavioral correlates of each stage and…

Evaluated the role of intelligence in the selection of a coping strategy by undergraduate students in test situations (N=50). Results showed that intelligence was related to the selection of a predominant coping strategy and that identification of patterns of coping styles was more useful than one predominant style. (LLL)

Maternal and paternal responses to infant distress are studied to (1) examine differences among two-week-old infants in their levels of irritability; (2) investigate differences among parents in how they soothe their one-month-old infants; and (3) relate these parent and infant behaviors. (BJD)

States that an adult basic education teacher is not only a teacher of subject matter, but also a teacher of how to live, succeed, and solve problems. Provides a review of the development of typical coping and defense mechanisms used by students in response to inner and outer pressures. (NRJ)

Finds that total brand advertising in 63 consumer product categories is positively and significantly related to the total number of brands in the category and to the average number of brands consumers usually buy. (FL)

Responses to J. Kagan's reflectivity-impulsivity test (including relevance to stealing) of 72 seven- to 14-year-old mentally retarded and nonretarded subjects matched for MA, CA, and sex indicated retarded were less reflective than nonretarded children on the basis of CA, but showed no difference with report to MA. (Author)

Data on sexual preferences of 243 male homosexuals were analyzed to determine how they fit the insertee-inserter dichotomy. The fit between the dichotomy and the data was very poor. The most popular set of sexual preferences was for all roles combined, both active and passive, anal and oral. (Author)

A new scale for self-directed learning oriented toward learners in academic settings and in other environments such as the workplace was developed. Participants were employees of a southeastern state. To obtain reliability estimates, items were developed that asked questions about the employee's behavior in the work environment. Validity was…

In the past few years, new scientific research has addressed the sleep needs and patterns of teenagers. Research indicates that teenagers require approximately the same amount of sleep as younger children, and their optimal sleep cycles apparently begin later at night than those of younger children. There is clinical evidence suggesting that…