Whereas a wealth of research has examined cognitive abilities of groups of individuals with mild mental retardation (MMR), less research has investigated potential differences in cognitive performance among individuals with mental retardation (Baumeister, 1997). The present study was an exploratory analysis of variability in performance of…

Functional neuroimaging may provide insights into the achievement gap in reading skill commonly observed across socioeconomic status (SES). Brain activation during reading tasks is known to be associated with individual differences in children's phonological language skills. By selecting children of equivalent phonological skill, yet diverse…

Objective: To investigate children selected from a community sample for showing extreme autistic-like traits and to assess the degree to which these individual traits--social impairments (SIs), communication impairments (CIs), and restricted repetitive behaviors and interests (RRBIs)--are caused by genes and environments, whether all of them are…

Background: This study assessed whether data-collection formats, computerized versus paper-and-pencil, affect response patterns and descriptive statistics for adolescent health assessment surveys. Youth were assessed as part of a health risk reduction program. Methods: Baseline data from 1131 youth were analyzed. Participants completed the…

Observations are offered regarding differences between the academic persistence, academic achievement, and general learning behaviors of male and female students in job skills classes for physical plant and security employees at a state university. Greater numbers of women tended to enroll in and continue attending classes. The men tended to…

It is only natural for parents to wonder occasionally if the development of their preschool child is going well. Noting that psychologists have developed many normative scales to indicate how an individual child compares with others of the same age in similar populations, this parent brochure provides guidance for evaluating a child's behavior and…

This book on the choices faced by adolescents regarding health behavior draws from recent publications of the Carnegie Council on Adolescent Development as well as from other recent reports. The book contains eight chapters. Chapter One discusses the risks that adolescents face today, including lack of attention from adults, poverty, suicide, drug…

Techniques are presented for interrupting and dealing with patterned irresponsible behaviors. A preface reviews the authors' journeys in working out this approach. A method for creating responsibility and accountability where it was not previously expressed is presented in six short chapters, titled: (1) "'Madness' Defined"; (2) "Working with the…

This report describes the development of a rating scale and direct observation measure to monitor the treatment of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) in the home or school setting. The study applied an accuracy-reliability paradigm to validate the newly created rating scale and observation measure. An incontrovertible index using a scripted…

A study was conducted to compare the criminal behavior of gang members and nongang at-risk youths in four urban and suburban communities, Denver (Colorado), Aurora (Colorado), Broward County (Florida), and Cleveland (Ohio). The first three communities were emergent, rather than chronic, gang environments, but in Cleveland, information on gangs…

This report on adolescent tobacco use in Nebraska focuses on grades 8 and 10. The results presented are based on over time; (2) the changing nature of tobacco use from smoking to use as a chew or snuff; (3) the viewing of smoking and chewing as one health issue of tobacco exposure; (4) definition of a smoker for purposes of this study; (5) data…

This leaflet examines the impact of alcohol and other drug use in creating an unhealthy lifestyle for individuals with disabilities and placing them at risk for health and medical problems. The negative effects of even moderate amounts of alcohol are noted, and the hindering of rehabilitation efforts when a person with a disability is using…

This report presents national and Colorado data relevant to Colorado youth. These topics are covered: (1) drug education issues, which notes that there is a move towards abstinence as well as consistent reports of extensive use of alcohol and increasing use of some drugs; (2) tobacco, alcohol, and other drug risk factors; (3) sex-related issues,…

An attempt was made to build a structural model of the relationships over time among intrinsic motivation, self-efficacy, and self-regulated learning. Structural equation modeling using the LISREL computer program was used. The presented model put the motivational constructs of intrinsic motivation and self-efficacy as temporally preceding…

Employing multiple case study analysis methods, the attitudes and actions of superintendents in three school districts with improving basic skills test performance were compared with those of superintendents of three nonimproving districts to determine if patterns of difference existed. Contextual variations and superintendents' priorities were…