The followup study of 15 autistic and 14 dysphasic boys at middle childhood found that few of the autistic boys had developed good language skills; that the autistic group remained stable in its general characteristics; and that many of the dysphasic boys showed problems in peer relations. (DB)

Invokes an analogy between navigation and literature appreciation, suggesting how books can help students find their way and navigate in the future. Argues that reading teachers need to be enthusiastically familiar with all literary genres so that they can help students see books with an eager and expansive eye. (RS)

Examined how task design influences the effectiveness of peer collaboration in facilitating students' conceptual change in physics. Subjects were 8- to 12-year olds studying heating and cooling. Results showed the general superiority of collaborative tasks that both facilitate critical testing and require rules; task designs deploying one feature…

Identified factors associated with learning mathematics in groups with computers. Subjects were 8 groups of 6 students, ages 9 to 12 years, using LOGO. Analysis of learning measures indicated positive gains resulting from groupwork, with no differences across gender or ability; analysis of process factors pointed to explanations for the differing…

Examined how working-class fathers' job experiences affected their self-esteem and parenting styles. Conducted home interviews with 59 working-class fathers in dual-earner families and their target child, who was aged 8 to 12 years. Found that more positive fathers' work experiences, higher their self-esteem, which predicted more accepting…

Positive and negative peer nominations of multiple competencies and incidental recall of positive and negative self-referential adjectives were measured in relatively depressed and nondepressed children from 9 to 15 years old. The relationship between recall of negative information and depression related strongly to children's self-reported…

Investigated the educational effects of a Dutch schools television series designed to teach children aged 10 through 12 that television news broadcasts give a selective and thus subjective and incomplete impression of the news. Results indicate that the series led to an increase in children's knowledge of the news selection process, but no…

The effects of a variable-ratio schedule of reinforcement on pedaling a stationary exercise bicycle were examined with 3 obese and 3 nonobese 11-year-old boys over a 12-week period. The intervention resulted in systematic increases in rate of exercise for all subjects. (Author/DB)

Attempted to provide psychosocial description of 187 institutionalized adolescents who completed Adolescent Health Inventory and Beck Depression Inventory. Findings suggest that these adolescents may not be as psychologically dysfunctional as is commonly surmised, considering their accumulated life events, family problems, and current…

Studied pairs of preadolescents who were close friends and pairs who were acquaintances. Coherence in friends' behavior states and in acquaintances' vocal activity suggested that friends more often shared the same behavior state and acquaintances more often paid attention to turn-taking signals. (GLR)

The physical and social characteristics of 60 American Indian children referred for psychological services were compared to those of 60 matched, non-Indian controls. Indian children were more likely to suffer from a variety of physical and social handicaps that in all likelihood could affect their intellectual, emotional, behavioral, and learning…

Examined gender stereotypes among sixth-grade students whose teachers had or had not participated in intervention to decrease gender stereotypes. Findings supported hypothesis that students in experimental group would show greater preference for more prestigious professions than would students from control group. Hypothesis that experimental group…

A study of sixth grade boys and their families hypothesized that boys who were prone to high levels of distress but low or moderate levels of self-restraint would be particularly unlikely to agree to make considerable efforts to complete tasks that were not especially enjoyable. Results supported the hypothesis. (RH)

Describes a study of student visual metacognitive ability in spelling in conditions in which the student reads a word silently, the student reads the word aloud, or the teacher pronounced the word. Student predictions and confidence judgments about spellings were related to spelling accuracy. Ratings evidenced metacognitive spelling knowledge. (GH)

Studied structure of Stanford-Binet: Fourth Edition for normal children who were not part of standardization sample. Found that, for children aged 2-6 years, either 2- or 3-factor model could be supported. For students aged 7-11, neither of 2 models studied was supported. Alternative model with verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning,…