Describes a theoretical model for affective social competence to include the three integrated and dynamic components of sending affective messages, receiving affective messages, and experiencing affect. Places the model within the context of previous research and theory related to affective social competence and, for each component, examines how…

School completion and dropping out of school are developmental processes with strong social and emotional antecedents. The early development of attachment bonds, and subsequent positive and negative behaviors and relationships set an early path toward school completion or drop out. Discusses ways to enhance emotional bonds before and during the…

Examined friendships that are emotionally passionate yet lack sexual activity among 18- to 25-year-old sexual-minority women. Found that passionate friendships contained more characteristics of romantic friendships than conventional friendships. Same-sex passionate friendships were initiated at earlier ages than same-sex conventional friendships,…

Examines ways to enhance children's spiritual development in a broader sense than religious beliefs. Describes a quiet corner, a silence game, guided meditation, questions to evoke wonder, and other techniques for fostering spirituality. Asserts that teachers have a responsibility to help children broaden the spiritual aspect of their human…

Evaluated gender differences in infant and maternal emotional expressivity and regulation with 6-month-old infants and their mothers, using Tronick's face-to-face still-face model. Found that maternal affect, matching, rate of change between matching and mismatching states, and synchrony in the play preceding the still face differentially mediated…

Investigated 4-month-olds' responsiveness to others' affective expressions in the context of a peekaboo game. Found differential patterns of visual attention and affective responsiveness to happiness/surprise, anger, fear, and sadness. Findings underscore importance of contextual information for facilitating recognition of emotion expressions and…

Explores current theories of emotional development in order to identify the assumptions that could explain the strong antagonism toward early nonbasic emotions. Draws on the contrasting and polarity of viewpoints to examine the logical implications of these viewpoints for the very possibility of early nonbasic emotions and their reciprocal…

Many grade K-12 teachers and teacher-librarians know through first-hand experience that drama provides students with very powerful, often nontextual, context in which to build new meanings and avenues for representing and communicating understandings. Similarly, most school districts' language and literacy standards and curriculum reaffirm these…

The present study investigated the coping responses to two childhood stressors of fifth and sixth grade, gifted (n=52) and typical (n=55) children. The subjects were administered the Self-Report Coping Scale for school and peer stressors (i.e., getting a lower grade than usual and having a fight with a friend). Teachers' ratings of children's…

In this study, the authors examined the long-term effectiveness of the PATHS (Promoting Alternative THinking Strategies) curriculum on the adjustment of school-age children with special needs. The PATHS curriculum focuses on promoting children's emotional development, self-regulation, and social problem-solving skills. Eighteen special education…

Children with learning disabilities in four types of special education settings were compared in terms of social acceptance, number of friends, quality of relationship with best friends, self-concept, loneliness, depression, social skills, and problem behaviors. Two of the placements (In-Class Support and Resource Room) were for children with mild…

The author describes internal working models as unique, individualized conceptualizations of self that are embedded in and influenced by the surrounding sociocultural environment. These models, composed of beliefs, goals, and strategies, provide a framework that defines identity. Distorted, damaged, or self-defeating internal working models fail…

This paper reports the construction of a teacher rating instrument designed to monitor the social and emotional development of school age children and young people (4-17 years). The instrument was developed by reviewing previously implemented checklists to build an extensive list of behavioural and emotional criteria and through the use of focus…

Consistent with existing theory, the quality of parent-child interactions during early childhood affects children's social relationships and behavioral adjustment during middle childhood and adolescence. Harsh parenting and a propensity toward emotional overarousal interact very early in life to affect risk for later conduct problems. Less…

Infants develop self-regulatory abilities with the responsive and nurturing care of consistent adults. Children who lack individualized, consistent care suffer emotional and physical harm. The authors of this article describe how infants in congregate care (a NICU and an orphanage) experience inconsistency and how administrators and …