This article reviews the components of social validation and how they apply to social skills assessment for people with disabilities. Components include the social importance of the intervention outcomes, the social significance of the goals, the appropriateness of the procedures, and determination of the optimal levels for target behaviors.…

A survey of rural parents who received extension parenting newsletters sent home with kindergartners (369 in phase 1, 459 in Phase 2) indicated that a majority learned new information and made positive changes in parenting behaviors. Newsletters appeared to be a cost-effective outreach tool to provide parenting education to this audience.…

Discusses how mentoring in health promotion differs from other key support roles, noting what the underlying rationale is behind mentoring, how a mentoring program should be designed, what the historical and theoretical roots of mentoring are, and what strategies mentors can use to be more effective. A research agenda for the mentoring approach is…

Describes an intercultural program adapted to international marketing requirements by GLOBALTEAM, a marketing consultancy. GLOBALTEAM aims to increase sales by introducing corporate managers and workers to merchandising principles and standards. Training stresses goal setting, appropriate change atmosphere, task-force organization, operational…

Patients (n=672) were screened and instructed about osteoporosis; 53 of their physicians attended lectures, a control group did not. A survey of 258 patients showed doctor-ordered screening tests increased regardless of lecture attendance. Increased patient-initiated discussions about osteoporosis suggest that patient education is effective.…

This article describes a "Quiet Room" project for students with social, emotional, and behavioral problems at a British primary school. The Quiet Room was designed to provide a nurturing environment away from the classroom in which a child's emotional needs can be explored on a one-to-one basis. Benefits for children, parents, and…

This article presents the preliminary findings of a school-based primary intervention, containing both literacy and behavioral components, for at-risk elementary students. Results suggest that all students, regardless of risk status, improved in reading, but significant changes in risk status were not evident. (Contains references.) (Author/DB)

Reports on the evaluation of the Earlscourt Girls Connection, a program for young girls with conduct problems. Analyses of behavioral change according to primary caregivers' ratings were conducted comparing admission scores with 6-month and 12-month follow-up. At follow-up, the girls were rated as lower on the total score for externalizing…

Three adolescent boys with autism were taught to offer assistance to a person stating inability to complete a task. Generalization of skills in a variety of settings varied across youths, although all three boys showed some transfer of skills to all conditions. (Author/DB)

Comparison of the relative effectiveness of part versus whole teaching strategies for students (N=24) with moderate and severe mental retardation found positive (but not significant) effects favoring the part method. Students taught by the part method exhibited less excess behavior than did students taught by the whole method. (Author/DB)

Analyzes the outcomes of a psychoeducational treatment program for persons (N=18) with chronic mental illness vis-a-vis four behavior outcomes: acquisition, performance, generalization, and cognition. Results indicated that participants who completed treatment improved their acquisition and performance of target behaviors as well as cognitive…

Four interdisciplinary staff teams at a public residential facility for persons with mental retardation improved the timeliness of submitting evaluation reports during a period when timeliness was reinforced. Performance deteriorated during the nonreinforcement phase. (Author/DB)

Second evaluation of abstinence-only adolescent pregnancy prevention program included 528 subjects. None of desired changes in attitudes or behavior (premarital sexual attitudes, sexual behaviors, self-esteem, family communication) occurred for total sample or for virgins in sample. Findings question federal policy of relying exclusively on…

Inmates engaged in a televised instructional program (n=360) had significantly lower recidivism than nonparticipants. No differences in behavior as measured by disciplinary actions were found. Because of uncontrolled variables (employment and educational level), causal inferences could not be made. (SK)

The literature on the use of moral discussion groups to promote moral development in young people with behavior disorders is reviewed, and the use of the intervention is analyzed. Limitations and recommendations for applying the approach are discussed. (MSE)