Presents a model of a computer writing skill consisting of four stages of development: (1) writing easier; (2) writing more; (3) writing differently; and (4) writing better. This process represents the evolution of a natural computer-based writing approach under favorable conditions regarding the starting state of the user and a range of…

Studied the relation of patterns of attachment and psychiatric status in 82 nonpsychotic inpatients and 85 case-matched controls using the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI). Preliminary outcome results suggest that individuals rated as dismissing on the AAI are more likely to show improvements in psychotherapy. Discusses other findings. (KW)

Four validity scales were developed for the Neuropsychology Behavior and Affect Profile using data from clinical and nonclinical samples. A second study, which involved 157 subjects, indicated that combinations of the clinical and validity scales effectively differentiated dissemblers from brain injury patients, even when dissemblers were highly…

Explored 14- and 18-month olds' ability to identify the target of the experimenter's emotional display of happiness or disgust in response to something seen or felt inside a box. Findings suggested that, regardless of age, infants used the experimenter's attentional cues to interpret her emotional signals and behaved as if they understood that she…

Gifted students and youth possess a set of personality characteristics that make them uniquely vulnerable. School personnel and parents need to be aware of these risk factors so that they can provide coordinated educational and social opportunities to foster resilience. They must also be ready to offer preventive and therapeutic mental health…

Studied the Community Service Writing program at San Francisco State University to explore the relationship between the knowledge students acquired in school and the knowledge they needed when writing for community-based organizations. Results for 25 students suggest that service learning program developers should attend not only to the transfer…

Presents a case-control study of the association between nearly lethal suicide attempts and facets of alcohol consumption; namely, drinking frequency, drinking quantity, binge drinking, alcoholism, drinking within 3 hours of suicide attempt, and age began drinking. In bivariate analyses, all measures were associated with nearly lethal suicide…

Discusses a student who carries problems from home to school and initiates a confrontation with staff members at a day treatment program for youth with serious emotional disturbances. Presents instructional life space crisis intervention (LSCI) from the viewpoint of a youth telling about the incident that led up to his explosive behavior. Details…

Observed 40 married couples interacting with their 6- to 8-year-old sons after pleasant and conflictual discussions to examine indirect effects of marital conflict on children through their disruptions in family alliances and parenting. Found stronger evidence than previously available of a causal link between conflict and disrupted parenting.…

Describes the particular feelings that constitute "teacherly love," drawing upon research conducted in an upper-middle-class, primary-grade classroom in northern California. Contends that teacherly love is a distinct and unique type of love, both like and unlike other kinds of love that previously have been studied. (40 citations) (VWC)

Observed weekly 13 infants from 1 to 6 months of age to determine when they produced different types of smiling and other facial expressions. Found that the cheek-raise and open-mouth dimensions of smiling appear to be associated with, respectively, amplification of processes of sharing positive affect and of visual engagement present to a lesser…

This study analyzed factors affecting self-esteem among individuals with severe mental illness to identify effective targets for social work interventions. Data were obtained from 290 individuals with psychiatric disability recruited from community-based psychosocial rehabilitation agencies. Analyses using structural equation modeling revealed…

Burleson and Goldsmith's (1998) comforting model suggests an appraisal-based mechanism through which comforting messages can bring about a positive change in emotional states. This study is a first empirical test of three causal linkages implied by the appraisal-based comforting model. Participants (N=258) talked about an upsetting event with a…

Few children can control adult emotions more effectively than passive-aggressive youngsters. Their passive lack of compliance can incite even trained professionals to employ ineffective punitive responses. These responses confirm for the child the unreasonable and hurtful nature of adults. In this Life Space Crisis Intervention, the child makes a…

This study investigated the question of whether a student's expectancy, values and negative affect influenced their deep information processing approach and achievement at the end of the first and second academic year. Five hundred and sixty-five first-year students completed a self-report questionnaire on three different occasions. The…