Developmental trajectories of two self-concept constructs (self-confidence and importance beliefs) in three domains (academic, social, and self-image) were estimated in a nationally representative sample of approximately 3,500 students with disabilities ages 8 to 17 representing 11 federal disability categories. Students' self-confidence in the…

One purpose of this research was to examine the psychometric properties of a character assessment scale (the Character Assessment for School Age Children; CASAC) based on 6 pillars of character (Josephson Institute, 2009). Many youth development and character education programs utilize some, if not all, of the pillars of character explicitly or…

A sociocultural investigation with Year 8 secondary-school students experiencing marginalization and displaying signs of social and emotional difficulties in engaging fully with school life who participated in a mediated outdoor education programme was undertaken for this study. The findings indicate that there was a very statistically significant…

This study examined the role of anger in infancy and its interaction with maternal warmth in predicting children's socioemotional development. Participants included a demographically diverse sample of 316 mothers and children from the Project on Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods (PHDCN) study. Infants were followed across 3 waves of data…

There is increasing evidence that interpersonal risks and resources can modulate the impact peer victimization has on children's socio-emotional adjustment. The current study contributes to this research by examining links between parents' victimization-related beliefs and children's psychosocial functioning. Data were collected on 190 3rd- and…

An effective reading comprehension process demands a strategy to enhance the cognitive ability to digest text information in the effort to elicit meaning contextually. In addition, the role of emotions also influences the efficacy of this process, especially in narrative text comprehension. This quasi-experimental study aims to observe students'…

Children with a history of maltreatment and placement into foster care face elevated risks of poor psychosocial outcomes including school failure, substance use, externalizing, and deviant peer association. For children in the general population, school engagement appears to be a promotive factor in preventing negative outcomes. In this study,…

Though we do our best to protect children from life's underbelly, bad things happen. Hurricanes, school shootings, divorce, exploding crime rates, economic downturns, child abuse, and acts of terror have become reality for many. Sadly, students are not immune from the chaos that often results. If a child worries that he is not safe or thinks…

The relations between fathers' and mothers' home literacy involvement at 24 months and children's cognitive and social emotional development in preschool were examined using a large sample of African American and Caucasian families ("N" = 5190) from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Birth Cohort (ECLS-B). Hierarchical…

This quasi-experimental exploratory study investigated whether a social-emotional learning program, implemented during a 1-year period, could lead to gains in social-emotional competencies and a reduction in internalizing and externalizing problems. Furthermore, it showed which pupils would benefit most from the program. The program was applied to…

Peer influence and social interactions can give rise to spillover effects in which the exposure of one individual may affect outcomes of other individuals. Even if the intervention under study occurs at the group or cluster level as in group-randomized trials, spillover effects can occur when the mediator of interest is measured at a lower level…

The School for Student leadership (SSL) provides a unique educational experience for Australian Year 9 secondary school students at a time when parental expectations may not necessarily be in alignment with student engagement and motivation. Yet there are often concerns amongst both students and their parents about spending time outside…

This study examined the relationship between special health care needs and social-emotional and learning competence in the early years, reporting on two waves of data from the Kindergarten Cohort of "Growing up in Australia: The Longitudinal Study of Australian Children" (LSAC). Six hundred and fifty children were identified through the…

Many educators believe that developing a sense of community in their schools is necessary for having a vibrant and effective learning environment. Sense of community is a complex social construct with many proponents. Socioemotional learning programs purport to help young students develop emotional skills in order to develop intellectually and…

Natalie, a nine-year-old fourth-grade girl who lives with her mother, father, and two older sisters in a small, middle class, suburban community, has some social problems. She often appears to be speaking to the other students the way her older sisters speak to her at home--exerting power in a condescending tone. This article describes a "Red Flag…