The early years of toddlerhood mark the emergence of self-regulation and the child's ability to comply with parental requests. The current study examined young children's compliance and noncompliance in a family context by observing mothers, fathers, and two children in a family clean-up paradigm. Marital conflict and mutual responsiveness in the…

The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of habit reversal (HR) to a wait-list control as a treatment for chronic skin picking in adults. Twenty-five adults with a chronic skin-picking problem were randomly assigned to a wait-list control or HR group. At pretreatment, posttreatment, and a 3-month follow-up, self-reported skin…

We investigated the development of ego-control (EC) and ego-resiliency (ER) over a 13-year period in a cohort of Swedish children first assessed at 2 years of age. Children became more ego-controlled over time although individual differences in EC remained stable. Children's levels of resiliency increased from 2 to 3 years of age and then declined…

Pressures to improve test scores and avoid lawsuits are causing many schools to cut back play time. According to the American Association for the Child's Right to play, nearly 40% of the nation's 16,000 school districts have either modified, deleted, or are considering deleting recess. Moreover, where playtime does still exist, it has become…

A group of fifth-grade students who had persistent problems at lunch and recess were identified and provided with direct instruction in pro-social skills. These skills were taught by the authors in a two-week program that they called the "Alternative to Lunch Program for Students" (ALPS). This action research study measured the impact of…

In a bid to curb violence incurred via the abuse of teacher authority, some educators appear to denounce all forms of imposition. The author of this paper refers to this aversion to imposition and the romantic practices it promotes as "educational niceness". This essay is written to furnish a theoretical justification for educational imposition.…

This manual and workbook for adolescents presents a curriculum promoting self-understanding and understanding the points of view of others in order to resolve conflicts and solve common problems. After a review of problems adolescents face and a discussion of the skills needed to work effectively in a group, the lessons present the following steps…

Alternative high school students have typically had a history of acting out behaviors in the classroom. To address this behavior, the effects of two psychoeducational groups (anger control and goal setting) on state and trait anger, anger expression, and on self-efficacy beliefs of these students were evaluated. The 57 participants were given pre-…

This study examined the relationship between academic delay of gratification (ADOG) and college students' use of action control. College students (n=113) at a large midwestern university completed the academic delay of gratification scale developed by the authors and the motivated strategies for learning questionnaire, which included an adaptation…

These facilitator's skill packets contain nine individual packets on skill alternatives to aggression: (1) asking permission; (2) sharing something; (3) helping others; (4) negotiating; (5) using self-control; (6) standing up for one's rights; (7) responding to teasing; (8) avoiding trouble with others; and (9) keeping out of fights. Each packet…

A counseling perspective is applied to issues concerning the preparation of high school students with learning disabilities for postsecondary education and employment settings. The combination of academic limitations and difficulties in getting along with others provide continuing problems for these young adults. Instructional and counseling…

Seven papers address the teaching of self-management skills to disabled persons in supported employment settings. In "Competitive Employment: Teaching Mentally Retarded Employees to Maintain Their Work Behavior," (Frank Rusch and others), external cues managed by job coaches are contrasted to self-generated cues leading to employee self…

In contrast to public opinion, the relationship between school order and achievement is neither simple nor certain. While research shows individuals who misbehave perform poorly in school, it has not made clear why. Further, the evidence on order and achievement at the school level is even more limited. One inference drawn here is that failure to…

This book presents sexual abstinence as a viable, positive choice for teenagers. In seven lessons focusing on the advantages of delaying sexual intercourse, this high school curriculum acknowledges the need for sexual expression by young people and provides activities that help them sort through the internal and external pressures that affect…