On 2 consecutive days, a total of 96 children were observed in groups of 3, once with scarce and once with ample toy resources. Sharing was affected by the number of toys and availability of duplicate toys. When pressured by peers, one year olds shared more often than did two year olds. (BC)

This essay provides a rationale for including social competence as a prominent feature in the understanding of mental retardation, outlines efforts to describe socially competent behavior, and considers factors that underlie social competence. The essay introduces the papers in this special issue on social skills in individuals with mental…

An elementary teacher describes how she helped a shy kindergarten student find the magic within himself that would lead to accepting friendship from other children. She discovered he needed patience and gentle prodding in order to move in the right direction. (SM)

This article argues for the application of curriculum-based evaluation (CBE) in social skills instruction. A rubric is proposed which combines variables related to social competence and summarizes the status of a student's social skills. The model provides a structure for aligning social skills curriculum, assessment, and instruction. (DB)

Gives an overview of the 10 research articles in this issue. Notes that all studies in this issue examine child behavior from a perspective that views behavior as mediated by social context, challenging the logical positivism of conventional experimentation. (MM)

A total of 113 adults from 26 to 31 years of age who had participated in previous social interaction studies while in college kept detailed records of social activity for 2 weeks. Found that from college to adulthood opposite-sex socializing increased, whereas same-sex, mixed-sex, and group interactions decreased. (MDM)

Examines the development of social networks from middle childhood to adolescence based on a longitudinal sample of 100 children. Age changes, sex differences, and the relation between network characteristics and self-perceived competence are considered. Adolescent girls' social networks are larger than boys' and are also more related to specific…

Interviews with 22 mothers of children with ambulatory disability and 33 nondisabled siblings showed no differences in sibling's child care responsibilities, general home responsibilities, or independence related to severity of the ambulatory disability. A difference in the amount of social activity, reported by mothers, was not confirmed by…

Investigated the associations made by fifth- and sixth-grade children and their closest age siblings between siblings' affective relationship quality and conflict strategies. Found that focal siblings who engaged in more destructive conflicts reported greater negativism in their relationships, frequency of conflict was positively correlated with…

In Northern Ireland, 127 adults, largely unemployed and with negative past schooling experiences, participated in a personal and social development program. A six-month follow-up found the learner-centered methodology effective in enhancing self-esteem, motivation, social skills, community involvement, and participation in further education and…

Describes typical developmental traits for different age groups of campers to help camp counselors understand them. Lists characteristics such as curiosity for ages 5-7, group awareness for ages 10-12, conformity and self-awareness for ages 12-15, and expansive and changing ambitions for ages 15-17. (CDS)

This article discusses the evidence behind two approaches to psychopharmacological management in children with autism: selecting and treating target symptoms or treatment or curing the primary social impairment underlying autism. The effectiveness of stimulants, antidepressants, melatonin, naltrexone, fenfluramine, and secretin is appraised. The…

This article discusses the difficulties some elementary children with hearing impairments have in developing social skills. The need to promote language development, to provide ample communication opportunities, and to analyze the level of social understanding is stressed. Positive reinforcement, provision of clear, concise rules for behavior, and…

Studied the effects of the cooperative teaching method on the development of social helping behavior in 4 groups of 11-year-olds, 95 in all. Results indicate that it is possible to promote helping behavior if the children are given the opportunity to practice with several other children, but not if they always work with the same child. (SLD)

Demonstrates quantitatively that children with learning disabilities can improve and maintain social and oral expressive language (speaking) skills through a creative drama program with an emphasis on specific social and oral language usage. Demonstrates how social skills may be targeted successfully by developing instruments appropriate to…