This study of psychosocial well-being among 172 Australian parents of children with autism found that fathers and those parents receiving more social support had lower scores of depression, anxiety, and anger. Age of symptom onset was related to depression but not to anxiety and anger. No relationship was found between coping behaviors and…

A longitudinal study of 211 male inpatients at an alcohol clinic and their children, and a random sample of 200 men and their children, found that men in both groups who used alcohol and drugs were equally likely to be involved in crimes with drugs, whereas children in both groups exhibited similar levels of social maladjustment and health…

Assessed the relationship between social adjustment and perceptions of both family acceptance and family control in two samples of young adolescents. One group completed, among other measures, self-reports of psychosocial competence and self-regulation, whereas the second group completed peer ratings of likability. In both samples, family…

This response to Maag and Howell (EC 602 677) reviews the problem of exclusion from special education of children with social maladjustment. The response considers the historical need to limit services to children or youth with emotional or behavioral disorders and the current underidentification of such pupils. Definitional issues are also…

This article synthesizes the research defining social problems of some children with learning disabilities, especially the role of communication skills deficits. Traditional emphases on family dysfunction, school failure, or personality disturbances are seen to be negated by research which suggests that neural aberrations trigger deficient…

This evaluation of 16 children (ages 7-12) with achondroplasia from Transkei, Hungary, and Nigeria found that, compared to controls, subjects had more behavior problems and less self-esteem. Subjects were socially withdrawn, internalized emotional problems, had lower academic performance, found less adaptive solutions to frustration, and faced…

The educational, employment, and community adjustment outcomes of 106 special school graduates with severe physical disabilities were examined. Most graduates continued with college or training programs. Many expressed the need for more intensive guidance counseling, additional job skill training, more help with transportation, and more access to…

Describes three Oregon school-community programs that improve student attitude and behavior: community-service learning projects for previously disruptive students, after-school programs that provide exciting group activities for students who maintain decent grades and stay out of trouble, and adult mentoring and group activities for high-risk…

Examined significance of close, cross-sex friendships to socioemotional functioning of tenth through twelfth graders. Found that having close, cross-sex friend was common and increased with age. Adolescents reported more companionship in same- versus cross-sex friendships. There were sex and age differences in support from cross- versus same-sex…

Pilot study examined efforts to promote bonding of socially disengaged youth into conventional mainstream by integrating them with conventional youth on a service project. Ninth-graders (N=42) in four schools achieved significant improvements in attendance, achievement, ratings of social-academic competence and conventionality. Findings lend…

Reviews the literature on young children's peer social development. Addresses implications of social learning theory and empirical research. Discusses recurring themes, including child/peer versus child/adult interactions, incorporation of toys and games, influence of mothers, and gender peer preferences. Considers areas lacking empirical support…

Explored preschoolers' solitary-active play in the presence of peers as a marker for maladjustment among 153 children. Found that, compared to peers, children with frequent solitary-active behaviors were temperamentally less attentive, were more difficult to soothe, behaved more shyly, displayed more externalizing problems, performed more poorly…

Examined relationship between social support and appraisal of life events in predicting adaptive, externalizing, and internalizing behavior in 265 seven- to 13-year-olds. Found support for both the main effects and moderator models of the association between life events and global social support. Gender differences were found. Appraisal of life…

Hypothesized a model linking three perceived support variables--level of support, quality of support, and hope about future support--to false self-behaviors (not the "real me"). The best fitting model for the parent and peer data revealed that perceived quality and level of parental support predicted hope about future parental support,…

Compared psychological adjustment of adopted adolescents and their siblings born to adoptive parents. Found poorer adoptee adjustment in areas of delinquency, licit drug use, and school adjustment. Nonclinically referred adopted boys were better adjusted than norm subjects on withdrawal; nonreferred adopted girls were better adjusted on social…