Examined factors influencing Asian Indian immigrant acculturation references and how acculturation styles may be associated with adolescent psychological functioning. Found that parents and adolescents had similar acculturation styles, but adolescents were more likely to identify as Indian American. Adolescents with integrated acculturation style…

Tested 2 models of the effect of social cognition on the link between child adjustment and the 2 family risk factors of maltreatment and parental psychopathology. In 83 subjects of 7-14 years, maltreatment predicted aggression and peer rejection, but parental psychopathology did not. Adjustment of subjects with a disturbed parent depended on…

Two hearing-impaired children, aged three and five, were observed in free play as they alternated between integrated and segregated settings. Results indicated that the level of cognitive play was not consistently influenced by the social setting, and that the children engaged in more socially advanced play in the integrated setting. (Author/JDD)

Discusses the role of humor in children's social development in the following areas: (1) social interaction; (2) friendship development and popularity; (3) hostility expression; and (4) interpersonal relationships. Argues that early humor development helps to optimize social development. (FMW)

Developed two self-report measures of belongingness (social connectedness and social assurance) based on self psychology theory. Measures proved to be highly reliable and unidimensional. Social connectedness was related to one's opinion of self in relation to other people. Social assurance correlated with one's reliance on other people. (RJM)

This study examined attitudes toward the Special Olympics of 41 experts in mental retardation and 40 parents of Special Olympics participants. Generally, both groups viewed the program as highly beneficial, particularly in terms of social adjustment and life satisfaction. However, some experts noted segregative aspects of the program and parents…

This study sought to determine differences in expressed attitudes of social alienation between 20 learning-disabled (LD) school completers and 17 LD school dropouts. Results indicated that dropouts felt more socially alienated toward classmates and teachers than school completers did. Risk models for LD school dropouts should include social…

New undergraduates (n=198) completed surveys on expectations about college adjustment; later completed survey of actual adjustment. Six years later, results indicated that two different sets of items best discriminated among good-standing persisters and leavers, and among poor-standing persisters and leavers. Emotional and social adjustment items…

Analyzes the comic strip "Peanuts" characters Sally Brown and Peppermint Patty as they illustrate children's difficulties in school and their emotional responses to school. Explores how Sally illustrates the conflict between the creative impulses of childhood with school demands, while Patty illustrates the extent to which many children…

Assessed relational and physical peer victimization among 3- to 5-year olds. Found that boys were significantly more physically victimized than girls, whereas girls were more relationally victimized. Both types of victims experienced greater adjustment problems than did their peers. Relational victimization contributed unique information about…

Examined physiological regulation as a moderator in the relations between exposure to verbal and physical parental marital conflict and 8- to 12-year-olds' adjustment and physical health. Found that higher vagal tone buffered children against increased externalizing, internalizing, and health problems related to marital conflict. Higher delta…

Objective: To describe the development and initial evaluation of the Coping Course, a cognitive-behavioral group intervention designed to enhance general coping and problem-solving skills among incarcerated youth. Method: Between 2001 and 2002, 76 male adolescents incarcerated at a youth correctional facility were assessed by questionnaire and…

Ninety individuals with social phobia were randomly assigned to a waitlist control group, a cognitive-behavioral therapy group, or an exposure therapy group without explicit cognitive intervention. Two independent raters classified more than 2,000 thoughts that were reported by participants while anticipating socially stressful situations at…

This research examined the hypothesis that a tendency to base one's self-worth on peer approval is associated with positive and negative aspects of children's well-being. A sample of 153 fourth through eighth graders (9.0 to 14.8 years) reported on need for approval, global self-worth, social-evaluative concerns, anxiety and depression, and…

This study examines the factors contributing to middle-aged widows' adaptation to their husbands' death due to physical illness, 1 to 5 years after the initial loss. Ninety-three widows and 93 married women, who served as controls, filled out questionnaires assessing their experience of stress and strain, their Sense of Coherence level, the social…