Children's justifications for their adult and peer-directed compliant (prosocial and nonprosocial) behaviors.

Examined differences in the quality of child–child and adult–child interactions and children's reasoning about their own compliant behaviors. 61 45–65 mo olds were observed in their classrooms and were interviewed briefly concerning their behavior whenever they were seen complying with either an adult's or a peer's request or demand. Only 32% of compliant behaviors requested by adults were prosocial (directly benefited another), whereas 76% of compliant behaviors requested by peers were prosocial. Ss frequently justified behaviors requested by adults with references to authorities' dictates and punishment. Ss attributed behaviors requested by peers to other-oriented or relational (friendship, liking) concerns more frequently than they did behaviors requested by adults. The difference in the use of authority/punishment and other-oriented justifications for peer- and adult-requested behaviors was found with regard to both prosocial and nonprosocial requests; Ss used more justifications regarding liking of others and friendship only when the request was prosocial in content. Data are discussed in terms of their support for theorists' assertions regarding the difference in peer and adult interaction and in relation to the literature on children's reasoning and attributions about prosocial behaviors. (16 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Comparison of measures of adaptive behaviors in preschool children.

Compared 6 measures of adaptive behavior to determine which tests and items best discriminate between behavior problem and nonproblem preschool children. 11 nonproblem and 13 problem children, matched on age (4 yrs) and IQ (110–215), were compared on the following tests: the Minnesota Child Development Inventory, the Classroom Adjustment Rating Scale, the Ottawa School Behavior Survey, the AML (Acting out, Moodiness, Learning disorders) Behavior Rating Scale, the Teacher Rating Scale, and the Denver Developmental Screening Test. Problem Ss scored significantly lower than nonproblem Ss on all 6 measures. In addition, fine-motor items discriminated better than gross-motor, language, social, and behavioral items. The Minnesota Child Development Inventory items were the best discriminators, followed by items on the Ottawa School Behavior Survey and the Teacher Rating Scale. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Variations in density: Effect on task and social behaviors of preschool children.

Observed 57 children in 5 different preschools (3 in the Netherlands and 2 in the US) to determine the effect of variations in density on task and social behaviors. The densities varied from 1.16 m-sup-2 per child to 10.46 m-sup-2 per child. Predictions were made that positive social interaction and task behaviors would be lower in the schools with the higher densities. This did not occur, and the suggestion is made that past results might have been due to the disruption of ongoing social groups rather than crowding. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Defensive behaviors in rats following septal and septal-amygdala lesions.

Results of 2 experiments, utilizing 88 male albino Wistar rats, indicated that septal damage produced hyperdefensiveness rather than attack behavior or general hyperreactivity. Further division of this group indicated that damage to sites anterior and ventral to the septal area, sites previously implicated in the "septal syndrome," produced maximal effect on these behaviors. When amygdala lesions were combined with septal damage, enhanced defensive responding was almost eliminated. Results also indicate that amygdaloid mechanisms are involved in the regulation of conspecific defensive behaviors. (19 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Relationship of deficits in intelligence test performance of preschool children to perinatal experience.

The intelligence test records of 193 children age 3 and of 119 age 5 were analyzed in relation to their perinatal experiences and intelligence level (average or superior). The children were classified as unstressed (Group 1), suspect (Group 2), and presumably stressed (Group 3). At both ages, significant differences were found at both intelligence levels between Groups 1 and 2 + 3 in ability to copy forms. At 3 yr. a significant difference between Groups 1 and 2 + 3 in verbal skill was found among the average Ss. It is concluded that isolated deficits on complex verbal and visuomotor tasks may be indicative of minimal birth injury and that such injury is more observable among average than superior children. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Changes in sibling behavior following family intervention.

Reports changes in the behavior of the 55 siblings of 27 treated predelinquents. Siblings were 3 yrs old or older. The parents of the referred predelinquents had been trained in social learning techniques of child management. Prior analyses of home observation data showed significantly reduced rates of deviant behaviors for the identified problem children. These reductions were maintained over a 12-mo follow-up. The child management procedures taught to the parents were presumably applied to siblings as well as to the identified problem child. Analyses were conducted for the data from the siblings. The baseline data show no significant differences between siblings and identified problem children. At termination of treatment, there were significant reductions in rates of deviant behavior for the siblings. Follow-up results show the effects were maintained over 6 mo. Some clinical implications of home intervention programs for socially aggressive boys and their siblings are discussed. (18 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Developmental implications of openness to experience in preschool children: Gender differences in young adulthood.

This study examined the longitudinal implications in late adolescence and emerging adulthood of Openness to Experience measured in preschool in a sample of 102 participants who were followed from preschool through emerging adulthood (age 23). Although gender differences in mean Openness scores were not found, the postpubertal longitudinal correlations associated with preschool Openness differed markedly for the sexes. Preschool boys who received high Openness scores were consistently described, both by self and others, as resilient, competent, and self-assured in young adulthood. In contrast, female participants who received high Openness scores continued to be seen as open at ages 18 and 23 but were also viewed, both by self and others, as more psychologically vulnerable than were their male peers. The discussion focuses on transformations in female development and the different longitudinal implications of Openness to Experience in males and females. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Changes in visual recall memory following discrimination learning.

Trained 100 undergraduates to discriminate among 4 visual stimuli on either 1 of the 2 dimensions which differentiated them: area (large or small circles) or dot density (thickly or lightly filled with dots). Recall was tested immediately or after delay of 4 hrs, 1 day, 1 wk, or 2 wks by having each S draw all 4 stimuli at 1 of these intervals. Differences in recall along the dimension which was discriminated were exaggerated relative to differences on the other dimension. The relative exaggeration was large immediately following testing, declined to a minimum after 1 wk, and increased again after 2 wks. Results are consistent with previously reported changes in visual recognition memory, and suggest a 2-process interpretation. (French summary) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Changes in self-reported anxiety during a small group experience.

To examine changes in self-reported anxiety during the course of a small group, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) was administered at several times to 126 undergraduate participants in brief, leaderless sensitivity training groups. Groups differed in terms of members' interpersonal skills and instructions given prior to the group meeting. Trait anxiety remained stable over time while state anxiety decreased significantly. No effects were related to type of instruction but there was a significant Level of Interpersonal Skills * Anxiety interaction. The usefulness of the trait-state distinction and the interaction of individual differences and situational determinants of anxiety states are discussed. (15 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Changes in counselor response as a function of experience.

The responses of 67 counselors to 21 widely varying client statements were rated on eight dimensions (dominance, approach–avoidance, focus on affect, immediacy, breadth vs. specificity, meeting client's demands, verbosity, and confrontation). The counselors were divided into three experience levels (beginning students [n?=?24], advanced students [n?=?23], and doctoral level professionals [n?=?20]), and their responses were compared. We hypothesized that student counselors would evidence different amounts of these variables than would the doctoral counselors. This hypothesis was supported on the dimensions of dominance, immediacy, meeting client's demands, verbosity, and confrontation. It was also hypothesized that response flexibility would differ across the experience levels. On the dimensions of dominance, meeting client demands, and confrontation, doctoral counselors were more flexible than were advanced student counselors. The results indicate that students focus on learning and honing the use of certain counseling skills. In the process of doing this, they tend to apply them in a rigid manner. Doctoral counselors appear more able to apply their skills flexibly depending on the situation. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Changes in interpersonal distances and categories of play behavior in the early weeks of preschool.

Observations of 57 children were made using time lapse and moving film techniques in a preschool over a 10-wk period. Ss attended 5, 3, or 2 days/wk. Behavior was recorded in 5 categories: aggressive behavior, rough and tumble behavior, distance from the nearest child, distance from the teacher, and frequency of close proximity; a 6th category, play behavior, was related to the potential for social interaction in preschool play. Behavior was related to measures of attendance at preschool, preschool group, age, and sex via multiple regression analyses. Scores on all measures of social interaction except aggressive behavior increased with preschool experience. The 3 preschool groups showed different degrees of change, and this was directly related to the number of days of attendance at preschool. (20 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Changes in neighborhood poverty from 1990 to 2000 and youth's problem behaviors.

This study used data from the Project on Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods, a multilevel, longitudinal study of children sampled from 80 diverse neighborhoods, to explore associations among changes in neighborhood poverty from 1990 to 2000 and changes in youth's internalizing problems and property and violent offenses over 6 years (N = 3,324; mean age across waves = 12.6 years). After accounting for a host of background characteristics and weighting for the propensity to stay in the original sampled neighborhood, results indicated that neighborhood poverty dynamics were unfavorably linked to boys' problem behaviors. In high-poverty (>30% in 1990) neighborhoods, decreasing poverty was associated with boys' greater internalizing problems and higher probability of increasing in violent behavior than stable neighborhood poverty. In moderate-poverty (20%–30% in 1990) neighborhoods, boys in neighborhoods that got poorer had more internalizing problems than boys in stably poor neighborhoods. Likewise, in low-poverty (     

Changes in HIV risk behaviors among cocaine-using methadone patients

Cocaine use among methadone patients has been related to higher prevalence of HIV risk behaviors. HIV risk behaviors for cocaine-using patients in methadone treatment (N = 207) were examined for two time periods, the current month in-treatment and the month previous to treatment admission. All needle-related and sexually-related risk behaviors (except for needle hygiene) significantly and substantially declined over the average two year time interval. Several variables were associated with needle and sexual risks in multivariate regression analyses. Dropping apparent opiate use underreporters from the analyses did not alter the results. From a harm reduction perspective, high priority should be given to retaining cocaine-using patients in methadone maintenance, intensifying in-program services for those with anti-social personality, bipolar disorder or alcoholism, as well as increasing access to needle exchanges and free condoms.     

Reading group membership in first grade: Teacher behaviors and pupil experience over time.

Examined the implementation of reading groups in 3 1st grade classrooms (N = 60) and its effects over the 1st 5 mo of the school year on pupil mobility, on patterns of teacher-child contact as measured by J. E. Brophy and T. L. Good's (1970) dyadic interaction system, and on pupil measures of reading achievement and related factors. Results indicate that relatively fixed membership in reading groups did not emerge until the end of the 1st month of school. Group membership was found to contribute a significant increment of 25% to the prediction of pupil reading achievement at midyear over and above initial readiness differences among the students. Differential teacher feedback favoring members of the highest reading group was not documented. Additional qualitative evidence suggested a reconceptualization concerning the mediation of the expectancy effect. (21 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Relations between preschool barrier behaviors and early school-age measures of coping, imagination, and verbal development.

Assessed the contemporaneous and longitudinal relations of coping with an experimental barrier situation at 21/2 yrs of age by observing barrier performance of 43 male and 31 female preschool children. Analyses indicate that effective barrier behavior was related to other measures of coping, vigorous play behavior, and lack of fear at the preschool period. A follow-up study when Ss were in the early school-age period (71/2 yrs old) revealed that competence in the experimental barrier situation was related to intelligence, coping, and socially effective behaviors for both sexes. Results suggest the feasibility of using responses to experimental barrier situations to assess coping behavior. (16 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A longitudinal study of mothers'' and preschool children''s aversive behaviors during dyadic interactions

The neuronal organization of the spinal cord in red stingray was studied using the rapid Golgi method. The gray matter of the spinal cord was divided into seven laminae: RS-I, RS-II, RS-III, RS-IV, RS-V, RS-VI and RS-VII. RS-I is cell dense lamina which occupies the major part of the dorsal horn and corresponds to laminae I and II of the spinal cord of mammals, birds and reptiles. The neurons of the lamina I are interspersed with those of lamina II, without forming a discrete lamina. RS-II is located at the base of the dorsal horn and is considered to correspond to the nucleus proprius. RS-III and IV form the intermediate zone and are highly reticulated. A few neurons of various shapes and sizes are distributed among the numerous fibers. The nuclei such as the intermediolateral, intermediomedial or Clarke's nucleus cannot be identified in the intermediate zone. RS-V and VI constitute the ventral horn. RS-V occupies the major part of the ventral horn and contains motoneurons which are distributed diffusely, without forming any distinct cell groups. RS-VI is located in the ventromedial part of the ventral horn, contains commissural neurons and correspond to lamina VIII. RS-VII is a small area surrounding the central canal and corresponds to lamina X. Thus, while the major features of the spinal cord of the red stingray can be correlated with those of the spinal cord of mammals, birds and reptiles, the neuronal organization of the spinal cord of the red stingray remains in an undifferentiated state.     

Changes in cigarette smoking not observed following repeated cocaine self-administration.

Acute administration of some psychoactive drugs (e.g., cocaine, heroin, methadone, d-amphetamine) has been found to increase spontaneous cigarette smoking for 1-3 hr, but the effects of chronic drug administration have not been systematically studied. Computerized cigarette dispensers were used to study the effects of multiple daily cocaine administrations on cigarette smoking. Participants were 8 (5 male) cocaine-dependent cigarette smokers who resided on a closed clinical research ward and smoked an average of 16.7 cigarettes per day during the week prior to starting the study. During test sessions on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday of each week, participants could obtain either cocaine (25 mg iv) on 2 days or saline (1 ml iv) on the other day, 3 times per day at 2-hr intervals under double-blind conditions. The number of cigarettes dispensed during study days was analyzed in 2-hr increments. No significant cocaine effect was found. These findings fail to show a change in the number of cigarettes smoked after chronic cocaine self-administration over time intervals longer than 1-3 hr. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Changes in depressive self-schemata and depressive symptoms following cognitive therapy.

Examined the effects of 6–8 sessions of Beck's cognitive therapy on mildly and moderately depressed college students' depressive symptoms and depressive self-schemata. Participants were randomly assigned to either cognitive therapy (n?=?31) or no treatment (n?=?43). The Beck Depression Inventory was used to assess depressive symptoms, and self-referent judgment, recall, and reaction time (RT) measures were used to assess depressive self-schemata. Results support the efficacy of cognitive therapy in reducing depressive symptoms and depressive self-schemata, as measured by self-referent judgment and self-referent recall. The reduction in the recall of negative self-referent judgments may play a role in the outcome of cognitive therapy for depression. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Recognition memory in preschool children.

Tested 18 males and 18 females from each of 2 age groups (mean ages, 37 and 53 mo) on a recognition test under each of 3 conditions: (a) verbal only, (b) visual only, and (c) verbal-visual. Correct recognition was obtained for all Ss. Older Ss, however, performed significantly better than younger. Neither age group benefited from E-provided labels; performance in the visual-only and visual-verbal conditions was comparable. It is concluded that the development of mechanisms other than verbal mediator production must account for any age-related improvement in recognition performance. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)