"A Parent's Guide to Assessment" is the fifth volume in the "Life Journey through Autism" series published by the Organization for Autism Research (OAR). It is intended to remove the mystery surrounding assessment, provide parents with a practical understanding of the assessment process, equip them as a parent with the…

Each child has some special strength or ability that must be recognized for growth in self esteem. Ways of helping children discern their strengths, the importance of family relationships in building self worth, and the needs of children in special education and gifted programs are discussed. (MT)

This study assesses if correspondence existed between concepts scholars use to discuss positive youth development (PYD) and terms used by practitioners, parents, and youth to discuss exemplary PYD, or thriving. Qualitative and quantitative analyses of 173 interviews about the meaning of thriving found no significant commonality between the terms…

The article distinguishes between gifted, creative, and talented and describes child development as involving five "roots," consisting of genetics, bodily nourishment, self-concept, environment, and acculturation. (DB)

The study examined perceptions of issues associated with inclusive education of 437 parents from a midwestern state in the United States who have a child with a mild, moderate, or severe disability. Parents responded to a modified form of the Opinions Related to Mainstreaming (ORM) Scale (Antonak & Larrivee, 1995) and provided additional written…

Raising a gifted child is both a joy and a challenge, yet parents of gifted children have few resources for reliable parenting information. The four authors, who have decades of professional experience with gifted children and their families, provide practical guidance in areas such as: Characteristics of gifted children; Peer relations; Sibling…

This article examines characteristics of the young creative child, offers suggestions to encourage the development of creativity, and reviews potential problems associated with creative children. Suggestions include giving freedom and encouragement, using appropriate questioning techniques, and providing opportunities for creative thinking. (JDD)

Recent studies on parental disciplinary practices focus on children's attributes that influence harshness of discipline. The present study examined the effects of facial babyishness on parents' recommendations regarding the discipline of 4- and 11-year-old children who had perpetrated an act of commission or of omission. It was predicted that the…

The study examined perceptions of issues associated with inclusive education of 437 parents from a midwestern state in the United States who have a child with a mild, moderate, or severe disability. Parents responded to a modified form of the Opinions Related to Mainstreaming (ORM) Scale (Antonak & Larrivee, 1995) and provided additional…

There are many factors that influence the academic success and motivation of students. Social cognitive theory contends that individuals learn and perform based upon a triadic reciprocality of personal factors, behavior, and the environment. Personal factors such as beliefs, behaviors, and the environment equally influence one another. Existing…

Suggestions are offered for parenting a gifted child. Suggestions focus on how to deal with certain characteristics of gifted children, such as a high energy level, super sensitivity, tendency to challenge family traditions and rules, and unwillingness to accept parental authority. (JDD)

This question and answer booklet is designed to help parents and their children understand the importance of successful school entry and what happens in school. Questions include: How do I get my child into school? What is kindergarten like? How can I encourage school adjustment? What if my child is not eager to start school? How do I deal with my…

This self-instructional module is intended to provide basic information on autism and can be used alone or with supplementary videos. The module is divided into short sections, with each section including review questions and with a self-test (and answer key) on the whole module. After introductory material on the module's purpose and use and an…

This paper addresses issues regarding the hyperactive child, the impulsive child, and the low frustration tolerance child. It points out the subjectivity involved in identifying children as hyperactive, and outlines various forms of hyperactivity: the child who is in constant movement, the child who manages control in school but exhibits whirlwind…

This pamphlet is designed to help parents recognize and encourage their gifted preschool children. It begins by discussing some of the interests of very young children and lists strategies for facilitating and supporting those interests, including: provide the child with opportunities to find out about a variety of topics; be a role model for…