The British novelist Nicky Singer talks about becoming a writer, the role of editors and about who decides what can--and what cannot--be published on either side of the Atlantic. Her three novels explore territory which can make publishers nervous: "Feather Boy" (initiation rites and domestic violence), "Doll" (self-harm) and…

Cornelia de Lange syndrome is reported to be associated with self-injurious behavior (SIB) and social avoidance. We used analog methodology to examine the effect of manipulating adult social contact on social communicative behaviors and SIB in 16 children with this syndrome. For 9 participants engagement behavior was related to levels of adult…

Autism symptoms, including impairments in language development, social interactions, and motor skills, have been difficult to model in rodents. Since children exposed in utero to sodium valproate (VPA) demonstrate behavioral and neuroanatomical abnormalities similar to those seen in autism, the neurodevelopmental effects of this antiepileptic…

The effects of alternate forms of sensory stimulation on self-injurious behavior (SIB) in a profoundly retarded 24-year-old female were evaluated. Both vibratory stimulation (a massager) and visual stimulation (flashing red light) equally and significantly decreased the subject's SIB in both treatment and nontreatment environments. (Author/DB)

Examined the relationship of various interpersonal, emotional, and cognitive variables to suicidal ideation and behavior in college students. Used self-report measures of life stress, faulty cognitions, loneliness, depression, hopelessnesss, family cohesiveness, adaptive reasons for living, and suicidal ideation and behavior. Developed a…

Consists of two articles on suicide among young people. Bauer and Shea outline what teachers should know about children at risk for suicide, including symptoms and risk factors. Prevention recommendations are provided. Rickgarn presents statistics on youth suicide, including racial patterns and the use of violent means. (CH)

Discusses dysfunctional behavior patterns and early signs of vulnerability linked to adolescent suicide. Early childhood teachers have the greatest opportunities to identify these behaviors and break destructive patterns. A team approach to addressing individual students' needs works best. Profiles of six young suicides are presented. Includes six…

Two experiments exposed college student volunteers to rock music with or without suicidal content. Music and videos with suicide content appeared to prime implicit cognitions related to suicide but did not affect variables associated with increased suicide risk. (Contains 60 references and 3 tables.) (Author/JBJ)

Hostility and anxiety reduction models were simultaneously tested in order to determine whether self-mutilation (SM) in adolescence was characterized by greater feelings of anxiety and hostility. Students who SM reported significantly more anxiety and more intropunitive and extrapunitive hostility. Prior to SM feelings of both hostility and…

Evaluates research methodology of investigations of suicidal preadolescent and adolescent psychiatric inpatients and discusses studies of suicidal preadolescents and adolescents who were admitted to medical inpatient facilities. Considers research designs of studies in relation to whether they include components that will make it possible for…

A survey of 39 psychologists at a state school for mentally retarded persons assessed the prevalence of self-restraint, self-injurious behavior (SIB) and other maladaptive behaviors. Results indicated that almost all clients engaging in self-restraint also engaged in self-injurious behavior. (Author/DB)

Examines adolescent and young adult suicides, suicide attempts, and self-destructive behavior among the general population, American Indians, and Indians of New Mexico. Describes prevention and intervention efforts undertaken to lower suicide rates on one reservation. Contains 30 references. (SV)

Measured the effects of risk taking portrayed in television programs on children's willingness to take risks. Children, ages six to nine, viewed programs featuring either infrequent or frequent risk taking; a control group viewed no television. Subjects' self-reports indicated that children who viewed programs with frequent risk taking increased…

Reviews the development and psychometric analyses of the Suicide Assessment Checklist (SAC), a 21-item, 2-part instrument constructed for use as a standardized component of a comprehensive suicide risk assessment and documentation strategy in the emergency evaluation of risk for suicidal behavior. Results suggest SAC is psychometrically sound.…

Describes model of crisis intervention to families of adolescents who deliberately harm themselves and summarizes premises which guide practice. Views adolescent's "overdose" as attempt to resolve relationship conflicts and works to explore predicament for adolescent and family. Verbatim extracts from one session illustrate the process.…