Compared to mental and chronological age-matched groups of normal children, six autistic children (1) did not maximize reinforcement; (2) sampled less, and less efficiently; and (3) were much less responsive to extinction. Autistic sampling behavior was redirected by stimulus change. Results are viewed as perhaps causally related to many…

Compares gifted preschool boys and girls with both a CA (Chronological Age)-matched group and an MA (Mental Age)-matched group on their performance on a spatial projective task, a cognitive perspective-taking task, and an affective perspective-taking task. The data seem to support the hypothesis that psychometric brightness implies cognitive…

Sattler's standard deviation technique for interpreting strengths and weaknesses on the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale has been simplified by Kaufman and Waterstreet in the form of an easy-to-use table. A refinement of their table is presented, with an example to demonstrate its use. (Author/CTM)

Investigates the influence of chronological age, mental age, and handicapping condition on mothers' interactions with their handicapped young children. A total of 111 handicapped children ranging in age from 3 to 36 months and their mothers participated. Infants' general functioning and handicapping conditions were related to maternal…

Evaluates the relative contribution of a number of child characteristics to the prediction of social acceptance. Predictor variables included positive social interactions, occupied behavior when not interacting, mental age, chronological age, and sex. Results supported the efficacy of helping social isolates to interact positively with peers.…

Exploratory behavior of educationally mentally retarded 7- to 12-year-old children was compared to that of two independent groups of normal children matched on chronological and mental age. In a multidimensional assessment of exploration, results suggested that delays in exploratory behavior in retarded children are developmental in nature, and…

Compared 24 educable mentally retarded (EMR) adolescents, 24 chronological age (CA) matched nonretarded adolescents, and 24 mental age (MA) matched children in same-different decision task in which dyadic sequences were presented within and across visual and auditory modalities. Results supported concept of greater visual dominance by retarded and…

Four hundred subjects 8 to 11 years old were given a modification of the Weigl Color Form Sorting Test in an attempt to assess the influence of chronological age, mental age, intelligence, and vocabulary level on the ability to utilize various numbers and different kinds of criteria of classification. (Author/MP)

Three preschool children exhibiting autistic behaviors were taught developmentally appropriate (DA) and age appropriate (AA) pretend play activities. Although DA activities were consistently acquired, activities in the AA category were, in most cases, not acquired and were less likely to be generalized to other activities or toys. (Author/JDD)

Research supported by NICDH research grant HD-MH-03008.

This study assessed the relationship between parent/teacher ratings of hyperactivity and developmental indices in psychiatric clinic children (ages 5-16). Findings suggest that chronological age should be considered when behavior ratings are used to assess cognitively delayed children for hyperactivity but do not support use of mental age in…

Comparison of 28 young children with autism, 29 children with other developmental disabilities, and 28 typical children found that autistic children were significantly less compliant with parental prohibitions than were control groups. This behavior correlated with chronological age, not with mental age, language development, or parental behavior.…

The relationship between egocentrism and five components of social competence (decentering ability, social participation, helping behavior, conflict resolution, and egocentric speech) in young children was examined in this study. Measures of egocentrism, intelligence and social competence were obtained for each of 100 three-year-old children…

Tests hypotheses that social and object skills can be equated for cognitive complexity and that correlations between measures organized according to levels are high for all samples spanning the developmental range. Cognitive levels of both object and social skills were assessed for 50 normal and 34 handicapped children. Hypotheses were confirmed.…

Forty children with mental retardation were compared on everyday leisure-time behaviors with children without mental retardation matched for mental age (MA) or chronological age (CA). Although MA best predicted overall functioning on leisure-time behavior, CA best predicted both single highest behavior performed and highest behavior considered too…