Two models are presented, which depict dropping out as a developmental process that may begin in the earliest grades. The frustration-self-esteem model focuses on school failure and student rejection of or by a school. The participation-identification model focuses on student involvement in schooling, with behavioral and emotional components. (TJH)

Utilizes two different experiments to test the effectiveness of a variety self-instructional training methods to reduce the dental fears of groups of 8- to 12-year-old children. Results indicate that high levels of anxiety impair the effectiveness of self-instruction. (FMW)

Practitioners (n=910) working with maladjusted children and adults (such as delinquents or those with emotional disturbances) were surveyed. Nonsupervised practitioners were not found to be more at risk for burnout than supervised practitioners. Practitioners who were considered to be more at risk of burnout were less satisfied with their…

Mothers of 49 kindergartners and 54 second graders told their children 2 stories about distressed persons to obtain children's emotional, physiological, and prosocial responses. For kindergartners, mothers' perceptions of children's emotional reactivity were positively related to their use of positive facial expressions, whereas mothers'…

Focus groups, consisting of a total of 17 female student interns in social work, elicited student statements about their entrance into the social work profession, their own family and culture, and emotional exchanges between student and client. Students' diverse cultural backgrounds influenced their views of professionalism, engagement, and…

In 2 experiments with 6 boys (ages 12 and 13) having mild and moderate mental retardation, directed rehearsal was used to teach subjects to either recognize or produce 6 basic facial expressions of emotion. Training in both skills was effective, and the recognition training was maintained at 8-week and 12-week assessments following instruction.…

Investigated homesickness in boys ages 8 through 16. Results indicated that homesickness was prevalent and varied in intensity, was experienced as a combination of depression and anxiety, was presented most often as internalizing behavior, and was more typical for younger boys. The most-homesick became increasingly so during the separation,…

Events at Trenton State University (New Jersey) in 1993, marked by controversy and anger over a speech made at a public college, are chronicled and observations about the context of the events are made, focusing on the role of media coverage, administrative leadership, and institutional policies and procedures. (MSE)

One college mathematics teacher finds that asking students to write brief essays about their attitudes toward and experiences with mathematics offers insight into student motivation, perceptions and misperceptions, and emotional responses. The essay serves as a communication and motivational tool for both teacher and students. (MSE)

In the cooperative controversy technique, two opposing sides are clearly drawn over a single issue, and learners on both sides cooperate to understand both sides and arrive at a personal position. Students respond enthusiastically to the exercise, are helped in exploring emotional responses to issues, and learn how, not what, to think. (MSE)

Discusses issues involved in the design of science television programs for preadolescents. The program goals and format of a series in French under production in Montreal are described; program qualities are examined at the emotional level and the cognitive level; and topics are suggested for further research. (33 references) (LRW)

Junior high school students with deafness explored their feelings about having someone with Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) enroll at their special school and then wrote about what their reaction and the reaction of the staff, parents, and other students would be. Students seemed to become more compassionate and understanding toward…

The five chapters and epilogue of this special issue present theoretical and empirical contributions on the relevance of attachment theory to cognitive development and education. A literature review is followed by explorations of attachment theory and emotions, cognitive development, literacy, and the communication effectiveness of the mother.…

Examined associations between children's early experiences in family disputes and later conflict management with close friends. Found that argument used by mothers and siblings that considered children's needs was positively associated with children's later constructive argument and resolution techniques. Mothers' use of argument predicted…

Examined the processes and outcomes of teacher-child attachment relationship formation in a therapeutic preschool. Twenty-one children were sorted with the same teacher three times using Attachment-Q Sort (AQS). Results indicated that children who were least secure, most avoidant, and most resistant in their initial teacher-child relationship were…