Positive Social Behavior Research Articles

Opportunities for Socioemotional Learning in Music Classrooms

The elementary music class is an ideal setting for building socioemotional skills in children. These skills can assist children in their early music learning through brain development, and they become increasingly important as students reach higher levels of musicianship. Socioemotional learning programs are currently being used to reduce at-risk behaviors in schools. Strategies for building social skills include identifying specific behaviors, modeling behaviors we want students to learn, and devising positive reinforcement systems to reward students for showing positive social behavior.

Assessment of test–retest reliability of animal-based measures on growing pig farms

Measures taken on animals are subject to variations and their reliability may represent one of their main limitations when used in a welfare assessment tool. Test–retest reliability refers to the likelihood that the same results will be obtained if the assessment is repeated by the same observer. This study discusses the test–retest reliability of quantitative and qualitative animal-based measures included into the Welfare Quality® protocol on a sample of 15 intensive conventional farms of growing pigs. An average of 12 months elapsed between the two visits and no changes in management routines or housing conditions were made by the farmers during this interval. A Wilcoxon signed rank test was used to test whether the mean results obtained during the two visits were significantly different. Different methods were used to assess repeatability of mean prevalences at farm level: Spearman's correlation coefficient (rs), intra class correlation coefficient (ICC) and limits of agreement (LoA). Moderate bursitis, widespread skin discolouration and positive social behaviour presented mean results significantly different between the two visits (P<0.05). From a discriminative point of view, only moderately soiled body (rs=0.7; ICC=0.8) and the panic response (rs=0.7; ICC=0.5) were consistent the 12 month period. However, inconsistencies between Spearman's correlation and ICC were found when interpreting the reliability of several quantitative measures such as severely wounded animal and severely soiled body. The Qualitative Behaviour Assessment (QBA) was subject to a significant effect of visit, however, the two sets of scores were moderately related on the first axis of the principal component analysis (rs=0.5). A more evaluative approach such as the limits of agreement can be useful to guide the interpretation of test–retest reliability of quantitative measures based on farm averages and to detect farms that present a persistent welfare problem. Unless the assessment relates only to the relative ranking of a farm within the same visit, the QBA is not consistent over the 12 month period.

Intensive Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Anxiety Disorders in School-aged Children with Autism: A Preliminary Comparison with Treatment-as-Usual

Children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) frequently present with a comorbid anxiety disorder that can cause significant functional impairment, particularly at school. An intensive modular cognitive behavioral treatment (CBT) program was delivered to address anxiety, self-regulation, and social engagement in school and in the community. A particular emphasis was placed on increasing generalizability of coping skills and positive social behavior by involving school personnel in the treatment process. Children (7–11 years old) were randomly assigned to an immediate treatment condition (IT) that included 32 sessions of CBT (n = 7) or a 16-week treatment-as-usual (TAU) condition (n = 5). The CBT sessions emphasized behavioral experimentation and emotion regulation training as well as social coaching on increasing positive peer interactions. School observations and consultations were included in the treatment model. Independent evaluators blind to treatment condition conducted structured diagnostic interviews at baseline and post-IT/post-TAU. Post-treatment analyses showed that 71.4 % of the IT group had remitted from their primary anxiety disorder diagnosis as compared with none of the TAU group. In addition, an ANCOVA analysis conducted with baseline anxiety scores included as a covariate revealed a statistically significant difference by treatment group in anxiety severity favoring the IT group at post-treatment. The 32-session CBT program is an intensive approach for children with ASD and moderate-to-severe anxiety disorders that appears to yield a clinically significant impact on anxiety symptoms. The generalizability of coping skills may be enhanced by the inclusion of school-based treatment components due to the consistency of supports this permits across the child’s daily settings.

To enforce or not to enforce? The use of collaborative interfaces to promote social skills in children with high functioning autism spectrum disorder

The goal of this stud was to examine whether a technological touch activated Collaborative Puzzle Game (CPG) increased positive social behaviors in children with high functioning autism spectrum disorder (HFASD). The CPG involved construction of a virtual puzzle by selecting and dragging pieces into the solution area on a touch screen table. The target picture was presented on the top of the screen. Six dyads of children with HFASD (aged 8-11 years) engaged in the CPG in a Free Play (FP) mode in which partners could independently move puzzle pieces versus in an Enforced Collaboration (EC) mode in which partners could only move puzzle pieces together. Videos of the dames were coded for the frequencies of positive and negative social interaction, affect, play, and autistic behaviors. Parents completed the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS). Wilcoxon Signed-ranks tests indicated that children with HFASD showed significantly higher frequencies of positive social interaction and collaborative play in the EC versus FP modes but there were no differences in negative social behaviors. Differences in social behaviors between partners during the puzzle games were not significant; however there were differences within pair in the severity of social deficits as assessed by the SRS questionnaire. The CPG in an EC mode was effective in promoting positive social interaction by requiring children to work together towards a mutual goal. However, the increased challenge in this mode, particularly for children with lower social-communication skills, suggests the need for establishing selection criteria and mediation steps for such interventions.

Behavioral changes in neonatal swine after an 8-hour rest during prolonged transportation12

Long distance transportation of weaned piglets (Sus scrofa) is increasingly common in the united states and may result in delayed eating, drinking, or normal social behaviors. A potential solution is a mid-journey rest (lairage). The objective of this study was to determine if a lairage altered behavior after a 16-h transport. Pigs that weighed approximately 18 kg each (n = 894) were housed in 16 pens with 8 pens per treatment. Lairaged pigs were transported for 8 h and given an 8-h rest with food and water, whereas control pigs were transported continuously for 16 h. The heaviest, the lightest, and 2 average-BW pigs relative to the average weight of the pen were observed by video recording for 24 h immediately before and after transport, and during d 6 and 13 after transport. Postures (lying, sitting, and standing) were recorded using 10-min-interval scan sampling, and behavioral categories included inactivity, activities (eating, drinking, alert, manipulating pen, rooting, and walking) and social interactions (aggression, belly nosing, playing, tail biting, and positive social behaviors). In both treatments, sitting occurred most before transport (P < 0.01) than at other times, but did not differ between treatments. Standing increased (time effect; P < 0.01) for both treatments immediately after transport through d 6, but returned to pre-transport values by d 13. In contrast, lying decreased (time effect; P < 0.01) after transport, but returned to above pre-transport values by d 13. Time effects were evident for activity (P < 0.01), pen manipulation (P = 0.05), rooting (P < 0.01), initiation of belly-nosing (P = 0.01), and receiving belly-nosing (P = 0.03); however, initiation of aggression did not differ for day (P = 0.19) or treatment (P = 0.56). Lairaged pigs initiated more (P = 0.05) play than continuously transported pigs, but no differences (P = 0.84) were seen in receipt of play behavior. Pigs that were to be transported for 16 h continuously walked less pre-transport, walked more post-transport (treatment × time interaction; P = 0.02), and drank less pre-transport, but drank more on all days post-transport compared with the lairage group (treatment × time interaction; P = 0.001). This study indicated that extended transport without lairage alters some swine behaviors relevant to production (water consumption) and demonstrated that a long-duration transport, regardless of the mid-journey lairage treatment, affects a number of behaviors up to 13 d after transportation.

Peer relations scale for adolescents treated for substance use disorder: a factor analytic presentation

BackgroundThe literature indicates that peer relations are an important aspect of the treatment and recovery of adolescents with substance use disorder (SUD). Unfortunately, no standard measure of peer relations exists. The objective of this research is to use exploratory factor analysis to examine the underlying factor structure of a 14-item peer relations scale for use in this treatment population.MethodsParticipants are 509 adolescents discharged from primary substance abuse treatment from 2003–2010. The data are from research conducted between six and twelve months post discharge via a 230-item questionnaire that included the 14-item peer relations scale. The scale has questions that assess the degree to which the adolescent's social contacts conform to norms of positive behavior and therefore foster non-use and recovery. The response rate was 62%.ResultsThe scale was decomposed by principal component factor analysis. When the matrix was rotated by varimax a three factor solution explaining 99.99% of the common variance emerged. The first factor yielded ten items that measure association with peers who engage in positive versus delinquent social behavior (positive versus negative social behavior). The three items in the second factor specify association with peers who use versus those who don’t use drugs, and thereby encourage recovery and discourage drug use (drug use). The third and factor contained two items measuring the degree to which the recovering adolescent associates with new or previous friends (post treatment peer association).ConclusionsThis scale is useful as a standard measure in that it begins to identify the measurable dimensions of peer relations that influence sustaining post treatment recovery.

What We Do Best

It is time to revisit the way we describe and advocate for the “learning power” of museums. Museum learning is unique, multi-faceted and inspires higher-order affective and cognitive development. Yet, when museums describe their educational impact to stakeholders, it is often described narrowly, using the measures of formal education rather than focusing on its capacity to model intrinsically-motivated, joyful, open-ended learning that supports self-knowledge and positive social behavior. Museum educators are not doing enough to make a case for the value of museum learning in its own right with political, civic, educational and even museum entities.

Academic engagement of students with emotional and behavioral disorders: existing research, issues, and future directions

Academic engagement is a multidimensional construct that is gaining increasing attention in education as a means of promoting positive academic and social behavior outcomes for diverse learners across all levels of education. However, this review revealed that research on academic engagement of students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD), which has primarily been performed using US student populations, has narrowly defined the term by focusing primarily on one aspect of the behavioral dimension (on-task behavior). Using on-task behavior to indicate, define, and measure academic engagement significantly limits the proposed short and long-term positive outcomes for students with EBD. This review identified and critically analyzed three fundamental issues in the study of academic engagement of students with EBD: (1) the definition of academic engagement; (2) the measurement of academic engagement; and (3) the desired outcomes for students with EBD. Considerations for future directions are provided.

Contact with Nature and Children’s Wellbeing in Educational Settings

Problem statement: The study explores the role of the spatial-physical features of the environment for the functioning of educational institutions. Previous research in the field of environmental psychology showed how physical characteristics of learning environments might be linked to positive or negative outcomes in terms of learning attitudes and behaviors. In particular, there is consistent empirical evidence showing that contact with natural settings promotes psychological restoration, leading to the recovery of direct attention and stress reduction. The present study aims at investigating the impact of the experience of contact with external green spaces during school time upon children’s capacity of focusing direct attention on a specific task during structured activity with educators and upon the quality of children’s social interaction with peers and adult educators. Approach: A total of 16 children (age range 18-36 months) attending a recently opened childcare center in Rome, Italy participated in the study. The physical features of the internal and external spaces of the educational institutions were assessed via on-site observations. Systematic observations of the children were performed, in different spaces of the educational setting and in different moments of the school day. In particular, children’s performance in a visual-spatial task requiring direct attention and children social behavior (using a checklist of social interaction and emotional behavior) were assessed by a paper-and-pencil observation grid on a six-step scale. Results: The research suggests that contact with external green open spaces during school time is significantly associated with better performances in structured tasks requiring direct attention and to positive social behaviors. The frequency of educators’ direct interventions is smaller after the children’s contact with external green open spaces. Conclusion/Recommendations: These findings can contribute to gaining a better understanding of the restoration processes occurring in different typologies of educational settings and suggest the importance of providing these environments, such as childcare centers, with adequate external green spaces, in order to allow children to have opportunities for systematic psychological restoration during school time.

Cooperative conflict-solving during adolescence: Relationships with cognitive-behavioural and predictor variables

The purpose of the study was to analyse the existence of sex differences in three styles of interpersonal conflict resolution, to explore the relationships between cooperative and aggressive conflict resolution with diverse cognitive-behavioural variables, and to identify predictor variables of cooperative interpersonal conflict resolution. The sample included 313 adolescents, aged 15 to 17 years. Descriptive and correlational methodology was used, and 6 assessment instruments were administered. The ANOVAs showed significantly higher scores for the females in cooperative conflict resolution, and for the males in aggressive conflict resolution. Pearson coefficients confirmed that adolescents of both sexes who used a cooperative conflict-solving style also had a high self-concept, many positive cognitions and empathy towards victims of violence, a high consideration of prosocial values and behaviours, high empathy, many positive and few aggressive social behaviours. Regression analysis identified 3 predictor variables of the use of a “cooperative resolution” style: many behaviours of social sensitivity, a good self-concept and a high level of empathetic concern.

Relationship between the Outdoor Physical Environment and Student's Social Behaviour in Urban Secondary School

School environment is important to the child's development. Theories of environmental psychology suggest that environmental context influences social attitudes and behaviour. The research focuses on the relationship between the outdoor physical environment of urban schools and the students’ social behavior of two secondary schools in Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia. The findings demonstrate that some relationships exist between the outdoor physical environment of the school and the students’ social behaviour. The design and planning of the school's external environment should give more consideration on creating conducive learning environment that could foster positive social behavior especially for urban schools.

CLASSROOM SOCIAL BEHAVIOR OF HEARING IMPAIRED CHILDREN

social adaption, long-term relationships, and the development of cognition, emotion and personality in unique and important ways. Children with hearing impairment often have some degree of language and/or speech delay, which is a major factor affecting their social interaction with peers. The present research was aimed at the study of classroom social behavior of hearing impaired children at primary level. The research was descriptive and direct observation method was used to identify the positive and negative social behavior of hearing impaired children exhibited in the classroom and at playground. 50 hearing impaired children including male and female studying in classes I to V of special education centers for children with hearing impairment at Islamabad were selected randomly. A checklist was used to identify the social behavior. The items were developed on the indicators of classroom social behavior of hearing impaired children such as respect of elders, sharing, rebel, aggressive behavior, cooperation, fighting, calm and quiet, follow the instructions, teasing others, and friendly etc.On the basis of research findings it was concluded that most of hearing impaired children respect their elders, remain calm and quite during lesson, do not share their things with other students, do not rebel during lesson. Most of them cooperate with others during group activities, stay away from fighting during group activities, and follow the rules in playing group games. Some of them get angry when other students distract them from their studies, do not tease their friends. The male children immediately become frustrated when they can’t solve a problem and become aggressive (violent) when something goes against their will.It was recommended that creating awareness of classroom social behavior in hearing impaired children can change their behavior positively. Moreover, hearing impaired children should be motivated and encouraged to move in a positive social life.

Acute intranasal oxytocin improves positive self-perceptions of personality

Research suggests the experimental manipulation of oxytocin facilitates positive interactions, cooperation, and trust. The mechanism by which oxytocin influences social behavior is not well understood. We explored the hypothesis that oxytocin alters how people perceive themselves, which could be one mechanism by which oxytocin promotes prosocial behavior. In a between-subject, randomized, and double-blind experiment, 100 university students received a 24 I.U. dose of intranasal oxytocin or placebo, and then completed the Revised NEO Personality Inventory (NEO-PI-R) and other self-report measures 90 min later. Intranasal oxytocin increased ratings of NEO-PI-R extraversion and openness to experiences [F(1,98) = 4.910, p = .025, partial η (2) = .05; F(1,98) = 6.021, p = .016, partial η (2) = .06], particularly for the following facets: positive emotions (d = 0.48, p < .05), warmth (d = 0.47, p < .05), openness to values (d = 0.45, p < .05) and ideas (d = 0.40, p < .05), trust (d = 0.44, p < .05), and altruism (d = 0.40, p < .05). Oxytocin had no influence on ratings of negative emotionality, conscientiousness, rejection sensitivity, depression, worry, self-esteem, and perceived social support. The administration of oxytocin improved participants' self-perceptions of their personality, at least for certain traits important for social affiliation. Increased positive self-referential processing may be one mechanism by which oxytocin promotes positive social behaviors.

A Longitudinal Investigation of Employment Among Low-Income Youth

Drawing on previous research linking patterns of adolescent employment—defined in terms of duration and intensity—to educational and occupational outcomes later in life (Staff &amp; Mortimer, 2008), the present study (a) examined positive social behavior and academic variables as longitudinal predictors of patterns of adolescent employment during the school year in a low-income, ethnically diverse sample and (b) assessed patterns of employment as correlates of adolescents’ optimism for the future and perceived efficacy. Results revealed a predictive relationship between youths’ autonomy and steady employment 3 years later. Furthermore, steady employment during adolescence was related to greater optimism about the future and higher levels of efficacy.

Residential Mobility and Prosocial Development Within a Single City

Neighborhood social dynamics have been shown to impact behavioral development in residents, including levels of prosociality (i.e. positive social behavior). This study explores whether residential moves to neighborhoods with different social dynamics can influence further prosocial development. Prosociality, five domains of social support, and residential location were tracked between 2006 and 2009 in 397 adolescents across a small city in upstate New York. Analysis compared the role of the different forms of social support in prosocial development for movers versus non-movers. The effects of one's neighborhood of residence at Time 2 were also compared between movers and non-movers. Prosocial development in these two groups responded similarly to all forms of social support, including from neighbors. Movers experienced a greater increase in prosociality the more residentially stable the adolescent population of their new neighborhood of residence. Such neighborhood characteristics were not influential in the prosocial development of non-movers.

The recovery approach to the care of mentally disordered patients. Does it predict treatment engagement and positive social behaviour beyond quality of life?

The main aim of this study was to investigate whether the ‘recovery approach’ to the care of mentally disordered patients is associated with treatment motivation/engagement and positive social interactions on the ward beyond that of perceived quality of life. The participants were 75 service users in a medium secure unit in south-east England, who completed the Recovery Journey Questionnaire (RJQ), The Manchester Short Assessment of Quality of Life (MANSA), The Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS), and the Patient Motivation and Perception Questionnaires (PMI and PPQ). The patients’ primary nurse independently completed the Disruptive Behaviour and Social Problem Scale (DBSP) for 33 service users. Multiple regressions showed that after controlling for age, ethnicity and diagnosis (severe mental illness vs personality disorder), the RJQ contributed to the variance in treatment motivation, treatment engagement, and positive social interactions on the ward above quality of life with medium to large effect sizes. The strongest effect size was with regard to treatment engagement where the amount of variance explained increased from 22% to 51% after the RJQ was entered into the regression. The results indicate that the recovery approach explains treatment motivation/engagement and positive social interactions above and beyond quality of life.

Long-term ovariectomy alters social and anxious behaviors in semi-free ranging Japanese macaques

Symptoms of anxiety and depression often occur in young women after complete hysterectomy and in older women during menopause. There are many variables that are hard to control in human population studies, but that are absent to a large extent in stable nonhuman primate troops. However, macaques exhibit depressive and anxious behaviors in response to similar situations as humans such as isolation, stress, instability or aggression. Therefore, we hypothesized that examination of behavior in ovariectomized individuals in a stable macaque troop organized along matriarchal lineages and in which individuals have social support from extended family, would reveal effects that were due to the withdrawal of ovarian steroids without many of the confounds of human society. We also tested the hypothesis that ovariectomy would elicit and increase anxious behavior in a stressful situation such as brief exposure to single caging. Japanese macaques ( Macaca fuscata) were ovariectomized (Ovx) or tubal-ligated (intact controls) at 3 years of age and allowed to mature for 3 years in a stable troop of approximately 300 individuals. Behaviors were recorded in the outdoor corral in the third year followed by individual temperament tests in single cages. There was no obvious difference in anxiety-related behaviors such as scratching between Ovx and tubal-ligated animals in the corral. Nonetheless, compared to tubal-ligated animals, Ovx animals exhibited a significant decrease in (1) positive social behavior, (2) initiating dominance behavior, (3) time receiving grooming, (4) locomoting, (5) mounting behavior, and in (6) consort behavior. However, Ovx females exhibited a significant increase in (1) consummatory behavior and (2) object play compared to tubal-ligated controls. In the individual temperament tests, Ovx individuals exhibited an increase in anxiety-related behaviors. There was no difference in adrenal weight/body weight suggesting that neither group was under chronic stress. These data indicate that ovarian hormones enable females to successfully navigate their social situation and may reduce anxiety in novel situations.

The long-term effects on children and adolescents of a policy providing work supports for low-income parents.

New Hope, an employment-based poverty-reduction intervention for adults evaluated in a random-assignment experimental design, had positive impacts on children's achievement and social behavior two and five years after random assignment. The question addressed in this paper was the following: Did the positive effects of New Hope on younger children diminish or even reverse when children reached the challenges of adolescence (eight years after random assignment)? Small positive impacts on school progress, school motivation, positive social behavior, child well-being, and parent control endured, but impacts on school achievement and problem behavior were no longer evident. The most likely reasons for lasting impacts were that New Hope families were slightly less likely to be poor, and children had spent more time in center-based child care and structured activities. New Hope represents a model policy that could produce modest improvements in the lives of low-income adults and children.

Gendered Capital: Childhood Socialization and the “Boy Crisis” in Education

This study examined the effect of gender socialization on kindergarten grades using data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study- Kindergarten Cohort. The sample consisted of 6,394 children (3,177 girls; 3,217 boys) from across the United States. MANOVA and follow-up tests revealed that both boys and girls tend to participate in gender-typed activities. Girls are more likely to have positive school attitudes and exhibit positive social behavior; boys are more likely to have negative school attitudes. Regression analyses indicated that participation in “female” activities and positive social behavior positively affect grades; participation in “male” activities has no direct effect. Positive attitudes positively affect the grades of girls; negative attitudes negatively affect the grades of boys. Teacher evaluation practices are also considered.

Mediators of the Relationship Between Stable Nonresident Households and Toddler Outcomes

The present study examined the associations between stable nonresidence among never married parents (compared with coresident parents) and outcomes for toddlers using the Early Childhood Longitudinal Survey–Birth Cohort. The authors found small to medium negative associations between stable nonresidence and toddlers’ positive social behavior and small negative associations between stable nonresidence and toddlers’ cognition. The associations between stable nonresidence and positive social behavior and cognition were explained by mothers’ supportiveness during interactions with the child. The findings suggest that toddlers in stable nonresident families are at greater risk for lowered school readiness because of diminished quality of maternal interactions with the child. Implications for practice and policy are discussed.