2 experiments were conducted concerning the development of spatial orientation during the second year of life. Both experiments were focused on oriented search for a hidden target object in the absence of landmarks, which can be accomplished by relating one's movements to knowledge of a target's location. In experiment 1, 18-month-olds were tested to examine the precision with which they use information for the direction and magnitude of self-movement to keep track of the target location. Although the toddlers' search behavior was imprecise, the results showed that they appropriately modulated their search behavior according to the directions and magnitudes of their previous movements away from the hidden target. Experiment 2 was designed to determine whether toddlers can go beyond the information directly experienced in previous routes of travel to infer the shortest route to a hidden target. The results indicated that the 18-month-old and the highly selected 14-month-old subjects can perform spatial inferences of this type. The mechanisms through which these spatial abilities develop are discussed.
For children who have been sexually abused, group therapy is often a preferred treatment modality. Although much consideration has been given to what structured activities, goals, and objectives should be included in groups for sexually abused children, limited attention has been paid to the dynamics and processes inherent in the group. This article follows the dynamic unfolding of a short-term structured group for latency-aged, female sexual abuse victims. Special emphasis is placed on listening to the messages underlying children's actions and responding to the message rather than suppressing or limiting the behavior. It is argued that by attending to group dynamics and processes in a theme-focused group, structured activities become more effective and the power of the group can be harnessed to foster opportunities for healing that otherwise might go unrecognized.
IntroductionWe no longer live in an era blind to the possibility that children of all ages, within or without the home, can be victims of sexual abuse. As allegations continue to increase, tools for assessing and validating sexual abuse must be formulated, clarified, refined, and standardized. Substantiating allegations, however, is a complicated process. For example, when claims of sexual abuse are raised within the context of a custody dispute, doubt is often cast on the sincerity and credibility of the allegations. Literature is now accumulating which examines the possibility that children may fabricate or be coached into making false accusations (Breese
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