Sample A: Cover Page of Thesis, Project, or Dissertation Proposal

Item 6 The child shows very negative affect vigorously.
Item 7 The child‘s facial expression looks depressed or sad. The expression can
be brief.
Item 8 The child shows sustained negative affect for 30 seconds or more.
Item 9 The child shows negative affect during pretense play or ―fakes it‖ (e.g.,
feigned sadness).
Inappropriate affect
Item 1 The child expresses negative affect to another child in response to the
other‘s neutral or positive overture. This behavior appears inappropriate in
the context.
Item 2 The child fails to show positive affect when appropriate as defined by the
context. This must be overt; the child must clearly be trying to avoid
expression of positive affect.
Item 3 The child fails to show negative affect when appropriate.
Item 4 The child takes pleasure in another‘s distress.
Item 5 The child does not respond when approached affectively by another.
Item 6 The child cries in absence of perceived physical injury.
Item 7 The child whines in the absence of perceived physical injury.
Item 8 The child displays more silliness than the situation warrants. The silly
behavior extends beyond the contexts in which it was elicited.
Reactions to frustration and conflict
Item 1a The child promptly verbally expresses feelings arising from a problem
situation, then moves on to the same or a new activity (versus
withdrawing, displacing the affect onto others or objects, or staying
upset). a
Item 1b The child shows primarily neutral or positive affect. a
Item 1c The child shows primarily negative affect, but the child‘s talking about
feelings helps the situation. b
Item 2 The child expresses feelings arising from situation but stays upset. b
Item 3 The child tolerates frustration well. a
Item 4 The child negotiates with others; no actual frustration is noted. a
Lapses in impulse control
Item 1 The child displays context-related interpersonal aggression (verbal or
physical). Someone does something to which the child responds with
aggression. An emotionally arousing preceding event must be observed.
Item 2 Object aggression: The child hits, kicks, shoves, knocks over, or throws
objects in response to an emotionally arousing problem situation.
Item 3 Tantrum: The child displays pronounced feelings of upset and a loss of
control.
Item 4 Unregulated anger versus a tantrum: The child‘s affect is not as sustained
as during a tantrum. The child‘s loss of control is not as great and may be
limited.
Item 5 The child displays an inability to stop an ongoing behavior.
147