Findings indicated that among children between 15 and 35 months observed in a series of play and clean-up tasks, there was a consistent developmental pattern in the extent to which they focused on producing outcomes, and monitored, corrected, and controlled activities, and in the frequency with which they reacted to their outcomes with positive…

Studies investigated the development of children's ability to differentiate what they see from what they know in the context of conceptual perspective taking. Two developmental levels accounted for children's performance when they were asked about a naive observer's knowledge of the identity of objects. Perspective awareness training improved…

Evaluated the relation between fetal activity and postnatal behavior and development by measuring the amount of fetal movement occurring in response to stimulation and the number of stimulus applications necessary for habituation. Preliminary evidence suggests that fetal rate of habituation predicts some aspects of infant behavior and development…

Videotape recordings were made of the kick and step movements of six infants seven months of age, while they were in supine and upright positions on a stationary and moving treadmill. When placed on a moving treadmill, infants performed alternating stepping movements with many characteristics of mature walking. Implications are discussed. (RH)

Focuses on systems theory as the paradigm underlying family therapy and considers the implications of this framework for conceptions of the individual, the study of parent-child interaction, and new research formulations and areas of study. Considers trends in the developmental field that move toward such formulations. (RH)

Results indicated that the more frequently the children studied expressed emotion, the older the age of language achievements; and the more time spent in neutral affect, the younger the age of language achievements. (PCB)

Challenges the typical treatment of causal effects in longitudinal data, arguing that models should be conceptualized and tested in ways that directly reflect prior assumptions as to the trait- or state-like nature of the variables. Examples demonstrate that meaningful longitudinal studies of state variables can be conducted without assuming their…

Developmental changes in conditions engendering pride and embarrassment were explored. Among other results, developmental change was found in the standards used to evaluate emotional experiences; references to social comparison increased with age and references to mastery decreased. (PCB)

The impact of experiencing multiple life changes in early adolescence was studied. Subjects were students followed from sixth to seventh grade and variables analyzed were self-esteem, academic grade-point average, and participation in extra-curricular activities. (PCB)

Differences between father-absent and father-present samples were not large. Although study quality was not the best predictor of outcome, the best-quality studies produced nonsignificant estimates of effect size. Most effect-size estimates were less than .5; many were much smaller. (RH)

A neurobehavioral maturity assessment which used data from preterm infants was developed. Eight dimensions of neurobehavioral functioning were found to be stable, nonredundant, and developmentally valid. (PCB)

Examines the development of, and interrelations among, three types of autonomy during the transition from childhood into adolescence: emotional autonomy in relationships with parents, resistance to peer pressure, and the subjective sense of self-reliance. (HOD)

Experimental group mothers reported significantly greater self-confidence and satisfaction with mothering and more favorable perception of infant temperament than did control group mothers. Differences between children on cognitive scores became significant at 36 and 48 months of age, when the experimental group caught up with normal children. (RH)

To determine the impact of quantitative and qualitative aspects of fathering, relationships among father involvement in childrearing, parenting characteristics, and child adaptation were investigated. Results from 70 infants 20 months of age and their parents highlighted the salience of qualitative characteristics of parenting for toddler…

When first, fourth, and fifth grade speakers played a referential communication game with a fictitious listener, they were more likely to give redundant messages to listeners with whom they had no common shared experience or to strangers than to listeners with whom they had shared a previous experience. (RH)