Middle-class children, divided by age, sex, and the presence/absence of younger siblings in the family, were studied to assess their interest in babies. The findings support MacDonald's contention that birth order effects are best understood as distinctive for each sex, especially when the behaviors investigated are sex-related. (Author/GC)

Responsiveness to babies was observed in parents of children of different ages. Stage of family life cycle affected women's responsivity but not men's. New mothers displayed a heightened generalized interest in babies which is optimally timed and functional in terms of sex differentiated role requirements. (Author/GC)

Interest in babies was assessed in 30 high school seniors and 32 college freshmen. Measures varied from passive perceptual responses to pictures, to behavioral reactions to a live baby in the presence and in the absence of an adult. (JMB)

Discusses the difficulties experienced by fathers in carrying out what they accept as their parental responsibility to communicate with their children about sexuality. Includes examples from interviews with fathers, their wives, and their adolescent children. Finds that fathers' difficulties result from conflicts between traditional masculinity…

Examined parents' and teenagers' evaluations of parents as sex educators; convergence among evaluations; and relevant communication factors. Found that teens evaluated mothers more positively than fathers, daughters evaluated mothers more positively than did sons, and parents evaluated themselves more positively than did their children. Concluded…

Examined relationship between college students' self-reported sexual betrayal of romantic partners and other variables. Found that while acceptance of betrayal was low, incidence was high. Betrayal was more acceptable in bad relationships or with a magnetic attraction to new partner than when perpetrators were vindictive or certain of not being…

Interest in babies was assessed in 30 parents of adolescents, 28 parents whose grown children were no longer living at home, and 26 grandparents of an infant. Measures included responsivity to an unfamiliar baby in a waiting room situation, interest in pictures of babies, and a sex-role self-concept inventory. (JMB)

High schoolers (N=298) completed surveys describing the frequency and importance of mother and father communication about 20 different sex-related topics. Adolescents reported infrequent communication that varied by domain and gender of parent and teen. When communication occurred, it was most frequently about development and societal concern or…

Found that patterns of associations in adolescent coping and adult adaptation over time differ by sex. Coping and adapting to stress by turning to religion or to friends were found to be sex-specific. Convergence between adolescent coping strategies and traditional gender roles predicted good young-adult adaptation. (TM)

An Australian study of parent-adolescent communication about sexuality revealed complex meanings inherent in the understanding of "openness". These included willingness to answer questions while not keeping a spotlight on the topic; having an open-minded attitude; balancing openness with privacy; and being responsive to characteristics…

Interviews mothers of 16-year olds to examine the style, content, and frequency of their communications with their adolescents about sex and sexuality. Qualitative analysis reveals five communication styles: avoidance, reactive, opportunistic, child-initiated, and mutually interactive. Styles differ in who initiates and maintains sexual…

Examined longitudinally the influence of gender and family factors assessed during adolescence on young adult romantic intimacy. Found that men reported more problems of insufficient intimacy than women, regardless of family dynamics. Flexible control, family cohesion, and mothers' marital satisfaction predicted young adults' intimacy. Family…

Examined family cohesion and power in relation to depressive affect, social self-concept, and behavioral restraint in young adolescents. Cohesion and power were examined within the context of parent-child and mother-father relationships. The cohesive nature of family relationships affected adjustment more consistently for girls than boys, whereas…

Examined the nature and correlates of parents' expectations about adolescent sons' behavioral autonomy in a longitudinal study of 81 boys and their families, conducted when the boys were in 6th and 10th grade. Found that fathers' timetables for privileges at preadolescence predicted sons' midadolescent academic and social outcomes four years…

Examined whether relationship seriousness influenced youths' sexual behaviors and attitudes. Found that interpersonal context influenced sexual timetables of whites more than other groups. Some ethnic differences in sexual timetables were diminished when sociodemographic factors were controlled. Youth generally began sexual activities with a…