The parent of a head injured young adult recounts her family's problems learning to cope and gives other examples of the effects of head injuries on sons and daughters, husbands, and wives. Successful and unsuccessful patterns of family coping are noted. (DB)

The impact of a child's learning disability on the family system is explored using Feuerstein's concept of mediated learning experience. Four prototypical patterns of family response are identified, with descriptions of the mediational restrictions and potentialities embedded within them. (DB)

Two papers, one on child abuse and the other on effects of preinstitutional history and institutionalization on the behavior of the retarded, are presented. In the first paper the author stresses the need to document the scope and nature of child abuse in American society and discusses the difficulties in defining where on the continuum discipline…

Families are rule-governed systems of interdependent individuals whose interaction follows an intricate pattern of behavior. Communication patterns in a family reflect and emerge from contradictions in rules. A function may be defined as something that a system does and must do if it is not to break down. For instance identity and stability…

Duty related separation for military family members demands family support programs to help alleviate the stresses produced by separation. Not only is performance of the military member affected, but so is the emotional stability of the spouse and children. Three phases of emotion and behavior can be delineated in the sequence-reaction to the loss…

Argues that there appear to be sound biological and sociological reasons why gender differentiation of roles within childrearing families is necessary for society's good. Gender differentiation is important for child development and possibly for marital stability. Fathers are not the same as mothers nor should they be. (SLD)