The genetic and environmental etiologies of sex-typed behavior were examined during the preschool years in a sample of 3,990 three- to four-year-old twin and nontwin sibling pairs. Results showed moderate genetic and significant shared environmental influence for boys and substantial genetic and moderate shared environmental influence for girls.…

Compares patterns of play and serious aggression in three- to eight-year-old children of two neighboring Zapotec Indian communities that have different levels of adult violence. Results suggest that community differences in violence levels are perpetuated as Zapotec children learn community-appropriate patterns to express aggression and continue…

Responds to Belsky's critique of the Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale and suggests explanations for the disparity in results when using the Scale as an intervention device with new families. (HOD)

Examines whether vocal exchanges between preverbal infants and their mothers show characteristics similar to those found to be typical of conversational exchanges between competent adult speakers. (HOD)

Examines the relations among the quality of stepparent-stepchild relationships, the frequency of visits from nonresident parents, and child outcomes in four types of stepfamilies. (HOD)

Significant correlations were obtained between the language comprehension scores of the children and both the quality of the task directed to them and the way in which the nursery was organized. (Authors)

A developmental model for paranoid behavior has been proposed which postulates that the attempt to adapt to sustained aversive maternal control by manipulative social approach behaviors (open adaptive style) leaves the person vulnerable to emerging paranoid tendencies. (Author)

Compares patterns of friendship in infants, toddlers, and preschool children who attended either a child-care center or a program for emotionally disturbed children. Younger children had fewer and more stable friendships; emotionally disturbed children limited friendships to single partners. Complexity of social interaction increased most within…

Four features of early adolescent friendship have received the greatest attention in the literature: intimacy of conversations, friends' responsiveness to each other's needs and desires, the degree of similarity or complementarity between friends, and the stability of friendships over time. Each of these features and its potential effect on the…

A sample of ten abused toddlers ranging in age from one to three years and ten matched controls from families experiencing stress were observed during social interactions with caregivers and with peers in their day care settings. (JMB)

Examined the relationship between individual interactional style, individual problem-solving behavior, and family problem-solving effectiveness in 431 intact rural families with 2 children, 1 of whom was in seventh grade. Results indicated that a hostile interactional style directly predicted destructive problem-solving behavior, whereas a warm…

Explores the hypothesis that parenting practices of abusive mothers are characterized by (1) greater use of power-assertive strategies, (2) less flexible behavior with respect to child compliance attempts, (3) more inconsistent use of parenting techniques, and (4) diminished affective quality. (HOD)

Behavioral pattern of deficits observed in dyslexic children is quite similar to adults who have sustained damage to the left cerebral hemisphere. (Authors)