This study tested child characteristics (temperamental executive control and negative reactivity) and maternal characteristics (parenting behaviors and maternal depressive symptoms) as predictors of a mother's emotion-related socialization behaviors (ERSBs). Further, parenting behaviors and ERSBs were examined as predictors of children's emotion…

Children who are iron deficient (ID) or iron-deficient anemic (IDA) have been shown to seek and receive less stimulation from their caregivers, contributing to "functional isolation". Over time, the reduced interactions between child and caregiver are thought to interfere with the acquisition of normative social competencies and…

A developmental cascade model for adolescent substance use beginning in infancy was examined in a sample of children with alcoholic and nonalcoholic parents. The model examined the role of parents' alcohol diagnoses, depression and antisocial behavior in a cascading process of risk via 3 major hypothesized pathways: first, via parental…

Examined relationships between social contingency in mother-child interaction and the social competence of 47 two-year-olds from low-income families. Found that social contingency was related to children's use of self-regulatory strategies but not to empathic responsiveness. Child negative emotionality and gender contributed to explanations of…

Predictions about the role of contingency, imitation, and affect sharing in the development of social awareness were tested in infants during natural, imitative, and yoked conditions with their mothers at 5 and 13 weeks of age. Results showed that at both ages, infants of highly attuned mothers gazed, smiled, and vocalized positively more during…

The predictive relation between neonatal behavior and temperament at 24 months was examined for 67 infants selected from the full socioeconomic status (SES) distribution. Initial ratings were made when the infants were one to four days old. Irritable neonates were rated as more upset, less attentive to stimuli, and less responsive to the staff at…

Used latent variables path analysis to examine models linking parents' and kindergartners' expressed affect during parent-child play and children's social functioning with peers in kindergarten and first grade. Found that relations between parental positive affect and children's social competence were mediated by children's expressed positive…

Examined parents' responses to emotional distress in their preschool children and assessed the relation of these responses to children's competence. Data on parent-child interactions was collected for 30 families by means of home observations, parent self-reports, observer ratings, and child interviews. Preschool competence was assessed by teacher…

Peer competence in preschool children in two classes was assessed via (a) teacher rankings of social competence, (b) peer sociometrics, and behavioral measures of (c) social participation, and others. Affective expression and social behavior were temporally stable and consistent across contexts for both classes; however, patterns of…

Mothers whose infants varied in early biological characteristics (born at term, n = 120; born at very low birth weight [VLBW], n = 144) were randomized to a target group (n = 133) or developmental feedback comparison group (n = 131) to determine whether learning responsive behaviors would facilitate infant development. The target condition…

Observed kindergartners and first graders playing in dyads. Children who were frequent pretenders had more predictable behavior pathways to and fewer exits from social pretend play (BSP) than children who were infrequent pretenders. Children's social interaction increased in complexity sooner after the onset of BSP than of nonpretend social…

Three studies examined preadolescents for the relation between perceived deviance and negative peer reactions. In the first study, perceived deviance was related to social rejection. In the second and third studies, children's perceptions of responsibility for deviance predicted interpersonal affect and the degree to which the deviant person was…