Predicted that parents' gender, level of psychological differentiation, perceptions of the marital relationship, and occupational identities would account for differences in parental experiences. Sex differences were found. Greater marital harmony and more advanced occupational identity statuses predicted more confident parenting; better marital…

Investigated contributions to individual differences in preschoolers' identification of basic emotional expressions and situations, emotion language, and self-generated causes for basic emotions. The contribution of socialization predictors to emotion understanding was moderated by gender only for negative emotional responsiveness, and children…

Evaluated measures of infant cognitive development in 208 pairs of twins at 7, 8, and 9 months of age. Results contributed to the growing evidence of stability in intellectual development from infancy. (RH)

Analytic intelligence was a good predictor of communication scores for boys but not for girls. Verbal ability was no better a predictor for girls than boys. The correlational evidence indicates that conventional intelligence tests predict social perspective taking as well as Piaget's measure of spatial perspective-taking ability. (Authors)

Examined whether social cognitions forecast change in aggressive habits over the school year for 189 third through seventh graders. Found that aggression-encouraging cognitions assessed in the fall promoted aggression over the school years, but that such developments hinged on the child's sex and on initial levels of aggression and victimization.…

Analyzes the interrelationships of six basic child-rearing dimensions (nurturance, obedience, responsibility, self-reliance, achievement, and general independence) in a cross-cultural sample of 110 societies. Most generally, results reveal that societal pressures in child rearing in one dimension is likely to be related to pressure in any other…

Explored developmental patterns of gender traditionality and flexibility in 479 children and adolescents. Found that age was positively associated with self-flexibility (a composite of gender-related preferences and self-ratings) and tolerance for others engaged in gender-atraditional behavior. Most variables assessed contributed significantly and…

Short-term longitudinal study compared influence of 6th, 8th, and 10th graders' closest friends (CF) and friendship groups (FG) on cigarette and alcohol use. Results showed that CF influenced initiation of cigarette and alcohol use. Only FG use predicted transition into current cigarette use. Only CF use predicted transition into current alcohol…

A disappointment model was used to examine expressive control in four- and five-year-old children with low, moderate, or high risk for disruptive behavior. Boys' anger predicted their disruptiveness during the disappointment. Girls' minimization of negative emotion predicted attention deficit and conduct disorder symptoms. (WP)

Mothers and infants were observed in the laboratory when the infants were 12, 18, and 24 months. Mothers reported their child's behavior at 36 months. Predictors of boys' externalizing behavior at two and three years were maternal unresponsiveness and infant attention seeking, aggression, and noncompliance. For girls, infant noncompliance was…

Examined role of pubertal and social transitions in emergence of gender differences in depressive symptoms. Found that differences emerged during eighth grade. Seventh-grade pubertal status related to depressive symptoms. Recent stressful life events related to increased depressive symptoms. Early-maturing girls with higher levels of initial…

Measured the facial expressions, heart rate variability (HRV), and skin conductance of 37 third graders and 29 sixth graders while they viewed a film about a distressed child. Found that high HRV was predictive of children's sympathetic rather than distressed reactions and that, for boys, sympathetic responsiveness positively predicted a…

This study examined toddler precursors of preschoolers' externalizing behaviors. Findings indicated that boys initiated more conflictual-aggressive interactions as toddlers and had more externalizing difficulties 2 years later, yet girls' (not boys') conflict-aggressive initiations at age 2 related to subsequent externalizing problems. The…

Examined multiple prenatal antecedents and postnatal correlates of change in marital adjustment and satisfaction in 102 couples from diverse sociocultural backgrounds. Fathers' caregiving, play, and affiliative behaviors were the most powerful, positive predictors for adjustment in both spouses. Additional positive predictors for women were…

Examined ability of individuals biologically predisposed to poor spatial skills to capitalize on opportunities to develop these skills. Found that for girls with brothers, those from all right-handed families had lower mental-rotation scores than did others. Among children participating in mental-rotation-type activities with their brothers,…