This study tracked parental stress among 115 mothers of infants and toddlers with disabilities to evaluate patterns of stability and change in parental adaptation during the early childhood period. Parents were given the Parenting Stress Index three times: upon entry into an early intervention program, 1 year later, and when the child reached age…

An often overlooked problem in corrections is the way children are influenced by their parents' incarceration. Although in the past prisons were more tolerant of parent-child relationships, since the 1970's until recently, the prevailing philosophy has been to keep children separated from their incarcerated parents. Because of the shift from…

Exploring the stresses and dangers substitute mothering may pose to a toddler's personality development, this paper points out behavioral hallmarks of toddlerhood, describes the main developmental tasks toddlers have to master, and discusses factors that facilitate healthy development during this phase. Special emphasis is given to the most…

A child's school disorder can, and most often does, exist within the complexity of the family's transactional patterns and must be dealt with in this context. To do so, a conceptual model of family dynamics is needed. Minuchin (1979) offers a theoretical framework to help structure such a model. He and his colleagues identified five common…

This report describes an attempt to implement a cost-effective social learning intervention program for home use in which behavior modification techniques were taught to parents of 12 conduct-problem children (ages between 3 and 11 years) by psychologists at the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario. Mother and father and mothers-only treatment…

This report is a brief discussion of the case histories of three preschool children who were participants in an "Exploratory Study of the Effects of Individual Work on the Functioning of Maladjusted Pre-School Children." This exploratory study was concerned with emotional-social learning and developed the hypothesis that certain desirable…

Discussed in a conference report on adolescent psychology are the varieties of behavioral problems and family dynamics by Richard Jenkins, biological growth during adolescence by J.R. Unwin, management of adolescents in a general hospital setting by Henry Kravitz, and educational problems in disturbed adolescents by S.J. Shamsie, Jean-L. Lapointe,…

Discusses the emotional trauma children experience at home and in school when their parents divorce. Also considers the actual and potential role of the school in providing support to these youngsters. (Author/LD)

Longitudinal studies from Hawaii, the continental United States, and Great Britain have identified several personality, familial, and environmental variables that promote resiliency in youths at risk. This article discusses these variables and provides counselors with an assessment technique and strategies to promote a salutogenesis perspective.…

Open-ended interviews in which 20 family members discussed issues related to their child's problem behavior revealed three major themes: the difficult process of coming to terms with the child's disability, the importance of having support from caring people, and the pervasive impact the problem behavior exerts on family functioning. (Contains…

A comparison of 86 learning-disabled children, aged 7-11, and 86 age-matched controls found that subjects were able to generate fewer alternatives for solving social problems, showed less adaptive assertiveness and tolerance for frustration, exhibited more classroom behavior problems, displayed less personal and social competence, and had more…

This 4-year longitudinal study followed 12 infants or young children (6 boys and 6 girls) in 7 high-risk Swedish families (including drug abuse, chaotic family structure, antisocial behavior, and child care problems). Three girls developed mainly constructive (moderating) strategies; the other children demonstrated more or less destructive,…

Summarizes research on single-parent households and families whose mothers have remarried. This research concentrates on the effect of marital transitions on family functioning and children's adjustment. Introduces a longitudinal study that examined transformations in marital, parent-child, and sibling relationships following the remarriage of a…

Families of 72 children with sexual behavior problems completed a structured interview and psychometric measures. Caregivers manifested stresses across many variables including income, criminal arrest, family violence, sexual abuse, social support, modulation of emotion, and attachment to the child. Foster parents consistently reported lower…

Infants and toddlers need to learn a wide range of skills from their parents to prepare them for their experiences outside the home. This guide is designed to provide parents with practical, future-oriented suggestions on raising toddlers and preschool-age children. It provides a step-by-step approach to handling everyday problems, promoting the…