This study modeled physical and psychosocial aspects of home environment and personal characteristics in a cumulative risk heuristic. Found that elevated cumulative risk was associated with heightened cardiovascular and neuroendocrine parameters, increased deposition of body fat, and higher summary index of total allostatic load. Replicated…

A pilot study examined effects of pre- and peri-adoption therapy on adoptive placements of 13 children who had been in foster care and who had been identified as "emotionally unstable." Intervention included counseling with licensed therapists and other services, such as parent education to ease the transition into permanency. Findings…

A meta-analysis of 30 studies found the following learner characteristics influenced the treatment responsiveness of early literacy interventions: rapid naming; problem behavior; phonological awareness; alphabetic principle; memory; IQ; and demographics. With the exception of the demographic category, the obtained effect sizes for the primary…

Assessed the role of attention processes as mediators between family environment and school readiness, analyzing data from 1,002 children and their families participating in the NICHD Study of Early Child Care. Found that sustained attention partially accounted for the link between family environment and achievement and language outcomes.…

Examined 4-year-olds for effects on IQ of prenatal cocaine exposure, exposure to other substances, risk factors, and neonatal medical problems. Found that maternal verbal IQ and low environmental risk predicted child IQ. Cocaine exposure negatively predicted children's overall IQ and verbal reasoning scores for boys only. Maternal harsh…

According to Fordham University's 1996 "Index of Social Health," our society's overall well-being is decreasing significantly. Today's children are not sufficiently shielded from adult economic, political, and sexual forces. Children's social world has become poisonous, due to escalating violence, the potentially lethal consequences of…

Thirty Chinese mothers of adult children with mental retardation were interviewed to explore the source and nature of their stress and social support. Results found common stressors were future planning and behavior problems of the children. Mothers received support mainly from family members and training center staff. (Author/CR)

A teacher examines his role in helping high-risk students explore alternatives to school expulsion and discusses how these students are victims of the educational system and their environment. Describes how these children variously, begin to understand behavioral consequences, realize the importance of setting goals and planning, give up, or learn…

A study involving 41 families investigated child and family characteristics associated with stable behavior problems in preschoolers. Results indicated that, at preschool age, children with stable behavior problems had mothers who used more controlling child-rearing practices and had parents who used more aggressive tactics during conflicts with…

Of 52 children (ages 9-19) with visual impairments who attended a sports camp, 15 demonstrated stereotypic rocking currently or in the past. Children most likely to rock were those with retinopathy of prematurity who underwent lengthy hospital stays and multiple surgeries early in life and who were blind from birth. (Contains references.)…

Describes how one teacher dealt with a rebellious sophomore Honors English student and how they learned to listen to each other. (MG)

This article investigates cognitive decline and depressive symptomatology among older adults with mental retardation. A pilot study of assessment instruments is reported. Findings reveal that decreasing cognitive ability is associated with higher rates of observed depression and reported behavioral problems. Cognitive decline was associated with…

Compared structural family therapy (SFT), individual psychodynamic child therapy (IPCT) and control condition for Hispanic boys (N=69) with behavior and emotional problems. Findings suggest that control condition was less effective in retaining cases than treatment conditions, and SFT was more effective than IPCT in protecting family integrity.…

Examined the association between developmental outcomes, such as social competence, and child-rearing practices and attitudes in a sample of 38 preschool-aged foster children and their foster mothers. Findings indicated that higher quality child-rearing practices consistently were associated with fewer emotional and behavioral problems, and that a…

A benefit-cost analysis was conducted to compare services for 11 individuals with severe mental retardation and challenging behaviors who had been moved from an institution to a community setting. Overall, the community-based program costs represented slight public savings over costs in the state institution. Less quantifiable benefits were also…