Disruptive events such as economic recessions, natural disasters, job loss, and divorce are highly prevalent among American families. These events can have a long-lasting impact when experienced during childhood, potentially altering academic achievement, socioemotional well-being, health and development, and later life socioeconomic status. Much…

The aim of this study is to investigate the mediating role of attachment styles in the relationship between childhood trauma and cognitive distortion. The sample comprised 358 (44.7% males) university students. Participants completed the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, the Three-Dimensional Attachment Style Scale, and the Interpersonal Cognitive…

Background: Prior research has revealed positive effects of spatial activity participation (e.g., playing with blocks, sports) on current and future spatial skills. However, research has not examined the degree to which spatial activity participation remains stable over time, and little is known about how participating in spatial activities at…

Background: Children and adolescents in residential care have more adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) than those living in any other type of care. However, there is scant research on risk factors accounting for this accumulation. Objective: To establish the prevalence of ACEs in child residential care and to explore predictors of accumulation…

The purpose of this study was to examine the association between early exposure to family violence, including domestic violence and child maltreatment, and later involvement in bullying perpetration and peer victimization, as well as the moderating role of school connectedness in this relationship. I conducted a secondary data analysis using data…

This paper shares the results of an exploratory study that measured the change in Executive Function (EF) skills of At-Risk third-grade students with varying Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) before and after an Arts-Integration (AI) program. Student EF skills were measured using the Minnesota Executive Function Scale (MEFS) and a statistically…

We sought to identify which kindergarten children are simultaneously at risk of moderate or severe symptomatology in both attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and conduct disorder (CD) as adolescents. These risk factor estimates have not been previously available. We conducted multinomial logistic regression analyses of multiinformant…

This study investigated how early experience with racial discrimination affected the subsequent risky sexual behaviors of a diverse sample of African American youths (N = 745). The analyses focused on 3 risk-promoting factors thought to mediate the hypothesized discrimination--risky sex relation: negative affect, affiliation with deviant peers,…

Conducted two studies in which subjects (N=345) read descriptions of stereotypic behavior displayed by a seven-year-old boy or girl and predicted adult personality attributes. Results showed that irrespective of sex, the feminine child was predicted to be happier, more mature, less self-centered, and more expressive. (LLL)

Examined Bowlby's proposition that early experiences and the adaptations to which they give rise influence later development, even beyond the influence of current circumstances or very recent adaptation. Groups whose adaptation were similar during preschool years but consistently different earlier were defined and compared. Results supported…

Examines what researchers are beginning to understand about pathways from the experience of abuse in childhood to revictimization in adolescence and adulthood. Considers the issues of sexual development, sexual relationships, and risk factors associated with sexual abuse. Addresses the risk of revictimization in adulthood in terms of the…

Described in this symposium report are results from three studies exploring the relationship of home environments in infancy or early childhood to school performance. All studies used the Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment (HOME) and drew their data from the files of the Houston Parent-Child Development Center, a 2-year…

This study examined the associations between the early family environment, older siblings' early characteristics, and later sibling relationships. Participating were 37 families with infants and preschool-age older siblings who were observed in the laboratory at 3 time points and followed-up 3 years later. Findings indicated that parents' early…