Children with autism spectrum disorder exhibit significant difficulties with emotion regulation. Respiratory sinus arrhythmia is a biomarker for processes related to emotion regulation, with higher baseline rates linked to beneficial outcomes. Although reduction in respiratory sinus arrhythmia in response to challenge can index adaptive processes…

In this research we explored the relationship between spatial activities in the home and spatial ability at the start of formal schooling at age four. In total, 30 children participated in this research. Data sources included a demographic questionnaire, a survey of at home spatial activities, and standardized testing in verbal and non-verbal…

This study examined the reading interest and emergent literacy skills of 31 children with Down syndrome (DS) ages 7 to 13. Parents completed questionnaires on their children's interest in reading, home literacy environments, and parental beliefs about reading. Children were then assessed on their cognitive and emergent literacy skills.…

Previously, we adapted the Home Situations Questionnaire to measure behavioral non-compliance in everyday settings in children with pervasive developmental disorders. In this study, we further revised this instrument for use in autism spectrum disorder and examined its psychometric properties (referred to as the Home Situations…

Evidence from intervention studies, quantitative genetic and molecular genetic studies suggests that genetic, and to a lesser extent, shared environmental influences are important to the development of reading and related cognitive skills. The Northeast-Northwest Collaborative Adoption Projects (N2CAP) is a sample of 241 adoptive families,…

The state of the arts paper on completed and ongoing research in parent education is based on a review of the literature of recent studies, including current federally funded research on mainstream and economically deprived families, but not studies dealing with the physically handicapped, retarded, psychotic, or foster children. The projects are…

This study examined the relationship between infants' early physical environment and their subsequent performance on the Stanford Binet Intelligence Scale. A total of 23 infants were observed twice a month in their own homes starting at 12 months of age and continuing through 24 months of age. These observations were subsequently coded into 30…

Significant correlations were obtained between Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment (HOME) Inventory scores and two clusters of items from the Bayley Scales of Infant Development: goal directedness and language use. HOME assessments were made when children were 6 and 12 months old; the Bayley was administered at 12 months.…

The Houston Parent-Child Development Center (PCDC) is described. PCDC is similar to most compensatory education programs in its objectives, but different in process as it starts intervention during infancy and directs educational efforts at the parents. The program is open to low income Mexican-American families with at least one child under 3…

The ability of an environmental process measure and socioeconomic status (SES) measures to predict Stanford-Binet IQ at 3 years of age was compared in a separate analysis by sex and race. The environmental process measure predicted IQ as well as a combination of process and status measures, and was superior to SES measures alone. (Author/CP)

Total motor and cognitive-motor performance at age 4 was related to home environment but not to neonatal reflexes. Large muscle skill was unrelated to environment but did relate to neonatal reflexes among girls. (Author)

Examined theoretical model of early environmental action of 282 Caucasian and African American infants, using structural equation modeling. Model included socioeconomic status, early cognitive status, stimulation with home environment, parental use of negative control, and later cognitive status. Models for males and females showed similar…

Tests causal models of verbal and performance IQ in 69 Mexican-American children of low socioeconomic status. Years of mother's education were correlated with IQ at 3 years and at 6 to 8 years, but traditional/nontraditional attitudes showed conflicting correlations over time. The adequacy of standarized IQ tests for this population is questioned.…

IN ORDER TO DEVELOP AND EVALUATE MEASURING INSTRUMENTS FOR ASSESSING THE COGNITIVE CAPACITIES OF DISADVANTAGED CHILDREN, EXTENSIVE TESTING OF PRESCHOOL PUPILS AT 4 HEADSTART CENTERS IN CHICAGO WAS CONDUCTED. ACHIEVEMENT AND BEHAVIOR TESTS WERE ADMINISTERED DIRECTLY TO THE PUPILS. PUPILS' MOTHERS WERE INTERVIEWED AND TESTED TO OBTAIN INFORMATION…

This summary on studies on preschool intervention through social learning indicate that a child's mode of orientation and his general level of competence and maturity are, in large part, derived from his social environment. To the extent that specific aspects of that environment can be identified as significant antecedents to behavioral…