Rooted in commitment theory, this study examines dedication, perceived investments, and felt constraint, three unique aspects of commitment, in midlife using data gathered from a sample of 224 adults surveyed at ages 43 and 50 years. Positive and negative dimensions of couple relations (partner supportiveness and the extent to which one's partner…

This study aimed to describe problem behaviors and psychosocial strengths, examine the problem-strength interrelations, and evaluate profiles of problems and strengths in youth with Down syndrome (DS). The community-based sample consisted of 67 parents of children with DS aged between 4 and 19 years. Parents reported about the developmental age…

The social vulnerabilities associated with young children with autism are recognized as important intervention targets due to their influence on subsequent development. Current research suggests that interventions that combine motivational and social components can create meaningful changes in social functioning. Simultaneously, it is hypothesized…

Teaching children with autism to interact with their typically developing peers can be a challenge. Previous research has documented that there are many effective ways to teach social interaction; however, interventions in this regard are usually implemented by professionals. The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of…

The study evaluates a social-communication-based approach to autism intervention aimed at improving the social interaction skills of children with autism spectrum disorder. We report preliminary results from an ongoing randomized controlled trial of 51 children aged 2 years 0 months to 4 years 11 months. Participants were assigned to either a…

This study investigated the relationship between children's ability to regulate emotions and display of appropriate behavior in social settings. A sample of 33 children representing a wide range of social economic status was randomly selected from a Head Start Program and an Early Childhood Development Center in the Midwest. Data were collected…

The author has written this latest volume to help parents and educators understand children's cognitive development and provide suggestions on how to nurture children to their full potential. A companion to "The Adolescent Brain", this rich resource: (1) Examines the neurobiology of childhood, explaining the body/brain systems that develop during…

Background: Some studies find that parents of children with Down's syndrome may experience symptoms of depression, while other studies find that parents adapt well. This study aimed to clarify this variability in adaptive strength by investigating a stress-coping model to explain depressive symptoms and positive affect. Method: Questionnaires were…

The current study examined the moderating influence of observed parental emotion socialization (PES) on self-medication in adolescents. Strengths of the study include the use of a newly developed observational coding system further extending the study of PES to adolescence, the use of an experience sampling method to assess the daily covariation…

Toward advancing conceptualizations of the spillover hypothesis, this study examined the conditions and mechanisms underlying the transmission of distress from the interparental relationship to parenting difficulties over a 2-year period in a sample of 233 mothers (M = 35.0 years) and fathers (M = 36.8 years) of kindergarten children. Findings…

Observed the transitions between different caregivers and between waking and sleeping for a male toddler. The transitions were rated according to the affect displayed by the toddler. Results indicated that transitions involving the toddler coming into the care of his parents were less disturbing than those involving his coming into the care of…

The present study was designed to examine the relations between parental pessimism and peer relations and health in preschool children and to examine the role that child positive and negative affect played within this relationship. Thirty-seven mothers and their children (mean age = 48.1 months) volunteered from local preschools and daycares…

We confirmed the factor structure of the Behavioral and Emotional Rating Scale-2nd Edition (BERS-2) with a normative parent and youth sample. The BERS-2, based on the Behavioral and Emotional Rating Scale (BERS), is a standardized instrument that assesses children's emotional and behavioral strengths. The original BERS was renormed to create a…

This study examined parents' behaviors and interactional tone in a family setting and children's behaviors and interactional tone with unfamiliar peers, the association between parents' behaviors and interactional tone and children's peer ratings, and the relation between children's behaviors and interactional tone with peers and children's peer…

This study examined culture-specific attachment systems in Japan (including an Okinawan sample), Korea, China, United States, and the United Kingdom, using a questionnaire to measure the relative importance of various categories of interpersonal relations. Subjects were male and female university students and fathers and mothers of kindergarten…