Using alcohol, cigarettes, and marijuana during adolescence is associated with risks, yet there is no single cause for adolescent substance use. The etiology of substance use develops over time, across multiple levels of influence. Informed by developmental perspectives, in this review, we provide an overview of biological (e.g., genetic,…

Background: Little is known about the nature, range and prevalence of different subgroups in language trajectories extant in a population from 4 to 11 years. This hinders strategic targeting and design of interventions, particularly targeting those whose difficulties will likely persist. Methods: Children's language abilities from 4 to 11 years…

This article reviews recent advances in the "new genetics" and shows how such advances affect special education. Focusing on Williams, Fragile X, Prader-Willi, and Down syndromes, it notes how etiology-related cognitive-linguistic profiles and propensities to distinct personalities and behavior problems point the way to specific,…

This study examined the effects of methylphenidate drug therapy and differential reinforcement on the disruptive behavior and task engagement of 3 children (ages 6 through 11) with mental retardation. Results indicated that both interventions were effective for two of the children. No evidence of an additive or synergistic effects of the two…

This paper reviews recent empirical and conceptual studies pertaining to stress in childhood and offers an integrative, cognitive-developmental theory for understanding childhood stress and coping. The theory builds upon Hunt's (1979) view of the epigenesis of intrinsic motivation and Block's (1982) formulation of assimilation and accommodation…