This study examined racial/ethnic differences in the relations between three dimensions of parenting practices (harsh, lax, and warm parenting) and children's externalizing behaviors across European American, African American, and Latinx families. Participants included 221 mothers who identified as African American (n = 32), Latina (n = 46), or…

Objectives: There has been little examination of the structural validity of the Parenting Stress Index--Short Form (PSI-SF) for minority populations in clinical contexts in the Unites States. This study aimed to test prespecified factor structures (one-factor, two-factor, and three-factor models) of the PSI-SF. Methods: This study used…

This study examined the probability of (a) being placed in a disciplinary alternative education setting for mandatory versus discretionary reasons and (b) returning within the same year among an ethnically diverse sample (African American, Caucasian, Hispanic) of middle and high school students (N=270). Participants were compared based on…

The purpose of this study was to examine possible relationships between participation in extracurricular activities and student achievement, participation in extracurricular activities and attendance, and participation in extracurricular activities and behavior. The setting for this study was a high school in western Nebraska. Data for 275 of the…

Researchers report mental health disparities that indicate that children and families with the highest need for services often are less likely to use them. Only a few investigators have focused on service delivery models to address underuse of services. This study examines the Children's Hospital of Orange County (CHOC)/University of California,…

Objective: This report provides descriptive longitudinal findings over three waves of a study designed to assess the development of antisocial behaviors in young and early adolescent Puerto Rican children at two sites. Method: Through the use of standard assessment measures, representative samples of Puerto Rican children of both genders 5 to 13…

This publication consists of papers and discussion from a comprehensive RAUS (Research Analysis and Utilization System) review focusing on factors relating to a multi-year increase in inhalant abuse among high school seniors. The document contains the following articles: (1) "Inhalant Overview" (Raquel A. Crider and Beatrice A. Rouse);…

This study investigated the relationship between overt and relational victimization and internalizing behavior disorders among 75 African American and Hispanic elementary aged students. Findings indicated that overt victimization, but not relational victimization, was significantly correlated with social-evaluative anxiety, social avoidance, and…

Discusses inequity in computer access for African-Americans and Hispanics in urban public schools. Topics include the importance of elementary school for later success; computer technology use by at-risk students; behavior problems and instructional strategies; and the need for sufficient numbers of computers, adequate teacher training, and…

A Harvard study suggests that minority students are often misdiagnosed as mentally retarded or behaviorally disabled; African-Americans are overrepresented in special-education classes and trail whites in achievement. Students are frequently placed in separate classes or schools. Predictable classroom routines can help kids with behavior problems.…

This study examines Chicano students' perceptions of disciplinary actions experienced or witnessed. A qualitative methodology, including focus groups, semi-structured interviews, and field work (classroom observations, student school records, and teacher interviews) examines operative factors during student-teacher confrontations. Students (N=4)…

The authors describe various parenting behaviors, such as nurturance, discipline, teaching, and language use, and explain how researchers measure them. They note racial and ethnic variations in several behaviors. Most striking are differences in language use. Black and Hispanic mothers talk less with their young children than do white mothers and…

This report presents the collective results of studies funded under the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention congressional directive. The studies confirm that young African-American males are disproportionately involved as offenders and victims of violence, that firearms play a large role in juvenile violence, and that gang…

The purpose of "Focus" is to provide coverage of poverty-related research, events, and issues, and to acquaint a large audience with the work of the Institute for Research on Poverty by means of short essays on selected pieces of research. This issue contains the following articles: (1) Changing poverty and changing antipoverty policies…