Selections in this volume discuss the ways in which various "deviations" from traditional family styles affect childrearing practices and child development. Contributors attempt to illustrate the dynamic developmental processes that characterize parenting in nontraditional contexts. The collection contains the following chapters: (1)…

Within the past decade, the field of marriage and family therapy has mushroomed. As a new and emerging professional specialization, marriage and family therapy is subject to control struggles as well as the proliferation of training modalities. This monograph, written for counselor education faculty, students, and family therapists, provides…

In an attempt to understand the determinants of early sexual activity, a series of papers were completed using data on 15 and 16-year-olds from the 1981 National Survey of Children. These five papers focus on the association between early sexual activity and, respectively, household structure; television viewing; sex education; race; and…

Cherlin argues that Gill's procedural criticisms of Cherlin's work are groundless, and underlying themes of both of Gill's articles do not guide public policy concerning children and families. Gill's response to Cherlin notes that anecdotal evidence shows that increased availability and social acceptability of divorce cause more marital problems.…

Many commentators have expressed alarm over the increase in the number of single-parent families in the United States over the past four decades. The growth in single-parent families has been fueled by a rise in the number of out-of-wedlock births. Whether children are more likely to suffer social and economic problems when raised by one parent…

The effects of divorce on children are the subject of this collection of eight papers by authors from several disciplines. The central theme of Albert Solnit's paper is that divorce means dissolution of the family as well as the marriage. The role of the courts in custody and visitation issues and the effects of conflicts on the children are…

Seven brief presentations discuss social attitudes toward divorce and the experiences and problems families face after divorce. Introductory remarks indicate (1) the extent to which divorced parents are denied consistent and positive support from legal and counseling institutions, schools and the work-place, and (2) the archaic institutionalized…

Included in this booklet are nine papers reflecting the social work profession's engagement in the effort to deal with a variety of problems experienced by families and cultural minorities. Covered by individual papers are the following topics: (1) prevention of the troubled marital relationships that are sometimes brought on by the birth of the…

This third volume of Current Topics in Early Childhood Education brings together the work of contributers from five nations--Australia, England, Ireland, West Germany, and the United States--and discusses a variety of issues of interest to researchers and practitioners in early childhood education. The volume deals with the following issues: a…

The numbers of children living in poverty in the United States increased dramatically during the 1980s and remains high. This collection of essays, with a focus on children rather than on parents' income or self-sufficiency, examines the following questions: Why are so many children growing up in poor families? What are the effects of poverty on…

This book collects empirical research unique to the experiences and situations of black children and their parents, explaining that to be fully functional, they must develop the skills to succeed simultaneously in black and non-black cultures. The book explores the meaning of this duality in four distinct environments: socioeconomic, parental,…

This collection of papers asserts that the life prospects of children at the bottom of the socioeconomic ladder can be improved substantially, and the growing gap between them and more privileged children reduced, by making appropriate investments now. After an introduction by Isabel V. Sawhill, the nine papers are: (2) "Promoting the Healthy…

The Developing Child Sub-Committee of the Australian International Year of the Child Committee of Non-Government Organizations prepared papers on the main problems facing children from birth to 12 years of age. Topics designated for attention were (1) the parenting role, including the influence of parents on children, factors influencing parental…

Noting the social and cultural changes that have altered fathers' traditional family roles, this anthology examines differences in culture, class, nationality, and custodial status of fathers in families. The articles draw on theoretical and empirical research to focus on legal, economic, and policy matters and the interaction between fathers and…

Highlighting the specific as well as common characteristics of different types of parents, this volume, the third of four volumes on parenting specifically deals with parental status and the social conditions of parenting. The volume consists of 17 chapters as follows: (1) "Mothering" (Kathryn E. Barnard and Louise K. Martell); (2)…