This commentary discusses the research article "Gender Differences in Abused Children with and without Disabilities" (Sobsey and others) that follows, which found that children with disabilities are at greater risk for being maltreated, that boys are more frequently abused, and that boys with disabilities are sexually abused more frequently than…

The case files of 1,834 abused children found more boys were physically abused and neglected, but more girls were sexually abused. Boys with disabilities were overrepresented in all abuse categories. Although 52% of abused children without disabilities were girls, 65% of abused children with disabilities were boys. (Author/CR)

This longitudinal study examined the relation between the instability of maternal intimate relationships and school behavior of economically disadvantaged third-graders. After ecological correlates were controlled, chronic relationship instability was found to predict externalizing behavior for boys and girls and internalizing behavior for girls,…

This article comments on a study that found children (ages 0-3) who were disadvantaged, from minority groups, or without health insurance were 2 to 30 times more likely to have unmet health care needs. The "medical home" philosophy is discussed, in which medical care is accessible, comprehensive, and family centered. (Contains 8 references.) (CR)

Describes study of 60 high school students that examined the relationship between mathematics performance, students' attitudes toward computers and calculators, and whether the relationship is similar for males and females. Results indicate that both male and female students with more positive attitudes toward computers and calculators perform…

Reports on the results of a study of business undergraduates in Australia that was conducted to determine whether or not perceived knowledge of software, microcomputer experience, overall knowledge of computers, programming experience, and gender were predictors of computer anxiety. Use of the Computer Anxiety Rating Scale is discussed.…

Examined the relationships between violence within the family and child behavior problems in a sample of 185 children living at battered women shelters. Found that children were affected by witnessing violence between their parents and by harsh punitive discipline, particularly administered by mothers. Family violence variables were better…

Studies the association between the severity of early female antisocial behavior (drug-related and non-drug-related offenses) and the later behavioral and emotional health of the children of these women, using a secondary analysis of National Longitudinal Survey of Youth data for 688 whites, 481 Hispanic Americans, and 256 African Americans. (RLC)

The Rostock Longitudinal Study, which has followed 247 at-risk children from birth to age 14, seeks to identify factors contributing to interindividual developmental differences. Results reported underscore the limited prognostic value of single risk factors, the diminishing impact of organic perinatal risk factors over time, and the increasing…

Studied whether individual differences in print exposure and exposure to other media can account for individual differences in acquired declarative knowledge, controlling for confounds between experience and ability. Results with 268 undergraduates (90 males and 178 females) suggest that exposure is a significant contributor to knowledge…

Investigates home ownership differences among 12 racial and ethnic groups using the Public Use Sample data of the 1980 Census. Majority group members have the greatest probability of home ownership. Results support an assimilation perspective on home ownership. (SLD)

Investigates group differences in the relationship between stress-coping variables and substance use with urban middle school students. African-American adolescents had the lowest rate of substance use, Hispanics were intermediate, and Whites had the highest rate. The strength of predictive relationships for stress-coping variables was lower for…

Assessed the association of parental discipline and monitoring with early conduct problems of 123 children in a highly disadvantaged, African American sample. Analyses indicated that, after earlier conduct problems were controlled for, coercive parent discipline and poor parental monitoring at age 4.5 predicted age 6 conduct problems. Associations…

Examined whether attachments to family and school reduced five forms of adolescent deviance (smoking, drinking, marijuana use, delinquency, and violent behavior). Found that adolescent attachments to family and school reduced overall frequency, prevalence, and intensity of deviant involvement, regardless of community context, gender, or ethnic…

Investigated relation between pubertal timing and alcohol use among junior high school students in Norway who were followed up 2 years later. Found that early timing of puberty correlated with number of intoxication incidents and number of units consumed on each occasion and, to a lesser degree, with frequency of alcohol use. Correlations were…