Data from a longitudinal survey of mathematically precocious 13-year olds (n=1,247) were used to test 5 factors (quality and quantity of instruction, home environment, motivation, and ability) for their ability to predict educational achievement and educational and career aspirations. Students were followed until age 23. (SM)

Study examined the ways 117 low-socioeconomic third graders interacted during acquisition of new mathematical skills. The effects of cooperative-mastery-learning (CML) strategies on their mathematics achievement were investigated. Two experiments indicated that students exposed to CML performed better than those given more traditional instruction.…

A longitudinal model of mathematics/science major choice at college entrance for Black and White, male and female students was tested using a "High School and Beyond" sample. Significant predictors of choice included sophomore choice of major, mathematics attitudes, mathematics/sciences courses completed by senior year, and various…

This study formulated and tested a mathematical model to predict learning in which the amount of correct information recalled from an audio learning task is a function of the rate of oral communication. (Contains 36 references.) (MDH)

Using data from a health behavior questionnaire, this study used cross-sectional and longitudinal approaches to predict sixth graders' smoking behavior, Predictor variables reflecting interpersonal and intrapersonal domains were included. Higher rates of accurate classification into smoking categories were achieved with cross-sectional analyses.…

Two studies examined fathers of preschool boys with and without clinic-referred behavior problems. Found that clinic fathers differed from fathers of matched comparisons on life stress, psychological symptoms, parenting attitudes, positive involvement, and harsh discipline. Harsh discipline contributed uniquely to clinic status. Teacher, mother,…

This study investigated whether top-down or bottom-up cognitive processing was more important in listening comprehension in large-scale English-as-a-Second-Language tests administered to secondary school students in Hong Kong over a period of seven years. Results suggest that bottom-up processing was more important than top-down processing in…

Surveys undergraduate students (N=356) to determine factors that predict health-behavior change. AIDS risk was influenced by level of identity and self-confidence, perceived barriers to prevention, and self-efficacy. Alcohol abuse was influenced by perceptions of the severity and barriers, self-efficacy, and social influences. Nutritional…

Pre- and postmigration variables that predict psychological distress and self-destructive behavior for Vietnamese Amerasians (N=169) are examined, and implications for counseling discussed. Results may indicate that observing traumatic events is a greater predictor of psychological distress and self-destructive behavior than actually experiencing…

Surveys college freshmen about different types of high school coursework and their relationship to academic aptitude and college success. Possible predictors of college success considered are the number of "academic,""aesthetic," and "practical" course credits, as well as high school grade point average, American…

Used social behavior ratings from observers, teachers, and parents to predict kindergartners' perceptions of peer acceptance. Found that friendship skill predicted parent- and child-reported peer acceptance. Shyness/withdrawal inversely predicted teacher-reported peer acceptance. Aggression did not predict peer acceptance. Girls were rated as more…

A decade-long research program is described that has focused on the development of the functional writing systems and its connections during the development with the aural/oral language and reading systems in school-age children. Applications of this research to assessment and educational intervention for specific writing disabilities are…

Surveyed middle school students on incidents of bullying and victimization. Found that psychosocial and behavioral predictors such as problem behaviors, attitudes toward deviance, peer influences, depressive symptoms, school-related functioning, and parenting linearly separated never bullied or victimized students from the victim group, from the…

Examines correlates of perceived popularity among black middle school students versus other groups. Survey responses from 24,024 eighth graders, their parents, teachers, and school administrators shows that, except for black females, athletic status yielded stronger correlations with perceived popularity. For black females, the strongest predictor…

National Survey of Families and Households 1987-88 (n=13,017) data were used to generate population estimates of in- and out-of-household caregiving. More than one in seven U.S. adults reported caring for relatives or friends during the previous year. Predictors of caregiving likelihood were gender, age, marital status, education, ethnicity,…