The majority of families with developmentally disabled children reported that the physical demands this handicap imposed on them were the most troublesome. The kinds of services they requested were those that would educate the handicapped person to be more independent. (Author)

This study tested a conceptual framework of child physical abuse based on three major determinants of abuse: exposure to aggression, exposure to stressors, and access to resources. The study of 81 physically abusive and 148 nonabusive mothers found that being abused by one's own mother and exposure to domestic violence as an adult were the best…

Examined the prevalence of depressive symptoms in an African American female college student sample (n=78) using the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI2) and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). MMPI-2 was a more conservative scale than BDI in identifying depressive symptom levels. Discusses stress inoculation methods to assist…

Examined the relationships between parental stress and the security of attachment relationships. Subjects were 33 mothers of children who were attending a preschool program for high-risk families. Found a negative relationship between the Child Domain section of the Parenting Stress Index and Attachment Q-set scores. Results highlighted the need…

Examined cortisol and behavioral reactions of 36-month olds in an unfamiliar playgroup. Found that, when compared to at-home levels, cortisol levels were lower when children were receiving adult support and higher for one-third of children when interacting with peers alone, and that children showing adrenocortical arousal before the challenging…

This study examined the impact on 44 families of children who had suffered severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) within the past month. It found that families experienced significantly more injury-related stress and higher levels of psychological symptoms than 52 families of children with moderate TBI and 69 families of children with orthopedic…

Investigated the influence of racial and gender discrimination and difficulties on adolescent adjustment. Found that discrimination and hassles contribute to a general stress context which in turn influences emotional and behavioral problems in adjustment, while racial and gender identity positively affect self-esteem and thus adjustment. Revealed…

A study of acculturative stress in children who served as language brokers surveyed 36 bilingual Latino fifth graders from a Southern California elementary school. The least acculturated children reported higher frequencies of language brokering and greater discomfort in doing so. High levels of acculturative stress were associated with increased…

Compares six indicators of adults' lives for those who become parents and those remaining childless. Becoming a parent was found to be both detrimental and rewarding. With the exception of social integration, which is greater for all groups of new parents, compared with childless counterparts, the effects of parental status vary markedly by gender…

Studied role of adolescents' awareness in relationship between marital conflict and adolescent distress. Found marital conflict was related to parental hostility toward adolescents and adolescents' awareness of conflict; parental hostility and adolescents' awareness of marital conflict were related to adolescent-perceived parental hostility. Found…

Examined the role of stressful life experiences and social support in the health of 292 community-living elderly. Findings suggest that the number of hours worked at a paying job, lower levels of depression, and greater perceived social support were directly related to higher levels of life satisfaction. (RJM)

This article summarizes concerns expressed at the SENCo-Forum about the stress that the Key Stage 1 Standard Assessment Tasks procedures place on children with special needs. Concerns include effects on student confidence, forcing teachers into roles that run counter to their educational ethos, and the time given to test preparation. (CR)

Examined the relationship between fathers' parental stress and their perceived sense of competence in parenting roles. Regression analyses of data from 94 fathers suggest that fathers' depression in their parental role and perceptions of their children's demandingness are the best predictors of their perceived parental competence. (Author/TE)

Adult educators can help students cope with stress by (1) designing programs that are responsive to stress factors; (2) including information on stress effects in orientation sessions; (3) developing individualized programs of study; (4) integrating education into students' work and other life roles; (5) providing personal attention, advising, and…

Concerns of students at risk of dropping out of school in an urban setting were studied using innovative ethnographic methods. Students served as collaborators to tape dialogues between themselves and peers. Results for 77 dialogues among 61 individuals indicate the importance of pressure from outside and boredom within the school. (TJH)