Examined family racial socialization and ecological competence during childhood and adolescence in a sample of 88 African-American transracial adoptees and their families. Longitudinal path analyses indicated that Eurocentric reference group orientation (RGO) increased over time while Africentric RGO declined for the adoptees, and maladjustment…

Reports a study that examined patterns of holding interest for physical activities in a state physical education curriculum for secondary schools. College students who had completed their entire secondary education within the state described their interests. Results indicated that interest could be differentiated into four patterns on the basis of…

Studied the relationship between racial socialization and racial identity attitudes in 287 low-income inner-city African American adolescents. Results suggest that beliefs in various types of racial socialization differentially contribute to positive psychological outcomes for adolescents. Gender differences are discussed, and a cultural…

Traces the evolution of the social competence concept from the 1970s to the present, and addresses matching social skills training to social skills deficits, understanding contextual issues in social skills training, generalization of social skills training, and developing and using meaningful outcome measures in social skills training. (Author/CR)

Reports on an ethnographic study of college students' participation in an academic community, focusing on processes occurring in a residential college's week-long orientation: first day on campus; residence hall meetings; picnic and convocation; informal discussion of gender topics; dance; first day of classes. Examines issues of disorientation,…

Analysis of 1990 data on 151 U.S. cities indicates that the spatial isolation of blacks from whites strongly predicts rates of urban black violence (homicide and robbery). Suggests that underlying the relationship between segregation and crime is the geographic concentration of poverty, joblessness, low job skills, low education, welfare, teen…

Using a sample of 445 female and 260 male college students, this study investigated the experience and expression of anger and gender, gender role characteristics, and several mental health variables. Gender did not uniquely contribute to the prediction of any of the mental health variables, nor did it moderate the relationships of these variables…

The Autism Behavior Checklist measured autistic symptoms in 15 girls (ages 11-16) with Rett Syndrome (RS) and 14 with severe mental retardation. Girls with RS scored higher on the Sensory and Relating subscales. There were no differences on the Body and Object Use, Language, and Social and Self-Help subscales. (Contains references.) (Author/CR)

Given the limited use of social competence assessments by teachers, this article briefly reviews three assessment strategies for preschool children, developmental and curriculum-based assessment, direct observation, and peer relations and friendship assessment. A modified performance-based assessment of peer-related social competence is…

Presents a study aimed at determining the characteristics of the socialization of adolescents in Russia. Explains that the study focuses on students (n=553) in grades 5-11 using a questionnaire and interviews with adolescents that are employed. Includes references. (CMK)

Options outlined for improving health care to rural areas include selective recruitment into medical and other health occupations education, early professional socialization, curriculum reform, and the kinds of technical assistance that academic centers can provide to rural practitioners and caregiver institutions. (Author/MSE)

Suggests that race may be a significant factor in the perception of occupational and familial roles that are universally employed and derived from early sex role socialization. Focuses on the need to expand and delineate relationships that may exist between certain family socialization and role performance variables for Black women. (AF)

The hypothesis that student groups working under conditions of intergroup competition will adopt different motivational orientation than will groups not in competition was studied using 89 Israeli fourth graders (50 males and 39 females). The impact of prior socialization on group behaviors and implications for cooperative learning are discussed.…

Describes results from 1985 interviews, asking college women how the type of school, coeducational or women's, influenced their choice of study or occupation in the hard sciences or engineering. Argues coeducational schools reinforce discrimination against and disadvantage females. Commends feminists' demands for greater sensitivity in detecting…

Examined cohort replacement explanation of secular changes in parental socialization values, based on surveys of metropolitan area in 1958, 1971, and 1983 which revealed a significant change in parental values with greater preference for autonomy for children and less preference for obedience. Cohorts born since 1930 tended more to prefer autonomy…