Shows that children in the primary grades possessed considerable working knowledge of the cultural conventions of narrative genres but much less working knowledge of the cultural conventions of informational genres. Reveals grade-related developmental differences for some dimensions of linguistic and textual organization. Shows that cultural…

This guide to developing a physical fitness and wellness program for preschool children with disabilities stresses a holistic approach to wellness, the importance of play choices and food preferences, play experiences which develop spiritual values and ethics, emotional health, social development, and intellectual aspects of development. (DB)

Describes an adventure activity in which a group achieved a seemingly impossible goal by changing the way it imagined the task. Discusses the sequence of steps in metaphor development that led to the triggering of a generative metaphor: a new image of the task that allowed reframing of the problem and its eventual solution. (SV)

Leaders of Christian wilderness expeditions may facilitate their own and others' spiritual growth by striving to develop a sense of community; focusing on relations, not information; planning for thorough wilderness immersion; bringing home as much of the wilderness experience as possible; and leaving the old self behind and opening oneself to…

Reintroduces the ethological concept of social dominance, and interprets it from a strategy-based perspective. Maintains that, by adopting this approach to social dominance and explicitly incorporating developmental processes and uniquely human capacities, human social-dominance patterns appear to be more similar to primate patterns than commonly…

Significant developmental differences were found for student adjustment in a study exploring relations between standardized measures of students' achievement and teacher ratings of student adjustment for K-2 students in mixed-age classrooms. Teacher ratings of student adjustment were significantly lower for kindergartners compared to second…

Introduces the concept of family integration to describe how family social organization affects individuals. Hypothesizes that well-integrated parents benefit children's self-concept formation. Tests three mechanisms of parental family integration, and shows that integration early in life has positive effects on children's self-esteem in early…

A survey of 10,000 United Kingdom college graduates explored satisfaction with the contribution that higher education had made to their general development. The study examined which students were likely to evaluate the contribution favorably, made inferences about institution type and contribution, and explored the relationship with student age.…

Three women undertook a four-day winter camping trip in the Adirondacks as their practicum in an outdoor and experiential-education course. Their description of the confidence gained and the balance between self-doubt and overconfidence is compared to walking in snowshoes. (TD)

Data on cult membership and the characteristics of cults are provided. The process of cult affiliation and its relationship to family dynamics are reviewed. Defection, the processes of disaffiliation (voluntary and involuntary), and clinical symptoms after cult disaffiliation are discussed. Implications and recommendations for counselors are…

Describes the current state of Japanese human resource development, influenced by lifetime employment and seniority practices, and the emerging system, shifting to long-term and performance-based practices. Addresses critical issues: linkages with business strategies, changes in organizational structure, and new evaluation practices. (SK)

Literature review provides list of risk factors associated with violent behaviors in adolescents. Identifies protective factors that have the potential to protect youth from violent lifestyles. Suggests approaches for prevention and describes recommendations for action: early prevention; identification; individualized assessment; trained…

Offers children's answers to the question, "Why do we listen to stories?" Explores what a group of second graders had to say about literature, imagination, and the place of stories in their own lives. Discusses the role of literature in unleashing imagination, helping humans see the big picture, and how "knowing the old helps us make the new." (SR)

Maintains that the preceding studies extend a long line of research demonstrating the coherence of individual development in attachment security. Notes that the studies clarify that attachment security can be stable from infancy through early adulthood and that changes in security are meaningfully related to changes in the family environment.…

Investigated the nature and origins of early ideas about the environment held by children. Found that data explain aspects of the knowledge children have about various environments before they enter school, the development of this knowledge from ages 4 to 6, and young children's developing understanding of the impacts of environmental changes.…