Compared reading development among kindergartners in Hong Kong and the United States using measures of word recognition, phonological awareness, speeded naming, visual spatial skill, and processing speed. Found that models of early reading development were similar across cultures. The strongest predictor of reading was phonological awareness.…

A study involving 97 participants (ages 9-43) in the Ontario Special Olympics (SO) and their parents, found the more athletes participated in competition the more positive their general self-worth. The length of time in SO and the total number of sports were found to predict self-concept of physical competence. (Contains references.) (CR)

A survey of 1956-91 business school alumni (n=2,000) found marginal probability of giving significantly related to time since graduation, major, willingness to recommend the institution to others, household attributes, family ties to the university, number of other donors known, and availability of employee matching-gift programs. The model…

Used heart rate and respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) assessed at 33 to 35 weeks gestational age to predict developmental outcome at 3 years for very low birth weight infants. Found that RSA measures predicted developmental outcome beyond effects of birth weight, medical risk, and socioeconomic status. For infants < 1,000 grams, RSA maturation…

To further research on individual and environmental predictors of college student adjustment, surveyed 56 first-year college students. Although individual variables (e.g., problem-solving skills) were related most strongly to adjustment, environmental variables (e.g., social support) made significant incremental contributions to predictions of…

Studied 108 adults to investigate the impact of adult attachment to parents, perceived disease severity, and caregiving behaviors, moderated by perceived caregiving adequacy. Results indicate that attachment style and the trait aspect of attachment predicted both aspects of caregiver burden. Attachment preoccupation predicted psychologic…

Uses longitudinal national survey data to examine relationships between cocaine and marijuana use. Results show that weekly marijuana users were over 10 times more likely to initiate cocaine use within the next year. Also, many psychosocial predictors are not predictive of initial cocaine use after controlling for prior weekly marijuana use. (RJM)

Examination of the employment status of 1,393 former special education students revealed that 73 percent were employed one year after exit. If students held a job at the time of school exit, there was an 87 percent probability of employment one year after high school. Employment status was also related to gender, disability, and urban or rural…

A study compared parents' perceptions of the benefits and risks of reverse inclusion, where a small group of typically developing children (usually 25% to 40%) is added to a specialized program for children with disabilities. Parents (n=244) reported strong support for inclusion, although parents perceived greater risks for typical children and…

A study compared 216 adolescent sexually victimized sexual offenders and 93 adolescent sexually victimized nonsexual offending delinquents. Sexually offending delinquents had closer relationships with their perpetrators, a higher chance of having a male perpetrator, a longer duration of sexual victimization, more forceful sexual victimization, and…

Seventy-six men convicted of a sexual offense (57 child molesters and 19 rapists) completed the parental bonding instrument and were interviewed. Affectionless control style of parental bonding was highly prevalent. High overprotection in mothers was linked with parental separation and sex play with male peers in childhood. (Contains references.)…

A study involving 23 British women with bulimic disorders found no dimensional relationship between any form of child abuse and bulimic pathology. However, neglect and sexual abuse were correlated with dissociation. A subset of core beliefs was associated with child abuse, with different cognitive profiles associated with each trauma. (Contains…

Examined the personal characteristics and resources in 65 licensed family child care providers' lives that influence developmentally enhancing caregiving and professional commitment. Unique predictors to higher quality of care were higher levels of formal education and training, college coursework in early childhood education, higher psychological…

This study examined cognitive, academic, and attitudinal predictors of college grade point average (GPA) among 84 college students with learning disabilities (LD) attending a large midwestern university. Results indicated that Full Scale IQ and one factor (delay/avoidance) on the self-reported study habits scale accounted for a significant amount…

Relates children's experiences with parents and teachers to the acquisition of academic skills from preschool through second grade. Children tended to show better academic skills across time if their parents had more education and reported progressive parenting beliefs. Family background and teacher-child relationships indicated that a closer…