Evaluation of demographic, behavioral, and mental health service utilization data on 662 children in foster care found that 56% had received mental health services. Children who experienced "active" types of maltreatment (such as sexual abuse) were more likely to receive mental health services even when severity of mental health problems…

Examines the relationship between self-esteem and affective variables (such as, text anxiety, mathematics anxiety, and academic autonomy) used to predict success among high-risk students. Indicates that significant positive correlations were found between self-esteem and academic autonomy, lifestyle choice, and interpersonal relationships.…

Tested the hypothesis that home environment positively predicts academic intrinsic motivation from childhood through early adolescence, controlling for socioeconomic status. Found that home environment had statistically positive and significant, direct and indirect paths to academic intrinsic motivation; children whose homes had greater emphasis…

Couples with school-age children with mental retardation completed self-report and observational measures of marriage, the parenting alliance, and parenting attitudes and behaviors at two periods. Findings indicated significant effects of marital quality on changes in self-reports of perceived parenting competence, and in observed negative…

This article discusses newer views of functional developmental plasticity occurring after biological insults to the developing central nervous system (CNS), including concepts of neurobehavioral outcome and ways to measure it, biological risk, age and development at onset of CNS insult, time since onset of CNS insult, and reserve. (Contains…

Used a bio-psychosocial approach to examine predictors of onset of sexual intercourse among adolescents interviewed at ages 13-14, 16-17, and 22-23 years. Found that for girls, always-married parents and less dating alone predicted later first intercourse. Earlier timing of first intercourse for boys was related to associating with peers with…

This study extends investigation of the long-term consequences of child sexual abuse into the workplace and considers the economic effects on Lesbian women as determined by the National Lesbian Health Care Survey. It considers the effects of child sexual abuse on four spheres of a woman's life: her physical health, mental health, educational…

This article reports factors associated with good versus poor outcomes for 173 young adults referred for mental health services. Participants with good outcomes differed in quality and stability of their living situations, full-time versus part-time employment, peer relationships, goal orientation, successful experiences, stressful experiences,…

The prevalence of self-injurious behavior (SIB) in a Finnish institution for people (n=421) with mental retardation was investigated. SIB was found to be most common among adults ages 18-34, those with more severe mental retardation, those with less adaptive skills, those with violent behavior, and those with childhood psychosis. (Contains…

Examined role of toddlers' attention deployment strategies in predicting 5-year-olds' delay-of-gratification strategies. Found that toddlers' use of effective attention deployment strategies to cope with separation from mother and with maternal behavior (controlling or noncontrolling) predicted effective delay-of-gratification strategies at age 5,…

Study examines whether children's achievement strategies predict their improvement in reading and mathematical skills during the first school year, or whether the skills predict the change in their achievement strategies. Results indicate that task-avoidant behaviors decreased subsequent improvement in reading skills, and that a low level of…

Examines the relationship of perfectionism with measures of achievement and achievement motivation and mental health aspects of depression and self-esteem in high school students (N=123). Results indicate that students' personal standards were significant predictors of academic achievement and academic motivation. Also reveals that as students'…

The long-term consequences for children of marital violence were investigated using data from parents and their adult offspring over time. Marital violence was distinguished from other marital conflict. Outcome effects on young adults' lives of these and other predictor variables were investigated. Implications for counseling are discussed. (EMK)

A study investigated the performance of high- and low-risk (for child abuse) mothers on cognitive measures in a cry (crying infant) and no-cry condition. High-risk mothers had lower conceptual ability, cognitive flexibility, and problem-solving skills. The difficulty high-risk mothers have in using feedback to modify their behavior is discussed.…

Data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health provide modest support for an association between adolescents' expectations for their future health and educational attainment and their risk-taking behaviors involving early sexual intercourse, selling drugs, and weapon use. Noteworthy "school climate" predictors were found,…