Evaluated the Early Coping Inventory (ECI) as a measure of coping skills in low-risk nursery school children. Findings pointed to significant associations between observers' ratings and teachers' ratings on the Evaluation of Adaptive Behavior in Nursery School. Findings suggest that the ECI may be valuable in early identification of children with…

Explores the idea that play is one of the fundamental processes by which children develop their understanding of the world by looking at play as an intrinsically motivated activity. (WRM)

Investigates children's understanding of rules by observing 5-,6-, and 7-year olds engaging in unrestricted group activity as they built and played with a bridge. Reveals that the children's tendency to develop and change rules demonstrated their understanding of rules that were not associated with the rules of adults. (CMK)

Explores the relationship between parents and teachers as raters of children's behavior. Results, based on 48 families, indicate that internalizing and externalizing behavior scores revealed a significant relationship between mothers' and teachers' reports for externalizing behaviors only. Findings suggest that familial dysfunction can contribute…

Applies the evaluative methodology of F. Le Poultier to an observational, longitudinal study of children who lived in a residential community because of their multiproblem families. Confirms the correlation of the children's displayed behavior and educational practices, showing that the children's behavior determined the intensity of practices…

The cognitive play of 13 preschool children with visual impairments was observed while the children played alone in their homes. Findings revealed that over half of the play behaviors were in the category of exploration and sensorimotor play, and symbolic play accounted for less than 4% of play. (Author/CR)

Investigated ideas of 50 first-grade children from two different Nepali cultures (Tamang and Chhetri-Brahmin) regarding how they would feel and act in six emotionally challenging situations. Found significant cultural differences. Chhetri-Brahmin children were more likely to endorse negative emotions and to report masking negative emotion. These…

Examines outcomes of a Systematic Training for Effective Parenting program in several areas of family functioning identified by the McMaster model of family health. Finds that participants who completed the parent training did report more improvements in general family functioning than those parents whose children received routine mental health…

Presents the findings from two studies that demonstrate that parents' interactions, ego functioning, and moral reasoning are predictive of children's moral development. Illustrates the role of affective factors in moral socialization and the relevance of using real-life moral dilemmas in contrast to hypothetical ones. (CMK)

Considers the reactions of children to natural disasters and discusses the use of natural disasters in the social studies curriculum. Provides a list of online resources that may assist elementary school teachers in educating their students about natural disasters. (CMK)

Mothers and infants were observed in the laboratory when the infants were 12, 18, and 24 months. Mothers reported their child's behavior at 36 months. Predictors of boys' externalizing behavior at two and three years were maternal unresponsiveness and infant attention seeking, aggression, and noncompliance. For girls, infant noncompliance was…

Examined preschool teachers' views on selected aspects of their working environment, particularly their interactions with parents, as determinant measures of quality in preschools. Found that while there are some differences between teachers according to qualifications and experience, among the most positive features are satisfaction with parents'…

Hypothesizes that marital conflict contributes unique variance of child functioning only when it occurs in front of children. Subjects were 146 mother/adolescent pairs. Results indicated that general family conflict was more predictive of child adjustment problems than marital satisfaction, and marital conflict occurring in front of children was…

Defines skills important for kindergarten success in areas of health and physical well-being, social and emotional skills, intellectual skills and general knowledge, and language and speech development. Lists eight "red flags" to help identify children who may need specialized assistance. (DLH)

Maintains that advances in the literature on perception-action development suggests that tool use may be a more continuous developmental achievement than previously believed. Suggests new research directions, including efforts to investigate the processes by which children detect and relate affordances between objects, coordinate spatial frames of…