This study examined preschool children's concepts of relationships with imaginary companions and real people, using the notion of social provisions, or types of social support and interactions. Four-year-olds were interviewed about social provisions--power, conflict, nurturance, and instrumental help--present in relationships with parent, best…

One of the most important components of child rearing is to help children develop attitudes and skills that allow them to manage anger well and find solutions to conflict. This book presents a 15-step model showing parents how to teach their children they can resolve conflicts successfully by assessing their emotion and gauging its intensity,…

Controversies continue regarding the effects of corporal punishment on children. Research has demonstrated an association between levels of corporal punishment and negative outcome behaviors such as aggression and other mental health problems. However, most of these studies have been cross-sectional and correlational in design, thereby precluding…

As policymakers have sought to balance the goal of fostering poor children's well-being with that of encouraging adult's self-sufficiency, public assistance has become more predicated on custodial parents' involvement in work or mandatory welfare-to-work programs. This summary report examines the effects of welfare-to-work programs implemented as…

Asserting that parents are young children's most precious resource, this paper offers research-based advice for raising children with self-esteem and the ability to become independent, productive members of society. The paper's sections are: (1) "Parents Build Self Esteem"; (2) "Flexibility and Adaptability Help Parents Survive"; (3) "Parents Are…

Questioned day care center children during free play about their collective activity to determine how the representation of cooperation is structured and what kind of transformation appears during development. Found a developmental trend of representation of group activity after age 2. Results highlight the importance of group and day care center…

Discusses the value of this book's comprehensive approach to early childhood education and child care in the Canadian context. Considers the importance of a foundation of reflective practice in the interpersonal aspects of child care, and the importance of a working partnership with parents, and guiding children's behavior. Also notes the value of…

A study was done extending work on children's literacy by relating quality of parent-child interactive exchange during book reading to assessments of infant-parent attachment security. Compared to secure mother-child pairs, insecure-avoidant pairs and insecure-resistant pairs were more inclined to encounter distraction and ambivalence on the part…

Defines early literacy in terms of literate language, a register of language typified by verbally explicated meaning and talk about talk. Explores various social arrangements which support children's use of literate language. Examines the roles of diverse and close social contacts, and the ways in which individual differences mediate these…

Examines the effectiveness of a family-based environmental education program in lowering young children's exposure to lead and whether a lead-lowering intervention is associated with changes in behavioral functioning. Results suggest that lead exposure degrades behavioral performance in young children and that family-based environmental education…

Cognitive styles are broad, systematic characteristics that influence people's responses in different situations. Field dependence independence (FDI) is the cognitive style construct that has generated the most research. Describes the FDI characteristics in young children's social behaviors, including their social orientation, people-versus-object…

Evaluates a family-based treatment for childhood anxiety. Children (N=79) with separation anxiety, overanxious disorder or social phobia were randomly allocated to three treatment conditions: cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), CBT and family management, or a waiting list. Indicated 69.8% of the children no longer fulfilled diagnostic criteria for…

Describes the purposes and missions of the Partnership for Access to Higher Mathematics (PATH) Project. Focuses on the degree to which the projects' goals were achieved in an eighth- grade mathematics program. Provides demographic data and the results of statistical analyses used to determine the effectiveness of the project, and concludes with…

Evaluated a conceptual model that links temperament, emotional knowledge, and family expressiveness to preschoolers' emotional regulation ability by giving "disappointing" prizes after a task. Subjects were 82 preschoolers. Found that children's positive displays when presented the disappointing prize were inversely related to the…

Some character education programs are based on assumptions about children and how they learn that may undermine camp programs' long-term objectives for children. Key elements to consider are the assumptions made about human nature and children; how program structures like competition or cooperation influence character; whether kids are involved in…