Environmental assessment of Colorado State University (CSU) was undertaken to identify mismatches between the needs and goals of students and the resources and goals of the University. The perceptions and attitudes of a large representative sample of CSU students were measured using the College Student Questionnaire (CSQ) and the Environmental…

Toddlers' play with care-giving adults, and with toys and peers, was observed and rated in family day care homes. Participants were 55 children, their mothers, and family day care home providers. The quality of the family day care home was assessed. Mothers reported information on family stress, social support, child-rearing attitudes, and…

Examined contributions of job- and gender-related variables to Hispanic women professionals' mental health. Income, Hispanic group, discrimination, job stress, and peer support related to mental health. Spouse support and spouse ethnicity were associated with stress in balancing roles and psychological distress. Married women reported greater…

Families of 44 preterm infants were studied for two years, and results showed changes over time in the amount of stress reported, as child-related problems changed. No changes were reported in the amount of social support received by parents. Factors involved in predicting stress also changed over time. (Author/JDD)

Social factors such as school context and school transition which affect adolescence are reviewed. Multiple, simultaneous, and earlier transitions that do not provide an arena of comfort for the adolescent appear to create more problems. More understanding of the proximal and distal effects of these transitions is needed. (NH)

Analyzes the five factors in combination that appear to account for the mind-set in which the decision to launch the Challenger was made: (1) perceived pressure, (2) rigid conformity to perceived role requirements, (3) questionable reasoning, (4) ambiguous use of language, and (5) failure to ask important relevant questions. (NKA)

A study of the adjustment of third-, fourth-, and sixth-year university students in the humanities, sciences, and medicine in a Dutch university is reported. The study examined mental health variables, satisfaction, interpersonal orientations, and assessments of the learning environment across sexes, majors, and cohorts. (MSE)

The myriad duties in academic life make it especially difficult to keep stress under control. Some of the reasons academic careers are so stressful include: competition, low pay and poor working conditions, tight resources, lessened mobility, growth in part-time positions, and high self-expectations. (MLW)

This report examines how state welfare-to-work programs have affected young children since the 1996 welfare reform act, which moved millions of women into low-wage jobs. Researchers followed a sample of 948 mothers and young children for 2-4 years after the women entered new welfare programs in California, Connecticut, and Florida. After…

This guide creates a step-by-step sequence of practical techniques, based on research on successful teaching and grounded in real-life examples, that guide teachers toward an effective action plan for successful teaching and classroom management. The manual's suggestions give teachers the skills and tactics necessary to manage, control, and enrich…

A study examined sources of stress and coping mechanisms associated with student teaching. Questionnaires were completed by 43 students taking a rural-based internship program in New South Wales (Australia), and four of them participated in case studies involving interviews and diary accounts. Factor analysis of the data yielded four categories of…

To reduce risk factors for adult disease in our society, we must tackle the problem of toxic stress in early childhood. This condition is associated with the excessive release of a stream of hormones whose persistent elevation can disrupt the wiring of the developing brain and the functioning of the immune system. Children who experience toxic…

The "Research & Action Report," published twice a year, is a window on the activities and initiatives at the Wellesley Centers for Women. The report typically features news about the Centers, interviews with researchers, commentary on recent events or social trends affecting women and girls, announcements of new publications, and…

This study examined whether preadolescents (fifth and sixth graders) perceived the same effects of parents' job stress as suggested by parent reports. Participating were 53 dual-earner families and 28 single-mother families in which all parents were employed at least part-time. Families were mostly European-American, middle-class, highly educated;…

This training module is comprised of two documents, the facilitator's guide and the student guide, and is intended for the introductory phase of a course for paraprofessional school personnel. The facilitator's guide provides the full text of the student's guide as well as chapter goals to be accomplished by students, topics covered in each text…