At 4 Australian corrections sites, 31 teachers adopted a curriculum for the Certificate of General Education for Adults, based on the Concerns-Based Adoption Model noting stages of concern and levels of use. The model helped identify and address teacher concerns and barriers to change. (SK)

Summarizes research from the 1980s on topics of adolescent sexual activity, contraception, abortion, marriage, adoption, and childrearing. Emphasizes research about antecedents of adolescent sexual and contraceptive behavior because they are key risk factors in adolescent pregnancy. Notes advances in data and methods and highlights research gaps.…

Among 300 families who adopted special-needs minority or mixed-race children, 22 percent of adoptions were transracial. Compared to inracial adoptees, transracial adoptees more often had handicaps or problem histories. Parent-child relationships did not differ between groups when adoptee problems were controlled. Contains 37 references. (Author/SV)

Examined relative importance of demographic characteristics, perceived alternatives to early childbearing, attitudes toward adoption and expectations regarding pregnancy, and relationships and experiences in adolescent mothers' (n=177) decisions to keep or release their child for adoption. Results indicated demographic characteristics and…

Most arguments for and against open adoption are based on the legal rights of members of the adoption triangle, but empirical evidence to support either position is sparse. Adoptive parents are generally favorable toward openness, but many feel they were pressured to accept openness to obtain a child. (MDM)

Used data from national survey of public and private adoption service providers in Canada to examine similarities and differences with respect to clients served, issues associated with adoption accessibility, and nature of postadoption services. Found high degree of homogeneity that cut across public and private division, with typical adoptive…

Notes that professionals from all over the world have been assisting Romania since the fall of the Ceausescu dictatorship in December 1989. Describes some of the difficulties faced by children and families in Romania. Contends that problems faced by Romanian families are massive, and professionals planning to help these families must learn about…

Explored reasons that pregnant teenagers rarely consider option of adoption. Interviews with 21 unmarried pregnant adolescents and their significant others revealed 4 phenomena pivotal to their willingness to consider adoption: societal sanctions, low level of knowledge, anticipated psychological discomfort, and lack of support from helping…

Interviews with 79 South African farmers in arid regions showed that their conservation practices were influenced by such human factors as needs, perceptions, and knowledge. Direct influence on adoption behaviors was recommended to encourage sustainable agriculture practices. (SK)

Compared conceptions of family and adoption in older adoptees and nonadopted peers. Found that older adoptees were more likely to accept and view as typical nontraditional family constellations. Adoptees with more foster-care experience and those living in the adoptive home longer displayed higher family understanding and a more realistic…

Results of a study of 120 college students indicated that those who had relevant prior experience with Internet communication technologies had the most favorable perceptions of the usefulness of these technologies and were most apt to use them. Experience and perceived usefulness were the strongest predictors of intent to use them. (Contains 23…

Data from a previous adoption study using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised show that the genetic effect is reflected by psychometric "g" (general intelligence) to a greater degree than is the environmental effect. This finding is consistent with the hypothesis that "g" largely reflects the genetic component…

Disruptive technologies are simple convenient innovations that have triggered failures of some well-managed companies. They may threaten continuing medical-education programs so focused on leading-edge technology they lose sight of the very different educational needs of growing numbers of health care providers, who are turning to consultants, the…

Explores globalization in terms of diffusion of higher education quality assurance models between the United States and Europe, and within Europe, particularly Germany and Austria. Examines the timing of diffusion; the prominence of U.S. models, including the professional and political economic framing of higher education policies; and local…

Since 1970, more than 250,000 internationally adopted children have added a welcome variety to our already diverse early childhood caseloads and classrooms. However, their presence also creates a distinctive clinical dilemma for the early childhood professionals who care for them. This paper presents a description of the early environmental…