This article recounts the experiences of a family with a son with autism. Jean-Paul's two sisters, his brother, cousin, grandmother, father, and mother contribute their perspectives. Jean-Paul also speaks for himself. This account traces his life from his early childhood to independent adulthood. (Author/CR)

In this article, the mother of a son with autism shares her struggle to get a diagnosis, choose the right treatment, and face an unknown future for her son Luke, now age 5. Her worries about discrimination, neighborhood acceptance, and the effects of Luke's autism on his siblings are discussed. (CR)

Examination of trends in aggression and violence in Russian youth identifies risk factors including political factors, economic factors, ecological factors, the crash of ideals and decrease of morality, cultural factors, family problems, educational aspects, mass media influences, and delinquent groups. Incidents of youth violence and aggression…

Professional interventions have been shaped negatively by clinical paradigms about the role of mothers in families where intrafamilial sexual abuse has occurred. More recent empirical research suggests these mothers are diverse, that explanations of their behavior are complex and multifaceted, and their abilities to provide support for their…

Studied how participation in street violence as part of criminal/delinquent behavior relates to violence within dating or marital relationships. Found that subjects were more likely to report use of violence in relationships if they were also participating in violence as part of other criminal behavior. However, half the 141 subjects had not…

The present prospective, longitudinal study of 451 adolescents and their parents extends earlier research by investigating whether change in marital problems predicts change in adolescent adjustment, after controlling for other marital problems and socioeconomic status. Latent growth curves over a period of 5 years were used, and the results…

Previous research has produced mixed findings on the role of child and family factors in the genesis of childhood cruelty. The authors examined the relationships of cruelty to animals to a range of child and family factors. First, the authors test the idea that cruelty is a callous aggression that will be more strongly associated with psychopathic…

Children who experience multiple transitions in family structure may face worse developmental outcomes than children raised in stable, two-parent families, and perhaps even worse than children raised in stable, single-parent families--a point denoted in much prior research. Multiple transitions and negative child outcomes, however, may be…

This paper reports the results of developing and evaluating a classification of 315 arrested youth processed at the Hillsborough County Juvenile Assessment Center from September 1, 1994 to January 31, 1998. Youth were characterized as physically or sexually abused if they reported abuse or if they had been referred to juvenile court for abuse.…

This literature review compares the adjustment of mothers and fathers to the stress resulting from having a child with a disability. The ABCX model developed by Hill was selected for the analysis due to its emphasis on the response to stress in general of both the family as a whole and of individual family members. The model distinguishes between…

School personnel are concerned about the effects of family-of-origin issues on students' academic performance and psychological development. One area that has drawn particular interest in recent years is that of students who are children of alcoholics (COAs). Most literature related to student COAs has emphasized the idea that families with an…

The effects of divorce on children have been greatly disputed among therapists. Since the perceived harmfulness of divorce may affect how marital counseling is done, this study examined how therapists' beliefs about divorce consequences are related to their intervention preferences. A two-part questionnaire was devised to be administered to…

Family reunification is one expression of the renewed emphasis in child welfare and related fields on preserving families. Specific information that child welfare agencies can use to establish and implement programs that promote the reuniting of out-of-home children with their biological families are detailed in this book. It is intended as a…

Helping disruptive students successfully complete high school and learn how to develop self-control is a challenge for the school, parents, and society. Some of the specific family characteristics associated with disruptive behavior in the classroom and school are examined here. Parents of 105 adolescent males, who ranged in age from 15 to 17,…

School personnel need help in assisting at-risk students. The efforts of one school district to accomplish this goal are summarized here. The project provided a variety of training in: (1) the field of drug and alcohol prevention; (2) counseling and referral services to school counselors, nurses, psychologists, and social workers involved in…