Differences between father-absent and father-present samples were not large. Although study quality was not the best predictor of outcome, the best-quality studies produced nonsignificant estimates of effect size. Most effect-size estimates were less than .5; many were much smaller. (RH)

Examines and discusses origins of parents' beliefs concerning children's developmental processes and specific abilities, and the relations between these beliefs and parental behavior on the one hand and children's cognitive development on the other. (PCB)

Discusses the claim that little has been done by health, social work, and educational professionals to speak up about the fact that children born out-of-wedlock lack the economic and psychological benefits that attach to the right to legal paternity. (RWB)

Determined sex role orientation for high school seniors (N=352). Indicated that adolescents of employed mothers had a more liberal sex role orientation and attitude toward division of household tasks than did adolescents of homemaker mothers. Also indicated that maternal happiness with employment did not affect male and female sex role orientation…

The values and ambitions of parents which lead them to expect high, early achievement from young children and which cause them to pressure early childhood educators to accelerate formal academic instruction are examined. Implications for early childhood educators in terms of policy and practice are discussed. (PCB)

Investigated the relationship between parents' efforts to initiate and monitor children's peer contacts and the qualities of children's peer relations in nonschool and school settings. (PCB)

Explores possibility that chronic exposure in childhood to parental suicidal ideation and/or behavior places individual at significant risk of suicide later in life. Presents two case studies which provide basis for view and examines possible mechanisms that may account for development of syndrome. (Author/NB)

Fifteen monozygotic and 22 dizygotic twin pairs, who were found to be lower in verbal ability than matched singletons at age two years, were compared at age nine years. Although twins still showed lower verbal ability, more variance in verbal ability was accounted for by the mothers' education and birth weight than by being a twin. (SLD)

Examined two contrasting views of divorce and long-term adjustment of children. Failed to support physical-wholeness position; parental marital status was not significantly related to psychological adjustment or social life satisfaction. Results provided strong support for psychological-wholeness position: adolescents' psychological adjustment and…

The responses of gifted (N=65) and nongifted (N=65) fifth- through eighth-graders to a questionnaire indicated that the groups differed significantly in terms of television viewing habits, family rules about television viewing, reading grades, television heroes, and out-of-school activities, suggesting the importance of family influence on viewing…

Discusses the influence that parents have had on state agencies in developing services for children and adolescents with severe emotional problems through the Family Input Program in Kansas. The program provides a forum for parents to meet together and decide what actions to take in advocating for particular issues. (BB)

This study utilized a social learning framework to test the hypothesis that adolescents who have tried smoking in the past differ from those who have never smoked on several factors that theoretically place them at higher risk for beginning to smoke again. Implications of the findings for the design of school-based smoking prevention programs are…

Assessed effect of parent weight and parent control versus child self-control on weight loss in obese preadolescent children over three-year period. Children of nonobese parents had significantly greater decrease in relative weight after one year than children of obese parents. At three years, there was no effect of parent weight. Locus of control…

Three studies investigated: the effect of parent involvement on the exploratory behaviors of children rated as high-, moderate-, or low-explorers; whether maternal presence increased the exploration of low-exploratory children, decreased the exploration of high-exploratory children, or both; and whether maternal presence or mother/child…

Schools should not be made scapegoats for the decline in reading skills. Factors such as interaction between parents and children at home and the effects of the electronic culture of television have as much if not more influence on literacy and learning motivation. (SK)