Parents of 21 well-functioning autistic children were examined. Clinical details of the eight parents diagnosed as schizoid are analyzed, leading to the conclusion that one etiological factor may be a genetic predisposition to schizoid personality traits. Global and specific developmental delays in the autistic children's siblings were not found.…

Administered questionnaire to 120 adolescent offenders in detention centers to study rock music preferences and views of themes advocating homicide, suicide, and satanic practices (HSSR). Found that HSSR fans were more likely to be white, school dropouts, and spend more time listening to music. Findings suggest relationship between preference for…

Examines statistical models utilized in earlier studies and attempts to reanalyze the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA) reading achievement data for England using a covariance structure model. Shows that, with an appropriate model, school variables do significantly account for reading achievement scores,…

A survey of 666 Canadian women born between 1905 and 1929 found that the transition to and timing of grandmotherhood is affected by earlier family life events and their timing, for example, age at birth of first child and preferred timing of grandmotherhood. (SK)

When youth lack a value system, violence becomes an acceptable activity with no need for accountability. The traditional close-knit family that taught youngsters right from wrong and expected them to act accordingly has disappeared. Ameliorative school programs in South Carolina and Chicago are described. A sidebar describes Robert Coles's 1989…

Surveyed 110 female college students to study social context in which drinking occurs. Analyzed descriptions of respondents' experiences in their most recent social situation where alcohol was used by others. Findings showed experiences occurred within last 5 days and were primarily related to relaxing, eating, or celebrating events or holidays.…

Influences on clothing choice were identified by 184 6th-graders, 159 9th-graders, and 135 12th-graders. Friend influence increased with age. Blacks were most influenced by media, whites and rural youth by friends. Media were less influential with females, gained influence as adolescents aged, and had almost twice as much influence on urban as on…

A study involving 1,000 parents examined factors that place parents at risk of abusing their children. Results found that examining parental attitudes, history, and personality characteristics, as well as religion and ideology, were important in predicting abuse proneness. Child age was also an important predictor. (Author/CR)

Discusses a program funded under the Department of Justice in Maryland in which inmates (N=150) were interviewed after three months in the community to determine what environmental influences were having the greatest impact on drug reuse. Findings suggest that more emphasis is needed on family relationships before and after release because…

Describes the home and school literacy experiences of a group of children with severe motor and speech disabilities in order to examine the relationship between these experiences and reading and spelling abilities in this population. Finds that home literacy experiences in the groups studied at best had a marginal influence on reading development.…

Explores sources of identity among Turkish adolescents. Results indicate that social, familial, personal, physical, and moral-ethical dimensions contributed to adolescents' definitions of self, but to different degrees. Patriotism and religion play a role in moral-ethical identity. Overall, self-identity influenced emotional state, cognitive and…

A study examined the contributions which families made to the success of 15 young adults with mental retardation in competitive employment. The following family characteristics led to more successful employment outcomes: moral support, practical assistance, role models of appropriate work ethic, protection from difficulties and exploitation, and…

Discusses a theoretical rationale for studying family narratives as indicators of family functioning and influence on child development. Considers the development of a multidimensional coding scheme for these narratives. Presents analyses conducted across four study sites, including data on interrater reliability, confirmatory factor analysis, and…

This article, written by an anthropologist who has studied the culture of teenage girls, explores influences on their sense of self, including those of peers, parents, and the media. Educators and parents can play important roles in helping young people navigate successfully through adolescence. (Author/MKA)

Paralleling reports of the effects of passive smoke exposure in medical journals, the term "secondary traumatization"--the emotional upset experienced by persons who come into close contact with a trauma victim--is receiving increasing attention in the mental health literature. Implications of this for family counselors are considered. (Author/KW)