Math anxiety can begin as early as the fourth grade and peaks in middle school and high school. It can be caused by past classroom experiences, parental influences, and remembering poor past math performance. Math anxiety can cause students to avoid challenging math courses and may limit their career choices. It is important for teachers, parents…

The objective of this study was to examine (1) the association between consumption of fast food and sweets on overweight among U.S. adolescents; and (2) how consumption of different types of food and physical exercise is associated with parental education and other background variables. The data were based on cross-sectional, national survey study…

The purpose of this study was to investigate the smoking habits of Greek elementary school students, their attitudes towards smoking, and their perceptions of the health consequences of tobacco use. Data were obtained from 1,092 elementary school students who completed a 24-item questionnaire designed for this study. Results indicated more older…

In this study, the authors examined the independent effects of teacher and mother expectations on youth achievement outcomes, the mediating factors that explain the relationship between adult expectations and student achievement, and the effects of congruent vs. dissonant adult expectations on achievement. Participants were an ethnically diverse…

This appendix focuses on the descriptive statistics of the middle study schools that participated in the "Gaining Ground in the Middle Grades: Why Some Schools Do Better. A Large-Scale Study of Middle Grades Practices and Student Outcomes. Initial Research." This appendix contains the following figures: (1) Student…

To identify maternal scaffolding behaviors, this study used conventional sequential analysis to examine mother-child dyads interacting in problem-solving and exploration contexts. Conventional sequential analysis estimates the temporal contingency between the antecedent behavior of one person and the consequent behavior of a second person.…

This study examined whether parents who lack numeracy, literacy, or writing skills transmit their difficulty to their children. The study also sought to determine whether other family or child characteristics relate to children's basic skills; if child outcomes or predictors display between-family variation; and if child outcomes display any…

This study examined the maternal teaching practices of Mexican American mothers and the relation of these practices to their children's task performance. The questions considered in the study were: (1) what teaching behaviors characterize maternal instruction; (2) how does use of these behaviors change throughout instruction; and (3) how do these…

This investigation tested the influence of parents' involvement with homework as a moderator variable in the relation between children's cognitive abilities (predictor variable) and their school achievement (outcome variable). Participants were 55 French-speaking second graders and their parents. Two dimensions (quantity and quality) of parents'…

The capabilities essential for individual performance and productivity at high levels are major concerns of society. Since human competence can be studied at many levels, the research presented here addresses a higher level of competence (i.e., leadership) and its relationship to early socialization patterns. It was hypothesized that early life…

In recent years, society has emphasized the desirability of being thin. Although children may learn the attractiveness of being thin from society, another influential component may be their parents' attitudes toward food, eating, and eating restraint. This study investigated the dieting practices and beliefs in fourth-grade children and their…

Findings of a study that examined school organizational change associated with the implementation of open enrollment in Minnesota are presented in this paper. Data were derived from mailed surveys completed by 126 principals at the end of the 1989-90 school year. A three-way multivariate research design with seven dependent variables was used to…

The rate of sexual activity among adolescents has been rising steadily in the last 10 years, and adolescents are initiating sexual activity at younger ages. It has been widely assumed that parents can have an effect on their adolescent's sexual behavior and attitudes. This study was designed to investigate how parent-adolescent communication…

Parents observing the national debate about educational choice may believe that choice possesses characteristics that are both positive and negative at the same time. The definition of choice should stem from the amount of choice provided. Unrestricted choice allows parents to choose any school in the state. Restricted choice has limitations such…

Information on children's activities in the home with other family members was collected in the 1991 National Household Education Survey. The premise of the survey was that readiness for school may be affected by experiences that children bring with them to the classroom. Data were collected by telephone from the parents and guardians of 13,892…