Considered variations in pubertal timing, specifically age at menarche, and association with various antecedents, including heredity; weight and weight for height; stressful life events; family relations; absence or presence of adult male in household; and psychological adjustment, in 75 premenarcheal adolescent girls. Found complex interactions…

Analyzes youthful parolees' risk of arrest for a violent crime. Results suggest that prior criminal history and socioeconomic variables are powerful predictors of both the timing and the charge of first arrest following parole. Prior gang involvement and heavy use of alcohol or drugs did not predict violent recidivism. (RJM)

Examined family environment and gender as moderators of an hypothesized relationship between exposure to rock music videos and premarital sexual attitudes and behavior. Results of a survey of 214 adolescents revealed a stronger association between permissive sexual attitudes and behavior and reported exposure to music videos for females than for…

The past few decades have brought dramatic changes in family structure. Regardless of the configuration, a family should have certain basic characteristics in order for children to lead healthy, happy, and successful lives. Those characteristics include family involvement in school, community, and children's extracurricular activities, open…

Reports a study using the causal modeling method to verify underlying causes of student interest in enrolling in physics as predicted by the theory of planned behavior. Families were identified as major referents in the social support system for physics enrollment. Course and extracurricular conflicts and fear of failure were primary beliefs…

Presents theoretical perspectives on children's health attitudes. Considers the influence of socialization agents, including families, schools, peers, and the media, on children's acquisition of health attitudes and behaviors. Examines implications of research for social policy, research, and modeling of child health attitudes and behavior. (BC)

A survey of 2,006 students from 12 Perth (Australia) high schools (80 percent response) found positive attitudes toward military careers, a pragmatic view of career paths, family influence on career choice, and a positive impact of a promotional campaign for the armed forces. (SK)

Examined Korean second and third graders' understanding of multidigit addition and subtraction. Korean children showed exceptional competence in multidigit addition and subtraction, and their solutions were based on quantitative understanding of multidigit numbers. Results are compared to the literature on the performance and conceptual structures…

Discusses a survey of the music education interests of adults who attended musical events in Austin, Texas. Reports that the piano was the instrument most frequently chosen for private study, choral groups were the preferred performance organizations, and music history and aural analysis were favorite academic study areas. Examines influences upon…

Among 424 urban Puerto Rican high school students, 12 percent of males and 10 percent of females had smoked in the previous month. Past smoking and intentions to smoke were associated with exposure to smokers during recreation and smoking behavior of close friends but not family members. Contains 27 references. (SV)

For a sample of families consisting of a teen mother and her infant and parents, examined grandmothers' influence on their grandchild and grandparents' indirect effect on their grandchild through their influence on the teen mother's nurturance and perceptions of family support. Found that grandfathers had a direct effect on their grandchild, and…

Among 110 Mexican-American adolescents in a Texas drug abuse program, initial use of toxicant inhalants was related to availability and sensation-seeking, followed by psychological problems, parental and home problems, and peer influence. Quitting inhalant use was related to social pressures, attitude change, and perceived health risks. (Author/SV)

A study of the reading performance of 82 Swedish children (age 9) with visual impairment, and controls, revealed that the two groups were in a more equivalent environment in school than at home. Children with visual impairments had less exposure to the incidental reading that leads to reading development. (CR)

Used data from the National Longitudinal Adolescent Health Survey to examine whether female adolescents who were attempting weight loss differed from those were not attempting weight loss with respect to several psychosocial factors. Results indicated significant differences between dieters and nondieters. Self-esteem was the strongest…

Focuses on children with learning disabilities in the context of family. Discusses family influences on development and explores three levels of approaches for describing and understanding families: structural components, family climates, and family daily routines. Implications for assessment and intervention planning are discussed. (Author/CR)