Surveys of 2,125 seventh-graders in eight urban Southwestern schools and interviews with 60 of them examined the role of family and school in Latino/a preadolescent substance use. Most respondents did not use hard drugs or alcohol. Strong ties to parents and school were protective factors. Recommendations for social work interventions that support…

Examined how family relationship quality and contact with deviant peers (CDP) contributed to change in problem behaviors, particularly whether gender of the adolescent and parent moderated these associations. Found that CDP was associated with increases in problem behaviors, whereas family influence on problem behaviors was indirect and varied as…

A study examined career aspirations of 15 girls (ages 14-19) with behavior disorders and the contribution of life experiences. Results indicate participants were highly engaged with their school-supported vocational experiences, family cohesion had a significant effect on career aspirations, and participants believed they had little control over…

Examines 51 language learning background features in order to describe a limited set of those features that most clearly differentiate among three learner success groups. Findings reveal that family influences, early exposure to English, and language contact opportunities are of particular importance when considering high success versus medium- or…

Surveys of predominantly Asian students in college preparatory chemistry classes examined their views of themselves as scientists and readers and writers of science material. Results indicated that gender was related to students' views of themselves as scientists and writers of science. Family and extracurricular science activities were powerful…

Suggests that family counseling should be the focus of interventions performed by school counselors; presents a model that is brief, collaborative, and competency-based. This family counseling model has the potential to give school counselors a practical decision-making framework, based on systems theory, for answering important precounseling…

Family disruption, marital conflict, and disengaged parent-child relations have a decreasing effect on child behavior over time. And survey analysis shows that the pattern of decline differs for these three stressors. Analysis specifies the developmental period when declines occurred and distinguishes the decreases due to adaptation and those due…

Findings from two studies indicate that the nature of Canadian children's environments within their families, schools, neighborhoods, and communities has very strong effects on children's development and the prevalence of childhood vulnerability. Rather than stemming primarily from poverty, childhood vulnerability may arise from the environments…

A study examined family influences on reading motivation in Latino children. Surveys and interviews with 18 Latino students in an urban southwestern elementary school and their parents indicated that as domestic workload increased, the value children placed on reading decreased. The more time families spent together and on religious literacy…

Case studies of six young women with learning disabilities revealed three career development phases: unsettled, exploratory, and focused. Phases varied along two dimensions stability of employment and clarity of career goals. Key elements influencing career development included motivation and determination, family support, career exploration…

Discusses eight novels by the following female novelists from Africa: (1) Buchi Emecheta; (2) Flora Nwapa; (3) Bessie Head; and (4) Mariama Ba. Explores customs and attitudes that cause the most suffering to their female characters. Examines signs of change which suggest hope for the elimination of these causes. (JS)

Research-based classroom techniques and procedures for teaching reading to learning-disabled students are outlined, including teacher activities before reading, teacher activities during and after reading, methods for improving students' reading behaviors, and the impact of peers and family on pupil pursuits during reading. (MSE)

This article discusses findings from a seven-year longitudinal study of 24 junior high students. The study examined ways in which student beliefs about the future were affected by school, family, the economy, and peers. The effects of race, gender, and class on student dreams were also examined. (IAH)

Presents a conceptual framework and research model for examining the confluence of factors predictive of child maltreatment. The framework consists of an ecological approach which posits child maltreatment as a function of individual, family, social and cultural factors. Hybrid observational cohort-case/control design is the proposed research…

A model of college student choice for male and female ninth graders using LISREL is examined. Variables examined included parents' expectation regarding higher education for their children, parents' savings for college, students' discussion of college with their parents, and students' aspiration for postsecondary education. (Author/MLW)