Adolescents are at risk for poor dietary intake and unhealthy weight control behaviors. Family meals appear to play an important role in helping adolescents make healthier food choices and avoid engaging in unhealthy weight control and binge eating behaviors. (Contains 2 figures.)

We identify explanatory risk variables associated with the co-occurrence of two problem behaviors: juvenile offending and adolescent fatherhood. Data were gathered from a 5-year prospective, longitudinal study of 531 incarcerated juvenile offenders as they transitioned from youth correction facilities back into the community. Of the total sample,…

The increase in childhood obesity over the past several decades, together with the associated health problems and costs, is raising grave concern among health care professionals, policy experts, children's advocates, and parents. Patricia Anderson and Kristin Butcher document trends in children's obesity and examine the possible underlying causes…

Childhood sexual abuse (CSA) is associated with the development of numerous adult mental disorders. Women with a history of CSA were surveyed concerning their abuse experience and prevalence of DSM-IV mental disorders. The 63 women in the low morbidity cluster had a mean of 1.02 disorders. The 11 women in the moderate morbidity cluster had a mean…

Since the early 1990s, research, largely from a feminist perspective, has been devoted to identifying the "gender-specific needs" of delinquent girls. This article explores racial differences between girls and how these differences may affect the commission of violent behavior and self-injurious behavior. Self-report data were collected…

This article is based on a study conducted in a teacher education classroom in an attempt to 1) recognize and acknowledge teacher candidates' prior beliefs and experiences; 2) formalize the connection between theories of child development and learning and teacher's implicit beliefs; and 3) encourage teacher candidates to reflect on their own…

Children learn to communicate in the context of their home culture. Beginning at birth, children use their home language and culturally accepted communication styles to connect with others in a meaningful way, forming secure relationships that are intrinsic to healthy development. For the early childhood teacher, it is important to establish…

The present study used a family systems approach to examine harsh parenting, maternal depressed affect, and marital quality in relation to children's externalising behaviour problems in a sample of 158 Hong Kong primary school children. At two time points, peers and teachers provided ratings of children's externalising behaviours, and mothers…

Research on American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) students indicates that only about 47% persist to complete their freshman year, meaning that one of out two students drops out before the sophomore year. Using a focus group methodology, the study reported in this paper examined the extent to which in- and out-of-class academic, social, and…

This chapter examines the current state of research and knowledge about the Chicano dropout problem. In 1986, in every age group, dropout rates were higher for Chicanos than for Whites or other ethnic or racial groups. National dropout rates have improved slightly for Hispanic and Mexican-origin populations since 1980 but remain more than twice as…

This paper discusses demands and challenges of being an educator with a disability and includes a review of the literature and an analysis of an interview with a leading educator with a disability. The paper opens with a discussion of the definitional issues and implications of the terms "handicap" and "disability." Literature on the role of the…

This book aims to provide a better understanding of Mexican American high school students and their struggles with ethnicity, Americanization, prejudice, schools, and life's purposes. In most Anglo minds, these students are characterized by exceptionally high dropout rates and poor school performance, without any explanation for this performance…

This book is designed as an introductory text on special education for children and youth with emotional and behavioral disorders. Part 1 addresses the problems in the definition of emotional and behavioral disorders, the prevalence of the disorders, the growth of the field of emotional and behavior disorders, and major current trends. Part 2…

This paper provides theoretical background and methodology for a focus group study of influences on first-time Latino community college students. The first chapter identifies the need for research on Latino students, citing high attrition rates and focusing on three critical dynamics: making the transition to college, making connections on campus…

The purpose of this study was to use secondary analysis of an Australian database known as the Second International Science Study (SISS) to examine the role of student, school and home factors in explaining student differences in science achievement, especially on sex differences. Student characteristics investigated in the study included home…