Provides a mathematical model for comparing the infant mortality rates (IMRs) of different States to long-term trends. Presents separate analyses of white IMRs in 49 States and non-white IMRs in 30 States. Nine States had infant mortality trends less favorable than the national experience and 1981-83 rates more than 5% above the national average.…

Briefly discusses potential biological-medical, personal-social, parental-family, and socio-demographic risk factors in infancy. (AS)

Quantitatively describes the gait development of a group of African children to determine how pattern changes would relate to growth and maturation. A total of 65 children from the Gusii tribe of southwestern Kenya, ranging in age from 13 to 69 months, were selected for study. (Author/RH)

Abilities of 2-, 5-, and 7-year-old children to interpret, judge acceptability of, and produce class extensions were assessed. It was concluded that increasing ability to deal appropriately with class extensions is primarily due to general advances in language acquisition rather than to any development unique to the class-extension word-formation…

Investigates the developmental sequence of learning to transform objects into agents and recipients of action in early symbolic play. Each of 48 children (from 14 to 25 months old) demonstrated initiative pretending after an adult modeled agent and recipient substitutions in pretending to talk on the telephone. (Author/CB)

Examines the temporal relationship between child abuse and children's illnesses by analyzing hospital records of 11 abused children and 6 of their siblings, 14 neglected children, 31 children with nonorganic failure to thrive and 24 control children. Results suggest that having ill children is a source of stress that may trigger abuse. (Author/CB)

Four-month-old rhesus monkeys were removed from their social group under three different conditions of perceptual isolation from their mothers and peers. Infant behavior was recorded and blood samples were obtained for analysis of plasma cortisol. Infants never showed signs of depression; their responses following separation were seen as attempts…

Relationship between maternal ratings of temperament and operant learning was examined in 18 2- to 3-month-old infants. Subjects participated in a conjugate reinforcement experiment; mothers of subjects completed the Carey and McDevitt Revised Infant Temperament Questionnaire 2 to 3 days before the learning study. Two temperament dimensions,…

Examines the hypothesis that degree of match or congruence between behavioral characteristics of infants and their families may significantly influence the nature of their interactions and the success of their mutual adaptation. Conducted a cross-sectional study on infant-family congruence on the degree of rhythmicity (predictable regularity in…

Documents rate, mean duration, and mode of infants' affective displays. Using cross-sequential design, observes infants in their homes from 6 to 18 months playing with their mothers, with peers, and alone. With increasing age, affect rates and vocal modes increased, and mean durations and facial and motoric modes decreased. (Author/BE)

Three longitudinal studies were conducted to examine the generalization of detour ability across motor responses and barrier types, and to investigate the relationship between the development of object permanence and detour ability. Results were discussed in terms of differences in reaching and locomotor detour performances. (Author/CI)

The paper outlines the Parental Stress Center residential treatment program and its evaluation study, specifically focusing on the developmental status of infants in treatment. Results indicate that despite the use of multiple caregivers, the deprived infants in residential care kept pace with similar babies in other treatment modalities. Data…

Longitudinal samples of meaningful speech of 34 normally developing children were analyzed to determine the range and types of consonantal phones produced at 15, 18, 21, and 24 months. Findings are related to other longitudinal research in early phonological development and to studies of babbling and correct productions. (Author/CL)

Outlines the characteristics of a good caregiver and good surroundings for babies, examining the differences among different types of care, discussing costs, and suggesting ways to find an appropriate caregiving situation. (KS)

The early psychomotor development (DQ) of 29 term small-for-gestational-age Brazilian infants was shown to be more dependent on postnatal growth than the DQ of 51 term appropriate-for-gestational-age infants. (Author/RH)