Assessed the impact of taking a high-quality picture book home from school daily on the at-home reading behaviors of young children and family members from middle and low socioeconomic backgrounds. Findings indicated that the program significantly increased the time children were involved in reading each day, and doubled the number of books read…

Examines the case of two five-year-old twin boys with delayed language development, yet judged to be articulate and successful students in kindergarten. Suggests that the delay appeared because most of their interaction had been with each other. However, through their family they became acquainted with the discourse activities that are valued at…

The Self-Expressiveness in the Family Questionnaire is introduced as a measure of emotional expressiveness. Four studies involving 499 mothers and 362 fathers provided evidence of good convergent, discriminant, and construct validity for the instrument and a preliminary short form. Factor analyses support a two-factor solution across the studies.…

Analyzes the effect of parental divorce at adolescence to determine if young women, who initially coped well, experienced a significant reversal in adjustment in early adulthood. Results from a 10-year study found no significant differences in mean adjustment scores between girls from intact and divorced families at any time. (RJM)

Incorporated multimethod measurement procedures and addressed several deficiencies noted in prevention-focused parent skills training outcome literature. Analysis of intervention group versus control group differences on protective parenting behaviors targeted by intervention and general child management skills showed significant intervention…

Compared pregnant adolescents intending to relinquish their infants, pregnant adolescents intending to parent, and parenting adolescents on measures of coping and psychosocial adjustment. Pregnant adolescents intending to relinquish their infants showed better overall levels of self-image than the other two groups. Coping strategy differences were…

A study of 50 elementary age Mexican-American, learning-disabled children and their parents was undertaken to determine whether sociocultural factors contribute to achievement test scores as they do to intelligence scores. Sociocultural variance reflecting family acculturation level is found to be related to achievement test performance. (24…

Discusses the psychological acculturation of young visible immigrants in Western industrialized countries, examining the psychosocial milieu that parents and society provide them, and the inability to assimilate or acculturate. "Visible" immigrant is a value neutral term for nonwhite or non-Caucasian immigrants. (SLD)

Describes how parents can be most effective in teaching their children to value the written language as communication and enjoy reading. Parents are encouraged to keep reading meaningful and make it fun, optimize the child's environment, and maximize success to develop the child's self-concept as a reader. (SM)

Reviews the social and economic costs of at-risk youth and examines three conditions that create risk: poverty, lack of family guidance, and peer pressure. Stresses the need for (1) new roles for educators; and (2) collaboration among the educational, business, and human services communities in efforts to support youth and families. (BC)

Discusses correlations between children's academic competence and parents' values, beliefs, behavior, and knowledge of child learning and development. Offers goals for parent education. (BC)

Discusses how parents can discipline their children successfully. Distinguishes between punishment, permissiveness, and discipline. Provides parents with guidelines on positive steps in disciplining their children with practices that are appropriate to the child's age and developmental level, especially infants, toddlers, and preschool children.…

Examined underlying factors, reliability, and predictive validity of the Family, Friends, and Self (FFS) Assessment Scales based on data collected from 700 Mexican-American youth aged 13-18 admitted to 11 drug abuse prevention programs in Texas. The revised FFS drops the content approximately 25 percent to 63 items covering 10 scales. (KS)

Compared outcomes for visually impaired children and their families in two early intervention programs: a weekly, home-based program treating children and a program of monthly meetings for parents. Found that the more expensive, weekly program had negligible effects on child and family functioning. (BCY)

Compared cost effectiveness of an in-hospital intervention approach for medically fragile infants and a traditional approach of postdischarge referrals. Found that the in-hospital approach resulted in five times as many hours of intervention services for infants and cost three times as much as the referral approach, with few differences in effects…