The purpose of this investigation was to examine ideal and real career aspirations, parental support of career goals, and work values among a sample of young Black women. The responses of the 8th through 12th grade students demonstrated that working is viewed as a very salient part of their lives, and that their mothers act as key influences.…

Presents preliminary findings of a study of the various forms, functions, and values of literacy in Mexican and Mexican American homes. Discusses two crucial issues: the qualitative differences in the use of same literacy forms by different children and the children's role in dealing with literacy demands. (NQA)

Significant differences were found in the mathematics test scores and word knowledge scores of Swedish junior high school students from one-parent versus two-parent families. Similar lower achievement patterns for students from one-parent families emerged with high school seniors. Results are discussed in terms of family configuration theories.…

Examines adolescents' susceptibility to peer pressure in after-school experiences in a large sample of fifth, sixth, eighth, and ninth graders. Shows that adolescents who report home after school are not significantly different from those who are supervised by their parents at home during after-school hours. (HOD)

While controlling for overall intellectual level, this study assessed the interpersonal problem-solving skills of 150 families via written tests and behavioral performances. Interrelationships between written and behavioral interpersonal cognitive problem-solving skills were examined, as were the relationships of each problem-solving measure to…

Presents a variety of parent programs, projects, and activities that have been successful in involving parents in their adolescents' reading and reading achievement. (HOD)

Students who use psychoactive drugs for nontherapeutic reasons differ fundamentally from nonusers. Several large-scale longitudinal studies are reviewed and characteristics of drug users are summarized. Predictive factors are discussed. (Author/MT)

A follow-up investigation, conducted 5 years later, of previous research concerning relations between family environment and cognitive performance of 11-year-old Australian children of different ethnic backgrounds, was conducted. Hierarchical regression analyses, using earlier data, showed that parental influences are the strongest factor…

A review of 24 studies since 1975 is organized according to three types of variables (parent, student, and school) that influence the learning and participation of minority students in school mathematics. A table of influential identified variables is included. (MNS)

Surveyed 190 adolescents to investigate adolescent perceptions of parental persuasive communication. Argues that adolescents base their attributions of parental power on their parents' attempts to control their behavior. Results indicated that adolescents' age and gender and communicative context affect how they perceive parental persuasive…

Compared the career fantasies of 110 children from upper and lower class schools who were asked what they wanted to be when they grew up. Results confirmed the influence of family socioeconomic status on the level of sophistication in fantasy career choice. (JAC)

Third-grade students in high ability groups in mathematics achieved greater gains than students in low ability groups. The opposite results occurred in reading achievement. Possible reasons for this difference include different instructional techniques for reading and math and the effect of home environment on learning. (IS)

Available from: Communication Disorders Department, State University College, 1300 Elmwood Avenue, Buffalo, N.Y. 14222.

Families are the principal influence on development in the first years of life, so the mental health of parents is an issue that affects every child in California. The most common mental health concerns facing parents involve stress and anxiety. These needs can be addressed through public health messages that de-stigmatize mental illness and…