Each of 111 families with seventh grade daughters was observed in a family interaction task. Results indicated that conflict with parents, and especially with the mother, was more frequent shortly after menarche than at other times. Withdrawal of positive affect was associated with menarcheal status. (BC)

Examined third and seventh graders during dual tasks to estimate the mental effort required to elaborate accessible noun pairs. Findings indicated that the accessibility difference was limited to the third grade. Findings support a knowledge-base view of developmental differences in elaboration effort. (SH)

Compared characteristics of 234 elementary school students of average intelligence, 114 of whom were referred for psychological services. Found boys referred 4 times as frequently as girls; 16 times as many boys within relatively youngest group were referred as girls within oldest group. Groups were discriminated using mathematics achievement,…

Examines age differences in control beliefs for several domains, including intellectual aging and memory, for 200 adults aged 20-89 years. In domains of health and intellectual aging, older adults have lower internal control and higher external control beliefs than young and middle-age adults. A memory training program is described. (SLD)

Describes a model of adaptation to the environment across the life span. Proposes that an individual's performance in an activity is affected not only by cognitive capacity but also by perceptions and definitions of the activity. Empirical support for the model, based on a survey of individuals' everyday experiences and on laboratory studies, is…

School-aged, hearing-impaired children's propensity for incorporating complex syntax into the narratives and conversations they produced was investigated. Language samples containing both conversations and narratives in the form of story retellings were collected from seven subjects with moderate-to-severe hearing losses. (48 references) (VWL)

Assessed the cognitive readiness for parenting of 171 pregnant adolescents, 48 nonpregnant adolescents, and 38 pregnant adults. Found that adolescents were less cognitively prepared, experienced more stress in parenting, and were less adaptive in their parenting style than adult mothers. Relationships between cognitive readiness and parenting…

Analysis of retrospective self-reports about childhood curiosity to see persons in the nude, with heterosexual and homosexual pedophiles, gynephiles, and androphiles, suggests that establishment of erotic sex preference proceeded that of age preference, and a greater proportion of pedophiles than gynephiles or androphiles remembered childhood…

Sixty female and 51 male young adults completed a questionnaire concerning abuse in family of origin, focusing on child abuse before age 10, child abuse between ages 10 and 17, adult-to-adult abuse, and child sexual abuse. Men and women reported different experiences with all types of family abuse except extreme child abuse. (Author/JDD)

Measured the facial expressions, heart rate variability (HRV), and skin conductance of 37 third graders and 29 sixth graders while they viewed a film about a distressed child. Found that high HRV was predictive of children's sympathetic rather than distressed reactions and that, for boys, sympathetic responsiveness positively predicted a…

This study found that children with early onset of deafness who received single-channel or multichannel cochlear implants before age 10 demonstrated higher speech intelligibility than children receiving their device after age 10. There was no obvious difference in speech intelligibility scores as a function of type of device (implant or tactile…

Connecticut College has created a Young Alumni Trustee position to its governing board to serve as liaison between currently matriculated students and the board, to be a resource for board members unfamiliar with current student life, and to add breadth to board membership. The strategy was useful in formulating alcohol-use policy. (MSE)

Data from 34 children suggest that a range of Italian grammatical morphemes reach the level of mastery by age 3;6-4;0. In the period between 2;6 and 3;0, as use and comprehension of morphemes are being consolidated, homonymy and informativeness seem not to play a role, though number continues to exert an influence. Some form classes of Italian are…

Eye movements of 12-week-old infants were recorded in a visual encoding experiment. Results showed that infants who encoded more slowly scanned less extensively over the stimulus and engaged in prolonged fixation. An experiment with two-week olds showed significant age differences in the manner of visual scanning. (BC)

Three principles of work distribution were considered: (1) direct cause; (2) self-regulation; and (3) continuing responsibility. Children of 8, 11, and 14 years of age performed a job sorting task and commented on the fairness of work arrangements in vignettes. Results showed a differential development for the three principles rather than a…