Examined the developmental trend of conflict from the initial recognition that the marriage may dissolve to its legal termination in 107 divorced persons using a retrospective interview. Conflict increased significantly from initial recognition to discussion and decreased significantly once action to secure a legal dissolution was initiated.…

The review of research on language development in young children with Down's syndrome indicates that these children develop language in the same sequence as children without Down's syndrome, but that they experience delays. Educators should initiate language programs as early as possible, enlist parent participation, and select normative language…

In an attempt to make Vygotsky's theories more accessible, Wertsch in "Vygotsky and the Social Formation of Mind" takes significant liberties with the original works. That leads to serious errors and moves the focus away from the author's own psychological theories. (PS)

Provides a detailed account and critique of all of Lawrence Kohlberg's writings dealing with the seventh stage of his moral development theory. Discusses the uniqueness of stage seven as compared to one through six. Concludes that stages one through six culminate in, but are not lessened by, stage seven. (Author/AEM)

The article looks at learning disabilities in adulthood in relation to theoretical models and research related to adult development (rather than as persistence of a childhood disorder into adulthood). Basic assumptions of a life span developmental approach and specific mediating variables influencing adaptation to life events are discussed.…

Gilligan's work on sex differences in moral reasoning, perception of violence, resolution of sexual dilemmas, and abortion decisions poses a major challenge to Kohlberg's theory because of its feminist perspective of moral development. Gilligan suggests Kohlberg's demonstration of males and females attaining different levels of moral development…

Middle school educators can design a learning environment for early adolescents based on Erik Erikson's social development theories, which divide human life into eight psychological stages. The identity versus role confusion stage characterizing adolescence will significantly determine the developing person's future. Schools can help learners…

Studies 6th, 9th, and 12th graders' ideal and typical perceptions of family relationships using the FAST (Family Systems Theory), a spatial technique in which wooden figures are placed on a board to represent cohesion and power in a family. Between 6th and 12th grade, adolescents perceive gradually decreasing cohesion and power differential…

Three degrees of cognitive processing were tapped by four problem types when 60 children between four and eight years were administered a set of geometry tasks differing in complexity. Analysis revealed that the tasks differed in difficulty, task success was related to age, and a hierarchical sequence existed among the skills. (SKC)

Data on intentional communication by 15 normal children (ages 11-14 months at outset) were collected at three stages (prelinguistic, one-word, multiword) over the course of a year. All displayed acts for regulating behavior, engaging in social interaction, and referencing joint attention at each stage but with changing proportions. (Author/VW)

Used four experiments to examine retrieval access and item-by-item search processes and strategies in the cued recall of children in grades 3 and 6, and of adults. Results suggested that retrieval access is a problem for young children and contributes strongly to developmental increases in recall. Adults used retrieval strategies, although search…

Four experiments examined the contribution of item-by-item retrieval search processes to developmental differences in cued recall. Results indicated that developmental cued recall differences remained even when access, constraint, search object, and knowledge base problems were controlled or minimized. (SKC)

Presents developmental therapy as supplement to life span theory which can provide specific suggestions for clinical-counseling interventions that may be used to assess developmental level of clients, select counseling skills and theory to match client cognitive-developmental level, and obtain feedback on intervention effectiveness. Discusses…

In two experiments, 168 subjects aged 8-22 years performed visual search and memory search tasks (experiment 1) or memory search, mental rotation, analogical reasoning, and mental addition tasks (experiment 2). Increases with age in speeds of visual and memory search were described well by exponential functions. (SKC)

Adolescent pregnancy may occur when childhood developmental needs have not been met adequately. Once the needs have been identified, intervention for the adolescent and her child can be tailored to fill developmental gaps. (Author/MT)