Part of a prospective longitudinal study examining factors that account for developmental outcomes for high-risk children, this investigation focused on how successful adaptation at 12 and 18 months is related to adaptation at 24 months, 42 months, and 4.5 to 5 years of age. Assessments at each age were designed to indicate how the child was…

An objective measure of Erikson's ego-identity construct is being developed. The total scale includes seven relatively independent subscales designed to reflect the residuals (part conflicts) of Erikson's psychosocial stages of development. An initial item pool of 194 items has been reduced to 113 items by means of judgemental and statistical…

To examine the effect of structural factors on the development of story appreciation, a developmental model of story liking for suspense stories was tested by having second, fourth, and sixth grade children rate suspense stories on 10 affective scales. Specifically, the model predicted that (1) reader identification would increase with greater…

Arguing that discourse coherence can provide a window on the writing processes that produce it, this paper describes developmental differences observed in children's writing and proposes a procedural model to account for those differences. The first section of the paper points out that a developmental model of the writing process should specify…

Intended for elementary school language arts teachers, this paper outlines some recent work in the area of cognitive functioning and shows how this highlights the necessity for great care in fostering a child's language competence at two different stages: very early childhood and early to middle primary school. Following an introduction, the paper…

A study tested the cumulative acquisition model proposed by S. H. Chaffee and A. R. Tims to explain the development of adolescent patterns of news media use. The Guttman scale procedure was used to analyze patterns of news media use across a three-wave panel survey of 366 parent-child pairs over a 2-year period. In each wave, interviewers talked…

Reactive scales dominate the self-concept field. Using these instruments leaves two questions unanswered. First, if left to his/her own devices would the individual even think of him/herself in terms of that dimension? Second, what are the dimensions in terms of which individuals do think of themselves? With these two questions in mind, 536…

This paper looks at the issue of mathematics learning from a developmental perspective. It begins by focusing on the importance for teachers of understanding how mathematical thinking develops. The New Zealand Number Framework is used as an example of a developmental progression that is of particular relevance to the teaching of mathematics. The…

A multifaceted approach to adult development was empirically tested with 449 adult students enrolled in a large metropolitan community college system in the midwest. This approach suggests that most adults assume multiple life roles (relationship with self, with work, with others, and with family). The Adult Life Roles Instrument was designed to…

According to recent research findings, the average teacher age continues to rise, with middle-aged teachers now dominating school staff. Although the literature deals with teacher evaluation, managing incompetent teachers, and documenting teachers for dismissal, there is little information about teachers who are reluctant to learn and grow. This…

This document describes a model for a developmentally based K-12 school guidance program which parallels the identifiable developmental stages children go through as they mature, and systematically addresses the learning, personal/social, and career needs that students have at various developmental stages. Lists of competencies are provided in…

School change is not the rational deliberate process that some people might believe it is. One of the realities of schooling is that teachers possess their own theories about what they do, and about what is reasonable, feasible, and possible in classroom teaching. This is invariably knowledge based upon 'lived experiences,' rather than on the…

A resource and activity guide for the developmentally disabled that focuses on functional and constructive play is presented. Some basic ideas for fostering dramatic play among the severely developmentally disabled are also introduced. In following a developmental approach, this guide identifies goals and objectives, and explains the relevance of…

The primary purpose of this study was to examine uneven early development in premature infants. A multiple regression analysis was performed in which birth weight, length of gestation, length of assisted feeding, and length of ventilation were used to predict the descrepancy between a child's Psychomotor and Mental Scale scores on the Bayley…

Self-study course materials for parents who wish to learn more about 6- to 12-year-old children are provided. Lessons focus on (1) growth and development; (2) relations between chronological ages and developmental stages; (3) self-concept; and (4) communication. Lesson 1 discusses physical, emotional, social, and mental development. Lesson 2 lists…