Home environments of 43 highly creative and 43 less creative boys in fourth through sixth grade were studied through 150-question semistructured interviews with 86 mothers. Interview responses, categorized along 24 dimensions, revealed significant differences related to parental creativity, independence and flexibility, emotional distance, and…

Examines whether risk to offspring of developing reading disorders (RD) was dependent on the parents' successful or unsuccessful compensation for their own childhood reading problems. Analyzes two large family data sets. Shows that having at least one still-affected parent put the offspring at a higher risk for RD than having at least one…

A self-report questionnaire designed to assess abusive childhood environments and exposure to animal cruelty was administered to 314 prison inmates. Although high rates of physical punishment characterized the entire sample, persons charged with violent but nonhomicidal crimes reported more severely punitive childhood histories than those charged…

Using a conceptual framework that acknowledges the losses associated with a parent's incarceration, 56 caregivers visiting an incarcerated family member during children's visiting hours were interviewed. Problems believed to be created by incarceration included parenting strain, emotional stress, and concerns about children's loss of involvement…

Fifteen mother-child dyads were observed when the children with visual impairments were 20 to 36 months old, and a year later, to investigate the influence of several variables (maternal behavior, home environment, and socioeconomic status) on their development. Results found the influence of maternal behaviors was more significant during the…

Examines the relationship between poverty and family instability during childhood on prosocial behavior (volunteerism) during late adolescence. Data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (NLSY), including mother and family records, indicate that adolescents, particularly males, from single parent families are less likely than those from…

Examines determinates of male and female educational attainments at the primary, middle, and high school levels in Turkey. Considers individual and household factors such as household income, parental education and occupation, and an array of community characteristics. Finds, for example, that the effect of household income levels on the schooling…

Examined the relationship between adolescent sexual activity and mildly deviant behavior. Analyzed data of 1,739 adolescents from the Carolina Population Center's Sexuality Project which contained linkable responses of siblings, best friends, and other friends. Results showed overlap between sexuality and mild deviance but also indicated that the…

Suggestions are made for encouraging conversation skills in the deaf child at the family dinner table. Among suggestions to families are to use dinnertime to catch up on each other's news, make the physical environment pleasant, use modes of communication accessible to the deaf child, and be responsive to the deaf child. (DB)

Reviews recent research on: (1) the causes of childhood stress; (2) ways in which teachers can help; (3) available resources concerning children's stress; and (4) coping techniques of resilient children. (RJC)

Develops a classification system for the physical environment based on 3 dimensions of stimulation. Intercorrelations of physical and social environmental measures obtained for 88 infants of 12 months supported the validity of the decision rule that nonresponsive animate stimulation is primarily physical rather than social. (RJC)

Proposes a model for understanding child and adolescent achievement problems. Suggests four dimensions of a family's learning environment: (1) family communication deviances; (2) family structure; (3) family attributions; and (4) family achievement values. Offers metaphor of family as "primary classroom." (Author/ABL)

Reviews various models for understanding, treating and preventing child abuse. Describes an ecological model of human behavior that provides a comprehensive perspective for integrating the diverse models. Discusses an ecological model of child abuse. (RJC)

Results indicated significant genetic influence on eight Family Environment Scales that had been altered to obtain retrospective perceptions of family environment in childhood. The combined twin and adoption design was used with four groups of twins whose average age was 59 years. (RH)

Describes four innercity families and the ways in which they use print in their daily lives. Finds wide variation in the degrees to which print permeates the lives of innercity children, in both the extent to which family members use print and the types of print being written and read. (SR)