A fifth grade student with a mentally retarded sibling reports on a followup study on the effectiveness of a classroom lesson she taught to improve second grader attitudes toward mental retardation. Positive attitudes were maintained one year later. Other third graders receiving instruction by the author or her friends also showed improved…

Based on a review of research, outlines developmental tasks of siblingship in the United States from a life-cycle perspective. The sibling support bond typically persists throughout the life cycle. Some siblingship tasks are constant and consistent from birth to death, while others stand out as idiosyncratic to the context of the particular life…

Comparison of 100 older and 200 younger love-shy men to 200 nonshy men revealed that love-shys were more likely to have grown up without sisters or as only children, and to have come from homes characterized by disharmony, verbal abuse, and isolation from kin family networks. (Author/NRB)

Compares Down's Syndrome children with normal siblings on various temperament dimensions, using data collected from mothers' completion of the Toddler Temperament Scale and followup questionnaire. (NH)

Genetic and environmental influences on heart rate were studied in samples of twin pairs in middle childhood. Heart rate was measured in resting situation and under two task conditions. Heart rate was related to parental ratings of shyness, emotionality, and selective attention measure. Multivariate analysis suggested that covariance between heart…

Concludes that older siblings dominate younger ones in the choice of television programs. (FL)

The article reviews literature pertaining to general effects of a developmentally disabled child on a family with particular emphasis on implications for families with learning disabled children. Covered are aspects of individual and family life cycles during various life stages, sibling adjustment, and intervention approaches with the child and…

The current study is an examination of how support from siblings relates to academic competence in early adolescence, with a focus on the compensatory effects of sibling support. Participants were 694 African-American, European-American, and Hispanic-American students, ranging in age from 11 to 15. Participants were interviewed in school regarding…

Parents of multiple birth children frequently encounter school policies requiring separation of their children in school, regardless of the circumstances, thereby eliminating parents and their children from the decision-making process. This guide from the National Organization of Mothers of Twins Clubs (NOMTC) asserts that research and expert…

One of the most common parenting issues faced by families with multiple birth children is that of the dynamics involved in sibling cooperation and competition. This document compiles stories from the Mothers of Twins Club "Notebook" examining the issue of cooperation versus competition. The first story discusses the impact of the twin…

An examination of the occupational aspirations held by 272 college women yielded limited support for the "conservators of tradition hypothesis"--the idea that first-born children are more likely to assume traditionally defined roles. Among women intending to enter the labor force, the first-born are more likely to aspire to traditionally…

The main finding is that last born girls tend to visit with friends more frequently than first and in between children. Theoretically, this relatively high participation with friends may reflect the beginning of change in the functions of the family. (Author)

Gives suggestions for placement agencies' procedures to benefit institutionalized children and their parents. Describes methods for developing visiting relationships and choosing foster families to ensure stable and lasting adult-child relationships. (DR)