Findings from fifth grade African-American, white, and Asian American students revealed that antisocial behavior and attitudes were stronger predictors of substance initiation for Asian Americans than for other groups. For whites, self-reported and teacher-rated behavior were significantly related to substance initiation. For African Americans,…

Describes a cross-national study of students at Arizona State University and at Anadolu University (Turkey) that was conducted to investigate the influence of body position as a photographic element on viewers' perceptions of professional competence. Highlights include implicit personality theory, sex stereotyping, and Turkish attitudes toward…

Use of the System of Multicultural Pluralistic Assessment (SOMPA) with minority disadvantaged children in an urban school district resulted in increased numbers of African-American students (grades two through five) being eligible for gifted programing. Comparison with African-American students selected by traditional means found similar levels of…

Studies cultural differences in child rearing practices of 38 middle-class Chinese immigrant mothers and 38 middle-class Caucasian-American mothers of 3-8 year olds. Results suggest similarity in child-rearing goals of both groups, although Chinese-American immigrant mothers rely on traditional Chinese methods of socialization to achieve these…

Assessed family perceptions of parent-adolescent conflict four times from grade six to summer following grade eight. Mothers, fathers, and adolescents from 80 families reported on parent-adolescent conflict. Conflict over chores, appearance, and politeness decreased over 2.5 years whereas conflict over finances increased. Substance-use conflict…

Two experiments involving 301 college students (141 males and 160 females) indicate that gender differences in self-prediction of first-semester grade point average may be at least partly attributable to self-presentational style, with women adopting a modest self-presentational style motivated by attempts to protect the self-esteem of the…

A study of 1,478 adolescents (364 males and 1,114 females) attending 10 private schools nationally explored factors influencing male and female adolescent sexual behavior. Most factors examined were significantly correlated with sexual intercourse frequency. Few gender differences were observed. Differential peer association was the strongest…

Discusses the perceived immunity of gifted children to social adjustment problems. Reports the findings of a study of the issue. Concludes that some gifted students, particularly girls, are highly susceptible to crises of self-esteem, alienation, anxiety, and locus of control. Suggests preventive guidance to assist such children in developing…

Examines responses of homosexual parents and their children's teachers and administrators concerning parent-school communication. The article discusses dynamics that encourage homosexual parents to disclose their homosexuality to the school and the value or risk placed on disclosure. It reports on issues of gender, offering parent and faculty…

Presents results of a study examining gender differences in measures of academic aptitude and achievement that predict persistence in introductory economics courses. Concludes that females need more validation than male students to persist in the study of economics. Suggests that the need for female students to overcome classroom climate may…

Relative contributions of young adults' gender role attitudes, educational aspirations, certainty about careers, and importance of work and marriage as a life satisfaction source to their concurrent involvement in a dating relationship were explored for 56 male and 167 female college students. Results concern Erikson's identity development stages.…

Examines the Swedish experience for lessons to help reduce infant mortality in the United States. Because of Sweden's efforts to eliminate poverty and provide comprehensive health care, there are only small social class differences in infant mortality. Class and race issues play much larger roles in the United States. (SLD)

Studies alcohol, cigarette, and marijuana use by fourth graders in Washington, DC (n=4,675 in 1988-89 and n=4,678 in 1990-91). Lifetime prevalence of self-reported alcohol use, alcohol use without parental knowledge, and smoking more than a puff of a cigarette declined, although marijuana use and cigarette experimentation did not decline. (SLD)

Provides an overview of research on the effectiveness of microcomputer applications with at-risk students and suggests that many findings in the literature are questionable because of flaws in research methodology. Issues relating to measurement, learning environment, computer utilization, gender, and socioeconomic status are addressed, and…

Coursework-mastery test scores for all middle school students in a school district were used to test the narrowly meritocratic hypothesis that course-grade differentials for gender, ethnicity, and poverty groups can be accounted for by the differential coursework mastery of these groups. Samples ranged from 1,124 to 8,381 seventh graders and…