Investigated incidence of alcohol use by college students, relationship among social bond variables, and ability of social bond variables to predict alcohol use. Psychosocial scales measuring elements of social bond to the college community were used successfully to classify abstainers, light-to-moderate drinkers, and heavy drinkers in 74% of the…

Examines 24 mother/impaired infant dyads to study the quality of interaction using the Ainsworth-Wittig attachment paradigm. Measures of general development and degree of child impairment significantly differentiated "classifiability" of attachment in the Ainsworth scheme. Infants rated higher on a social responsiveness measure were more…

Explains the need to establish alternate communication devices between mothers and their blind infants. Mothers must demonstrate a natural ability to respond to auditory and manual cues, rather than visual cues. The importance of "tactual intimacy" is also stressed. (AS)

Common themes in research on individuals who were abused as children are reviewed, noting transmission of a basic inability to provide good parenting. Psychological residues are discussed (including low self-esteem) along with delinquency, depression, attachment disorders, and sexual abuse. (CL)

To test hypotheses concerning interactional histories associated with variation in quality of infant-mother attachment, data were gathered during naturalistic home observations of 60 infants 1, 3, and 9 months of age. Responses were elicited on the Ainsworth and Wittig strange situations. Results concerned mothers' relatively greater influence in…

A review of 17 of the most current empirical research studies on the pscyhosocial adjustment of maltreated children suggests that, compared to nonabused children, physically abused children manifest a greater number and frequency of behavior problems, have poor peer relationships and social skills, are less socially involved, have less empathy,…

Examines associations among contemporaneous measures of marital quality, parenting attitudes and behavior, and toddler development in two-parent families. Seventy-five families with one 20-month-old child served as subjects. Results generally indicated that good marital quality was associated with optimal toddler functioning and sensitive…

Experimentally varied conditions relating to the people with whom participants (N=45) interacted prior to beginning a small learning group experience. Results showed that rates of attending and remaining varied according to with whom participants interacted prior to the onset of the group. (LLL)

Discusses the problem of children who don't want to begin school, and lists ways parents can help their child make a smooth transition from home to school. (SB)

Mediational models predicting college students' adjustment were tested using regression analyses. Contemporary adult attachment theory was employed to explore the cognitive/affective mechanisms by which adult attachment and perfectionism affect various aspects of psychological functioning. Consistent with theoretical expectations, results…

This study examined the dynamic organization of interactions specific to attachment groups in a learning situation. Participating were 62 mothers and their 12- to 16-month-olds, observed in the laboratory during three 3-minute learning tasks. After the laboratory session was completed, the Strange Situation procedure was conducted. Findings…

This book calls into question the degree to which early childhood experiences affect psychological development, critiquing three related myths: (1) personality is formed by early childhood experiences; (2) mental disorders are caused by early childhood experiences; and (3) effective psychotherapy depends on reconstructing childhood experiences.…

While parenting, attachment, individuation, and identity theories suggest relationships between parent-adolescent relationships, parenting behaviors, and adolescent self-evaluations, these theories differ in whether parent-adolescent relationship quality or parenting behaviors are more directly linked to adolescent self-evaluations. For this…

Examines reinforcing characteristics of attachment agents such as mothers and blankets among 100 preschool-age children. The first study assesses preferences for these agents in two-choice situations, the second study examines the effectiveness of the agents as visual reinforcers, and the third study focuses on the reinforcing capacity of the…

Provides evidence that the significance given to the infant-mother attachment and personality and social development is not warranted. Infants normally develop attachments to more than one person. Their interpersonal world is complex and includes fathers and other caretakers. (Author/JAC)