Maintains that staff guidance in early childhood and child care programs can be optimized when it functions within the guidelines of developmentally appropriate practices in regards to staff age, stage appropriateness, and individual appropriateness. Differences in individual staff temperament and cognitive styles are considered. (BB)

Discusses the influence of culture and family and the importance of self-esteem in the development of competency in young children. Describes the role of the teacher in creating a developmentally appropriate environment that fosters self-initiated learning and a personal locus of control. (SH)

Medical school admission interview ratings for four entering classes (n=356 students) were compared with preadmission academic variables (admission test scores, undergraduate grades), student characteristics (age, gender, residence), and interviewer characteristics (gender, professional background, admission committee membership). Recommendations…

Infants who changed in levels of emotionality between three and nine months were compared with infants who remained stable. Maternal personality, marital factors, and mother-infant interaction accounted for the change in highly emotional infants. Father factors accounted for changes by infants who were initially low in negativity. (BC)

Compares the career choices and interests, personality issues, and values of high-achieving, expected-achieving, and low-achieving high school and college students. States that the emphasis on individualism may encourage students to "make the grade" rather than commit to larger causes. Argues for the reassessment of achievement values and…

Compares characteristics of students taking programming-oriented versus applications-oriented higher education courses. Topics include computer engagement, programming experience, computing attitudes, a greater gender imbalance in enrollment on the programming-oriented course, the usefulness of psychometric measures, discriminant function…

Describes an evaluation of lectures in a computer-based, personalized system of instruction (PSI) introductory psychology class. Results question the effectiveness of lectures, based on students instructor evaluations, student characteristics, personality test scores, and academic performance. (Author/LRW)

A university professor describes the relationship he experienced with his daughter, and her relationship with the man who murdered her and then committed suicide. A special-education professor reacts by discussing prevention and intervention as the keys to survival. The father states that he plans to use this tragedy to help troubled youth. (MKA)

Discusses the effects of child abuse and neglect on young children. Focuses on possible neurological effects; psychological effects, such as disregulation of affect and avoidance of intimacy; and cognitive consequences throughout childhood and adolescence. Describes interventions that can promote resiliency in children, such as providing alternate…

Small countries should reexamine the question of educational leadership. Although the traditional, rationalist view of leadership served them well while emerging from colonial domination, a nonrational focus stressing cooperation and empowerment may be useful in tough times when reculturing seems so crucial. (23 references) (MLH)

Presents strategies for building resilience in students with disabilities in inclusive classrooms. Suggestions are provided for promoting social competence, problem-solving skills, autonomy, and sense of purpose. A checklist for resilience is included, along with two stories of children with disabilities who gained resilience. (CR)

National Longitudinal Survey of Youth data indicate that sense of personal control increased from age 14 to 22. Dropping out of school hampered development; teen pregnancy did not. Adolescent sense of control and further adult development correlated positively with cognitive skill and parental education. Low perceived control predicted subsequent…

A longitudinal study evaluated child-care effects on young children's self-control, compliance, and problem behavior. Findings indicated that mothering was a stronger and more consistent predictor of child outcomes than child care. There was little evidence that early, extensive, and continuous care was related to problematic child behavior.…

Discusses an experiment involving 35 senior executives from private- and public-sector businesses who volunteered to be governors in English secondary schools. The business executives were found to contribute significantly because of their seniority, personal qualities and skills, time commitment, and time management skills. (Contains 37…

Discusses the impact of the troubles in Northern Ireland on the psychological and social well-being and school lives of youth. Although some have suffered great trauma, recent research highlights the resilience of young people exposed to the stress of political conflict. For the majority of youth growing up in Northern Ireland, the future may be…