Parents of 23 Alberta, Canada, children with mild to severe mental handicaps were asked to describe their parenting experiences. Parental concerns were analyzed in terms of severity of the handicapping condition and dealt with education and social integration, emotional stresses, future prospects, impact on the family, support systems, and…

Family stress and coping behaviors of 90 mothers with moderately mentally retarded children exhibited no significant differences across 3 age groups: school entry, early adolescence, and young adult. Differences in perceived stress were found for race and maternal age; differences in coping behaviors were found for race, marital status, and…

A fourth grade teacher relates her experience with a female student who was sexually abused by her father, and whose mother was prosecuted for narcotics violations. The student's relations with classmates, academic performance, and response to counseling are discussed. (IAH)

Reviews available research studies of high-conflict divorce and its effects on children. Factors believed to contribute to high-conflict divorce are explored, and a model of their interrelationships is proposed. Dispute resolution, intervention, and prevention programs are discussed, and implications for social policy are outlined. (SLD)

Educators should be aware of economic and social changes affecting today's families and adopt supportive strategies to serve their needs. Educators should be consistent in their relationship with families; use diverse approaches; communicate often and effectively; relate and respond to the family; provide continuous feedback; and promote equal…

Reports the responses of families in Kansas who live with a seriously emotionally disturbed and violent child. Contains interview responses to specific questions posed to family members about how they counter the child's aggression, how they deal with acting out, how they de-escalate tension, how they rebuild the caring bonds, and how they manage.…

This study examined spoken attributions of 18 families during diagnostic therapy following serious child abuse. Patterns of attributions successfully predicted classification of families by therapists as good, uncertain, and poor in terms of prognosis for rehabilitation. Case accounts illustrate use of attributional analysis to understand the…

Analyzes the impact of employment context and family structure on Mexican American families' health insurance status. Found that, of the groups studied, Mexican Americans are least likely to have either overall coverage or coverage from an employer. An extended family increased the odds of having no one insured in the family. (RJM)

Examines the special characteristics of adolescent parents and reviews a series of field-tested, hands-on parent education workshops for them. Suggests that recognizing the adolescent needs of very young parents and building a parent education program based on concrete, playful experiences with plentiful opportunities to interact with peers appear…

Studied 111 police officers. Predicted that those inclined to arrest victims of domestic violence would have more negative stereotypes and attitudes toward victims and women. Results showed that those with an inclination to arrest victims believed domestic violence is justified situationally and that women stay in violent relationships for…

Families (n=46) of mentally retarded public school graduates in British Columbia were asked about their child's transition outcomes and transition process. Results revealed a strong reliance on segregated adult services and a transition process in which families received little help. (DB)

Examines important issues for parents to consider when dealing with children of divorce and discusses several problem points to avoid, including loyalty conflicts, good parent/evil parent, family secrets, and feeling cheated. Several suggestions for helping children cope are offered. (SM)

Examined two contrasting views of how parental marital status relates to long-term adjustment of children. Results of analyses on white adolescents (n=917) from intact, divorced, and blended families failed to support physical wholeness position; rather, results supported psychological wholeness position. Adolescents' adjustment was related to…

This article synthesizes the research defining social problems of some children with learning disabilities, especially the role of communication skills deficits. Traditional emphases on family dysfunction, school failure, or personality disturbances are seen to be negated by research which suggests that neural aberrations trigger deficient…

Offers advice on crisis intervention for all people who provide social services to Head Start families. Defines the conditions that constitute a crisis, and provides an explanation of four crisis categories and how to assess them. Outlines the steps home visitors take in providing support to a family in a crisis situation. (TJQ)