Future residential plans and placement preferences of 340 mothers of adult children with mental retardation living at home were examined and followed up three years later. Forty-five percent had made residential plans; at follow-up, 22% of families with short-term residential plans had achieved a placement, compared to 14% of families wanting…

Data from the fourth followup to the National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988 suggest greater complexity in the individual trajectories, or careers, that characterize the movement from adolescence to adulthood than in earlier years. Understanding the role schooling now plays in the lives of U.S. adults may require a more expansive view than…

A study involving 308 secondary school principals who had served at least 1 year was conducted to reexamine the validity of subjects' ratings by professional development centers. Results indicate a modest level of validity for use of assessment center evaluations in the prediction of principals' job performance. (TJH)

Surveyed sociology graduates of California State University (Bakersfield) over a 15-year period to identify specific areas of skill and knowledge that graduates believed they had gained from their major. Found that minority males and males from families where both parents had less than a high school education felt they had gained the most from…

The article presents an interim report on the progress of 39 mentally retarded students in a supported competitive employment training program implemented in 5 school systems and 3 geographical areas of Virginia. Among findings were that 74 percent of the students remained in their jobs longer than 6 months. (DB)

Discusses an 8-year follow-up study to a smoking prevention program for 13- to 15- year-old students, who were taught the skills to resist pressures to start smoking. Consistent evidence of preventive effects was found among those students who had been non-smokers when the program began. (Author/JS)

Presents a conceptual model of student flow through the community college. Outlines the purposes of student tracking systems and discusses the tension between the theory and practice of designing and implementing tracking systems. (DMM)

College students (N=41) in 1983 completed Nuclear War Attitude Survey (NWAS II) and completed it again in 1986 or 1987. Compared to earlier responses, recent responses to NWAS II showed statistically significant decreases in frequency with which subjects reported thinking about possibility of nuclear war, estimation of likelihood of nuclear war,…

The followup study of 15 autistic and 14 dysphasic boys at middle childhood found that few of the autistic boys had developed good language skills; that the autistic group remained stable in its general characteristics; and that many of the dysphasic boys showed problems in peer relations. (DB)

FAX technology was used to send surveys to professionals at 25 higher education institutions whereas professionals at 25 more institutions received mail surveys. Follow-up responses were sent by FAX and mail. Response rates (overall rate of 40%) were best for those receiving surveys and reminders by FAX. Cost effectiveness is discussed. (SLD)

Evaluated the enduring effectiveness of a skill-based training program to enhance maternal sensitivity toward infants between six and nine months of age. Found that more of the toddlers whose mothers participated in the intervention were securely attached than toddlers from the control group dyads. In the third year, evidence of sustained effects…

A study gathered data on 207 of the 248 students who were released from a juvenile correctional center. The conclusion was that academic and vocational education are highly efficient ways to reduce recidivism and that money for the education of incarcerated youth is well spent. (JOW)

Employs reverse tracer techniques to identify alternative training paths for selected skilled and semiskilled occupations in Colombia. Shows that workers pursue various alternative training paths to acquire essential occupational skills. Strong public intervention in training markets should be discouraged, as choices would be narrowed and the…

This study examined reabuse rates across a 5-year follow-up period in 304 children admitted to a hospital-based child abuse assessment unit. A 16.8 percent incidence of reabuse was found, with the greatest risk occurring during the 2 years immediately following a discharge diagnosis of maltreatment. Neglect was the most frequent type of reabuse.…

Analysis of responses of 55 graduates of a doctoral program in special education between 1975 and 1988 indicated that more postgraduation publication was reported by respondents who had published or presented a paper as students; were employed in academic or research positions; and had research apprenticeships. (DB)