Environment and behavior of disadvantaged rural families affect the growth and development of children. Specifically, infant punishment, rewarding behavior, sibling independence, health, housing, and working mothers are discussed. (This study was supported in part by a grant (RE: IF 4-NU-27,028-01) from the Div. of Nursing, HEW) (JF)

Subjects (N=106) from families of two or three children were analyzed in terms of various sibling sex configurations and administered the Tennessee Self Concept Scale. Results were discussed in terms of a "special place in the family." (Author/CM)

Interviews with 160 children aged 6-9 from varied backgrounds showed that they acknowledge the importance of parents in their lives but have a pragmatic view of the relationship. What parents do seems to be more important than what they say. Children appeared to understand more than adults may want to acknowledge. (SK)

A life-course development perspective depicts stages of family development with tasks for each stage. It addresses the diversity of family relationships and illustrates how human development includes individual, generational, and historical time. (Contains 14 references.) (SK)

Traces family demography development in United States, summarizing findings from research since 1940. Focuses on family life cycle, historical trends, intermarriages, socioeconomic status and family stability, the marriage squeeze, international trends in marriage, health issues, cohabitation, one-parent families, gender issues, divorce, and…

Examines changes in families in relation to implications for family therapy theory and practice. Looks at cultural variations in family formats, age at first marriage, single parents, older marriages, divorce and remarriage, and multiearner families. Explores significance of changes and implications for training of marital and family therapists.…

Explored degree to which adolescent living arrangement, mother's educational level, religion, region of country, area of residency, birth cohort, and year of survey can account for racial difference in timing of initiation of sexual activity, first marriage, first birth, and divorce. Variables examined did not provide satisfactory explanation of…

Recasts home economics using systems theory, social construction, and feminist principles in terms of private/public (Hestian/Hermian) space. Suggests that this framework provides a nongendered vocabulary with which to look at family and state as interacting, self-regulating systems. (SK)

Examined perceived changes in specific family celebrations, traditions, important life cycle events, and day-to-day family contact that occurred for 115 adult children whose parents had divorced after long-term marriage. Found strong positive correlation between perceived disruptiveness of parental divorce and changes in family rituals,…

Notes that U.S. children are more mobile than children in other Western countries and Japan. Explores explanations of this "excess" mobility, concluding that most likely explanation is greater family disruption and childhood poverty in U.S. Identifies average number of moves for children at successive ages and models association of selected…