The articles in this engaging volume, mostly from Young Children, address the purposes of and uses for assessment. Expert commentary from Marian Marion, Gayle Mindes, Richard Clifford, Diane Trister Dodge and others offers an overview of the topic and specific examples to show how assessment informs and improves practice in early childhood…

This final report describes activities and accomplishments of a federally supported project in Connecticut to develop and examine the effectiveness of a social competence curriculum on the behavioral outcomes of young children (24-48 months) with disabilities and their families. Children (n=17) and their families received two years of…

This book by a Montessori educator provides ideas and suggestions for parents, extended families, preschool teachers, and anyone who wants to gain a simple understanding of how and when to relate to a toddler in a supportive, not destructive, manner. The book addresses how to communicate with toddlers, how to avoid and resolve emotional conflict,…

This booklet compiles 30 papers selected from presentations at "Play in a Changing Society: Research, Design, and Application," the fifth triennial national conference of the American Association for the Child's Right to Play. The papers are grouped into five sections; each section contains an introduction to the papers. The sections…

Issues of incarceration and its effects on parents, children, families, and communities are as much human development concerns as policy dilemmas. This report synthesizes the discussion of these concerns and their implications for policy, practice, and research as presented at the National Center on Fathers and Families'"Roundtable on…

While states have put in place scores of youth polices, no state can claim to have a single, coherent youth policy that serves as a lens for assessing and planning individual policies. However, across the country, states are working to develop more coordinated approaches to youth policy. This paper highlights the work that states are doing to…

This course textbook has been adapted from the four-volume "Handbook of Applied Developmental Science" (SAGE 2003), a work that offers a detailed roadmap for action and research in ensuring positive child, youth, and family development. In 20 chapters, "Applied Developmental Science: An Advanced Textbook" brings together theory and application…

Nationwide, public attention has increasingly focused on the need for a variety of early care and education arrangements to meet the changing needs of families. The demand for early care and education has grown for families from all socioeconomic sectors, intensifying as participants in welfare-to-work programs enter the workforce, and as work…

This study sought to determine the causes of high or low attainment in preschool, focusing on 17 factors identified as having a significant influence on the development of children's abilities. The study focused on home factors influencing attainment among 30 high ability and 30 low ability children from preschools in Glowno, Poland.…

Focusing on minority group children, ages 2 to 4 years, and their mothers, the Netherlands' Samenspel project is intended to be a link between the home environment and the preschool or primary school. Mothers and children go to playgroups once a week, most of which are held in a community center or preschool. This summary report describes a study…

Many children who are born into poverty face increased challenges. But different factors can ameliorate such risks and some findings on resilience and protective factors are reported in this paper. The data are based on the Parent-Child Project, a 22-year study of high-risk children. The focus is on protective factors identified in the first three…

Irritability levels and activity reactivity to aversive tactile stimuli were compared for 144 full-term neonates and 191 preterm infants. Irritability ratings increased across the five trials both during and post stimulation for full-term females and males and for preterm females, but not for preterm males. Activity ratings decreased across trials…

Most young children are exuberant and enthusiastic about their futures, believing they can do almost anything. But many eventually lose hope. Efforts to understand at what developmental point children lose hope is the focus of this paper. Students in grades 1 through 12 (N=990) who attend Catholic and public schools were administered the…

From amnesia to auditory hallucinations, the symptoms of pathological dissociation are among the most devastating effects of childhood maltreatment. Ways in which therapists can provide a comprehensive developmental approach to understanding, diagnosing, and treating this challenging clinical population are presented in this text. After reviewing…

Prepared by the Maternal and Newborn Services staff at a health care system affiliated with the University of Minnesota, this book is designed as several resources in one, encompassing pregnancy, childbirth, infant care, child development, baby keepsakes, medical records, and journal-keeping. The book provides authoritative, up-to-date information…