A former childcare worker addresses the connection between social problems plaguing modern life and society's attitudes toward the role of women and mothering. She describes the detrimental effects on children who are placed in day care at an early age and urges that families abandon materialism and work toward improving the quality of their own…

Examined parental satisfaction with and involvement in intervention services of Child Development Centre at City Hospital in Birmingham, England. Found general satisfaction, but also that parents want more of a role in the initial assessment meeting, welcome the chance to help decide upon service quality, and appreciate help with issues such as…

Looks at the daily activities of one preschool in southern China. Reviews the attitudes of educators and parents, and the application of social theory to curriculum and pedagogy in the Chinese preschool. Places special emphasis on the words and ideas of the teachers and administrators in reference to the policies created by the government. (MOK)

Describes an in-class activity where children and their parents are invited to an undergraduate child development class. The children's ages match the developmental stages that the class is studying. The parents/children discuss various issues with the students. Briefly outlines some of the discussion patterns that occur. (MJP)

Describes an educational game where students are assigned a hypothetical "lot" representing a life event that centers on a developmental issue. The lot serves as the topic for empirical research and investigations into community agencies. Student research focuses on implications for individual development and the quality of family life. (MJP)

This study used an "enhanced constructed comparison group" statistical model to conduct longitudinal research on the child developmental impact of Pittsburgh's early childhood initiative (ECI), a partnership to provide high-quality early care and education for children in high-risk neighborhoods. First-phase findings indicate that…

Considers effects of culture, health status, socioeconomic status, family structure, and biological factors on minority infants' development. (PCB)

Fifty-five boys, aged 6 to 8 and 10 to 12 years, were administered EEGs while they silently read short passages. Subjects were then tested on the passages. Age differences in the relationship between hemisphere activation during silent reading and reading comprehension were discovered. (TJH)

Comparison of 324 neglected children and adolescents and a matched nonmaltreated sample found that the neglected children had lower grades, more suspensions, more disciplinary referrals, and more grade repetitions, even when controlling for gender and socioeconomic status. Junior high appeared to be a particularly problematic time for neglected…

This series of papers examines the role of play from various angles, discussing play as an essential human function and universal experience, the role of play in developing cultural values and awareness, a symbolic interactionist view of play, early therapeutic recreation specialists, and the direction of commercialized play. (SM)

Analyzes the structural and thematic elements of three stories written by a sixth-grade Navajo girl to challenge the notion that a linear pattern of growth is followed by all children as they learn to write stories. The results question the assumption that certain kinds of narratives and their American Indian authors are less able or less…

Reports on a study of stressful life events (SLE's) among 1,114 urban Australian children ranging in age from 5-13. Finds that the children reported an average of six such events during their lifetimes. Also finds that children who experienced from 3-8 serious SLE's were rated as less well adjusted on a variety of behavioral measures. (CFR)

Asserts that elementary music education has been influenced by three approaches to learning: (1) the conceptual approach; (2) the child development approach; and (3) the activities approach. Presents six steps to designing an interdisciplinary project in music education. (CFR)

Reports on research with preschool caregivers, primary grade teachers, and home caregivers of 605 young children on the role the visual arts play in early childhood education. Finds that parents and personnel at day care centers and nursery schools were sensitive to, and positive about, the role and significance of visual arts. (CFR)

Evaluation of integrated versus segregated schooling of 91 children with severe developmental disabilities found that integrated children spent less time with therapists, equal time with special education teachers, more time with other children, and less time alone. No differences were found on developmental skills; however, integrated children…