Used a qualitative, exploratory investigation of 24 adult caregivers with low incomes to examine empowerment as an outcome of adult participation in a cooperative preschool program. The program succeeded in helping parents attain and maintain self-sufficiency. Analyzes to what extent empowerment is fostered by adult participation in a cooperative…

Used data from 129 people over the age of 60 to test a model in which the contributions made by older care receivers predicted subjects' personal control and psychological well-being. Physical health predicted the extent to which elders contributed to the family; elder contributions to the family increased their sense of control. (RJM)

Analyzed 360 university students to see if parentification can predict certain personality characteristics. Results indicated that for both genders, parentification was a significant predictor of masochistic and narcissistic personality, but not of compulsive characteristics. Results support theory that parentification can manifest in two…

While grieving is a process both children and adults experience, children do not grieve in straightforward ways. There is often a connection between feelings of loss and a child's misbehavior when those feelings are not processed. This article describes how to help children understand the concept of death and offers suggestions for helping them…

Examines back injury in teachers and child care providers; includes statistics, common causes of back pain (improper alignment, improper posture, improper lifting, and carrying), and types of back pain (acute and chronic). Focuses on preventing back injury, body mechanics for lifting and carrying, and proper lifting and carrying of children. (SD)

Delineates three levels of participation for classroom employees in educational research and presents issues that must be considered at each level. Specific roles examined include: (1) subjects in research studies; (2) facilitators for others conducting studies; and (3) researchers. (SD)

This study used focus group discussions with formal kinship caregivers in Maryland to examine the need for support services. Findings revealed that kinship caregivers were committed to providing safety and stability for the children placed with them and suggested that caregiving can be a significant adjustment for many kinship caregivers. Findings…

Explores the two Christian Brothers religious orders of the Roman Catholic Church. Focuses on the Irish Congregation that has been controversial, specifically in its residential care for neglected, orphaned, and delinquent children. States that allegations of physical, sexual, and emotional abuse has been reported in their institutions. (CMK)

Outlines a framework for determining the infrastructure cost of universal early care and education for young children and adequate compensation for caregivers. Discusses the nature of compensation and infrastructure, including governance and administration, compensation, professional development, and regulation. Suggests that costs could be…

Suggests that Canadian early childhood professionals perpetuate aspects of their own professional problems. The field must address the restrictions it has placed on itself; in particular, the perpetuation of a history that is neither ennobling nor enabling. (CB)

The speech of mothers of six children with Down syndrome was compared to that of mothers of nonretarded children, when subjects were aged 17-38 months. No significant differences were observed between the two groups for either proportion of substantive deixis or proportion of nouns (as opposed to pronouns). (Author/JDD)

Describes goals for training for antibias practices. Goals involve (1) reexamining curriculum practices and materials for the purpose of enriching the curriculum; and (2) working with children, staff, and parents to overcome the biases of the dominant culture. Includes a suggested activity for beginning antibias training. (DR)

Describes barriers to effective communications in parent-teacher conferences and the process of preparing for a conference. Emphasizes the need to set a positive tone for effective parent-teacher conferences. (DR)

Analysis of Sesotho-speaking children's spontaneous language showed that the acquisition of passives was closely linked to the fact that Sesotho subjects must be discourse topics. It is suggested that a detailed analysis of how passive constructions interact with other components of a given linguistic system is critical for developing coherent and…

Compared the conversations of mothers and fathers with their children, focusing special attention on breakdown-repair sentences. It was found, overall, that children and secondary caregiver fathers experienced more communicative breakdowns than did children and primary caregiver mothers. (23 references) (Author/CB)