This study was undertaken to determine the effects of different ways of coping on caregivers' physical health and symptoms of depression and anxiety. Sixty persons living with and caring for a spouse with Alzheimer's disease (n=58) or multi-infarct dementia (n=2) were interviewed and evaluated by a series of instruments. Independent variables…

This paper provides an overview of the dimensions of organizational climate as they relate to early childhood work environments. It reports the results of a study involving 629 early childhood workers representing 65 nonprofit and for-profit, center-based programs. The focus of the inquiry was to determine in what ways the 94 administrators and…

This course is designed to help direct caregivers of people with severe disabilities to better their understanding of the process of positioning. The instructor's guide contains content notes and implementation notes, along with sheets for overhead projection, worksheets, and handouts. The course is organized into 15 sections, totaling about 8…

This 10-chapter monograph explores the range of influences parents have on their children's linguistic development and in the process attempts to understand why parents adopt the language styles they do in addressing children. The discussion focuses on the following three themes that are interwoven throughout the book: (1) the social nature of…

This book is designed to serve as a handbook for early childhood professionals and others interested in improving the quality of early childhood services available to young children and their families. It also serves as a resource for information and tools that can be used to: (1) build a compelling case for improving the quality of early…

This study, an intra-cultural comparison among a Mestiza population in Central Mexico, was designed to investigate what the universal and culture-specific aspects of children's transition from sensorimotor to linguistic communication might be. (The culture-specific aspect was defined in this study as the degree to which caregivers provided…

The position of nanny has evolved from the tradition of wet nursing. Originally, a wet nurse was a practical solution for a mother who was unable to nurse, or a means of saving parental anguish in the face of high infant mortality, or considered more desirable than a new mother's care in view of sanitation problems. As wet nursing developed, the…

Recognizing that toy-making activities have tremendous potential for developing good parent-child interactions, this paper examines (1) the why, where, when, how, and who of making toys at home; (2) the use of toys in play; and (3) the value of toys as tools for learning. The snags and obstacles of toy making as well as the challenges and benefits…

This study compared the effectiveness of three types of telecommunications technology and a traditional face-to-face approach in training day care teachers, aides, and administrators. The technologies were audio telecommunications with (1) audiotapes and slides, (2) videotapes, and (3) slowscan television. Data were collected through observations…

This study investigated whether the interactions of biological mothers and their offspring differ from those of institutional caregivers and infants in their charge. The subjects--43 three-month full-time Greek infants (22 home-reared infants and 21 from the institution, Babies' Center Metera) were studied while interacting with their primary…

The demand for child care services in the United States continues to grow, stretching the levels of program quality to the limit. In fact, the country is facing a crisis in child care. Affordable child care continues to be a major issue for many families. Solutions to the current crisis in child care must, in addition to insuring affordability,…

A survey of child care centers and employees in New Zealand was made to provide a statistical profile of child care for future planning, and determine: (1) who is working in child care; (2) the background, experience, and qualifications of employees; (3) what knowledge, skills, and experiences are needed by child care workers to meet the demands…

The purpose of this paper is to show how child care practitioners and public policymakers can function in the seemingly disparate and often overlapping roles of professional caregiver, participating advocate, and public policymaker. Described are: (1) the recent expansion of and anticipated future need for child day care programs, focusing on…

A total of 360 child care workers from licensed facilities were surveyed regarding their perceptions of the occupational worth of various child care jobs. Respondents were family and group day care providers, and day care center, Head Start, and nursery school teachers. Overall, these child care workers differed in the ways they perceived what…

The owner-operator of a child care center, nursery school, and kindergarten organization located in the Pennsylvania heartland implemented a practicum providing in-service programs in communication to child caregivers working in the surrounding area. Based on a needs assessment completed by directors in nine centers, nine workshops in three topic…