Examines factors affecting parental stress and caregiving demands and the use of support services. Data obtained from parents of children (N=231) with mental retardation or chronic illness indicate that coping with significant behavior problems was more important than disability type in determining most forms of parental stress and mental health…

Examines the mechanisms through which children with externalizing behaviors impact parents' feelings of stress and perceptions of parenting. Results, based on parent and teacher reports of 75 first-grade children, indicate that spousal support was the most important resource variable. Parents highly agreed on perceived support in childbearing.…

Self-report surveys completed by 2250 high school seniors indicated their participation in types of problem behaviors and their perceptions of their parents' parenting styles. Parenting style was significantly related to adolescent behavioral adjustment in this sample. Implications are discussed. (SLD)

Using a socio-ecological perspective, examines the influences of adolescents' social networks, personal resources, and environmental risks on adolescents' behavior problems across three samples of youth (N=155). Findings show that social support can operate as a protective agent or as a risk factor, depending on other characteristics of subsystems…

Discusses the exceptional challenges that abused and neglected children may pose for early-intervention providers, particularly speech-language pathologists. It focuses on practical strategies regarding reporting child abuse, effectively assessing the children who have been abused, and managing the bizarre behavior they may exhibit. (Author/CR)

Followed for 1.5 years younger siblings of parenting and nonparenting teenagers. Found that relative to other youths, sisters of parenting teens exhibited a sharp increase in drug and alcohol use and partying behavior across time and had the highest pregnancy rate at Time 2. For girls, many hours spent caring for their sisters' children related to…

Individuals with Down syndrome (n=49) were assigned to three groups: those showing cognitive deterioration, those comparable in age, and those not showing cognitive deterioration but younger. Those experiencing cognitive deterioration were less likely to receive day services, had more impoverished life experiences, and required more support.…

Examined the moderating role of individual differences in negative emotionality in the relations of behavioral and attentional regulation to externalizing problem behaviors. Found that at two ages behavioral dysregulation predicted externalizing behavior problems for children both high and low in negative emotionality, whereas prediction of…

A naturalistic assessment of self-injurious behavior in an 11-year-old boy with multiple disabilities, including severe mental retardation, found that the boy's self-injury was occasioned by low attention and low stimulation and maintained by tangible and social reinforcement. Naturalistic assessment effectively guided the selection of behavioral…

This paper summarizes basic research on response effort in diverse applied areas including deceleration of aberrant behavior, attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder, oral habits, littering, and problem solving. The paper concludes that response effort as an independent variable has potent effects, and research exploring the applied benefits of…

Identifies the social characteristics associated with maternal depression and reviews research on the relationship between mothers' depression and emotional, cognitive, and behavioral problems in their children. Considers the role of social support, especially from a partner, in protecting women against depression. Concludes that mothers'…

Tested a model of family conflict and coercion that linked economic stress in family life to adolescent symptoms of internalizing and externalizing emotions and behaviors. Subjects were 378 seventh graders and their families in rural Iowa. Found that spousal irritability and hostile exchanges over money matters increased the likelihood of…

Discusses a study of 250 high school students who participated in weekly peer support groups. The program was accepted and showed signs of success, helping alcohol and substance users reduce their intake and helping keep potential dropouts in school. Indicates peer support groups can help in early recognition and management of emotional and…

Junior high school students (n=1,510) completed the Health Behaviors Questionnaire in order to determine healthy and unhealthy behaviors and emotions which might identify at-risk students. Results indicate that all of the independent demographic and health-related variables used in this study were important predictors of at-risk status. Discusses…

Proposes a risk/protective theoretical perspective grounded in ecological and developmental contextualist theories. Principles extrapolated from the theory are illustrated with the success of Wisconsin Youth Futures, a campus/community partnership that has built 18 community coalitions to promote positive youth development and prevent behavior…