Epidemiological studies, which can have inherent methodological limitations, are used to study the relation between endocrine disrupting chemicals and autism spectrum disorder. The objective is to systematically review the treatment of methodological limitations and assess the quality and strength of the findings in the available literature. The…

Background: Accumulating data from animal and human studies indicate that the prenatal environment plays a significant role in shaping children's neurocognitive development. Clinical, epidemiologic, and basic science research suggests that two experiences relatively common in pregnancy--an unhealthy maternal diet and psychosocial…

Mother-infant bed-sharing has been associated with an increased risk of sleep-related infant deaths, and thus, health messaging has aimed to discourage this behavior. Despite this messaging, bed-sharing remains a common practice in the United States, especially among minority families. Moreover, rates of accidental suffocation and strangulation in…

Methodological issues that may account for discrepant findings in research on mother-child dialogue are cited, and studies of normal language-learning children and their mothers are reviewed along with cross-cultural studies. How language impaired children act on their linguistic environment and within which interaction situations is seen as…

This paper reviews the clinical and empirical literature regarding mother-son sexual abuse and critiques the methodologies that may be responsible for the underreporting of such cases. The review reveals discrepancies regarding estimates of incidence and prevalence of mother-son sexual abuse based on traditional methodologies such as surveys,…

Interrelated conceptual and methodological suggestions for the future study of mother/infant interaction as a form of communication are given. (MP)

Discusses a model of the bi-directional relations between children and the context of their living situations and explains how the usefulness of this model may be evaluated by assessing the relations between child temperament and maternal attitudes and behaviors. Also indicates how the child's temperament may influence the mother's decision to…

This master's thesis focuses on the relationship between children's development of communicative competence and patterns of communication between children and their primary caregivers. An overview of major changes, since the 1950s, in the theoretical and empirical approaches to language development is presented in Chapter II. Within this overview,…

Dichotomizes literature on nonoffending mothers of sexually abused children into opinion-based and research-based studies. Argues that most information on nonoffending mothers is opinion based, not research based, and the literature disregards the sources of data. It appears that opinions have been accorded the same validity as research findings.…

Reviews and critiques research that has assessed the effect of infant temperament on caregiver behaviors and concludes that the relationship between temperament and caregiving behavior has not been adequately tested. Offers conceptual and methodological guidelines for future research. (HOD)

This study, which uses the organizational perspective, synthesizes major contributions to the examination of symbolic development in abused children. Focuses on the interrelationship between and the impact of maltreatment on children's cognitive, socioemotional, and linguistic development. (RWB)

Reviews epidemiological studies on the prevalence of maternal depression in the general population and the social etiology of behavioral and psychiatric disorders in early childhood. Also reports an original study conducted in Martha's Vineyard and points out avenues for much-needed further research in this area. (BB)

Noting that a substantial research literature on fathers has been built over the last 20 years and that fathers can no longer be considered "the forgotten parent" of the scientific community, this paper summarizes key research on fathers while highlighting concerns regarding the current emphasis on fatherhood expressed by parents and…

Examined are the interactions of parents and their children with developmental disabilities, focusing on the following aspects: social, emotional, language, communication, clinical, educational, and methodological. A partial listing of contents follows: "Determinants of Parent and Child Interactive Behavior" (Carl Dunst and Carol…

Discusses general conclusions for which evidence is provided by the research presented in this issue. Conclusions relate to (1) child-teacher relationships and attachments; (2) concordances between children's relationships with their teachers and parents; (3) children's internal representations of their relationships; (4) factors underlying…