Explored the criteria for placement decisions used by child protection workers in three suburban Chicago counties with regard to infants who have been exposed to cocaine. Content analyses uncovered a complex decision-making process that demonstrated consistency across geographic regions. Several primary factors influenced decisions for in-home or…

This paper synthesizes a variety of perspectives, with an emphasis on attachment theory, on the agency/communion polarity as first defined by David Bakan (1966). The question researchers sought to answer was whether or not agency/communion is best approached as a polarity--opposite and opposing forces, forces in the personality which have often…

Examining over 20 years of research findings, including the most recent research on child care and child development, this book attempts to answer the three most important questions parents have about day care: Is day care harmful? Are babies damaged by the fact that their mothers work? and, Are working parents, by being absent during most of the…

The increase in the number of infants and toddlers experiencing nonparental care creates an urgent need for the insights of theorists, clinicians, and researchers. These insights can help caretakers promote the mental health of infants and toddlers. Although caregivers usually provide sufficient support of babies' cognitive development, they may…

Analysis of the verbal content of 48 Hispanic and Anglo mothers revealed that questions about a newborn infant's gender were more frequent than comments about family resemblance. The contradiction with previous research may be a result of (1) different time intervals for recording conversations or (2) different sociological backgrounds of mothers.…

Reviews Jay Belsky's "The 'Effects' of Infant Day Care Reconsidered," and offers a different conclusion: that the mother's attitudes toward the infant and toward her employment status may mediate day care effects on attachment and aggression. (SKC)

Describes ambivalent, avoidant, and disorganized attachment patterns. Proposes that avoidant individuals deactivate their attachment needs, have high sense of self efficacy, and prefer objects to people; ambivalent persons hyperactivate attachment needs, have low self-efficacy, and orient more to people; and disorganized/controlling individuals…

This literature review focuses on recent studies devoted to hypothesized aspects of social relatedness in autism, discussing attachment and social interest, recognition of and communication of emotions, social cognition, social communication, symbolic play, neuroanatomy of social relatedness, and neurochemistry of social relatedness. (JDD)

A recent approach to understanding infant behavior and development suggests that attachment, wariness, and exploration function as one interdependent behavioral system. Major theories of attachment are contrasted and recent research relating to the interdependent perspective is evaluated. Implications for practice and public policy are discussed.…

Reviews research into the effects of full-time day care on parent-child bonding, noting a number of weaknesses in research in this area, namely small sample size. Concludes that while most research finds that early day care can potentially disrupt the attachment bond, the significance of the disruption is unclear. (MDM)

This paper discusses infant attachment, which it defines as a long-lasting emotional bond revealed when a child under stress seeks out and tries to stay close to a specific figure. The paper addresses: (1) What is attachment? Who are the pioneers in attachment theory?; (2) How do we notice attachment in action?; (3) Is attachment the only…

This book synthesizes information from a range of scientific disciplines, including neuroscience, developmental psychology, and psychiatry, to explore the idea that the mind emerges at the interface of interpersonal experience and the structure and function of the brain. Each chapter explores a major domain of human experience. Following an…

Research is presented on the effects of child maltreatment on various areas of functioning, including the development of secure attachment relationships, an autonomous self, peer relationships, and school adaptation. Implications of these results for assessment, intervention in educational settings, and policy development are discussed.…

This review examines research done on affection behaviors of children with visual and hearing impairments. A social interaction perspective is utilized, and areas for further empirical investigation are identified. (DB)

Explains the volume's goal of providing a framework for inquiry into the role of relationships between children and nonparental adults in children's development. Reviews the volume's seven articles, each of which addresses an important developmental question and has implications for policy and practice in child care and school settings. (BC)