Reviews basic tenets of structural modeling in relation to issues in research and practice involving clinical assessment. Compares approach with more traditional psychometric approaches to validation of assessment instruments with children. Discusses arguments for and against inclusion of nonexperimental variables in causal studies aimed as…

This article discusses the promise and problems associated with integrating research on child temperament and research on childhood psychopathology. Unfortunately, these 2 extensive and influential areas of psychological research with children have largely been conducted independently of each other. This article provides a summary of the…

This article comments on the current status of the anxiety literature involving Latino children and adolescents. As the 2 articles that focus on Hispanic/Latino youth in this special section independently found somatic symptoms to be more prevalent in Latino youth than other racial/ethnic groups (Pina & Silverman, this issue; Varela et al., this…

The paper discusses research and research applications regarding the exceptional child and the physical environment, and presents ways in which space can have an impact on learning and development. An argument is made for the creation of research based design principles based on knowledge of the relations between the physical environment and the…

Describes characteristics of questions in the ethnographic interview setting. Concentrates on the relational aspects of interviewing and on the issues of assumptions, categories, and scope. Applies ideas about questioning in general to work with child informants. (Author/LHW)

Reports on a study that investigated metacognitive strategy use by a pair of students working with a computer database. Strategies are inferred from analysis of the discourse, and features of a metacognitive environment are discussed. (13 references) (GLR)

Describes two research projects linking family processes with elementary school children's competence in school to provide examples of methodological issues related to investigations that cross systems of family and school. Issues discussed include gaining cooperation from school, recruitment and consent procedures, data collection and measurement…

Reports on: (1) the formulation of a holistic, systems-based theory of cultural transmission; (2) a field guide developed for gathering the precise data needed to test the theory; and (3) a pilot study, involving the collection and analysis of data about six- to 12-year-old Americans, Israelis, and Mexicans, to test both guide and theory. (CMG)

This article discusses issues related to selection and development of language assessment procedures for children who speak Spanish and English based on spontaneous language samples and shows how available procedures can be applied to research and clinical aims with these children. Sociolinguistic influences in Spanish-speaker language performance…

Proposes the dialectical perspective as offering fertile ground for the integration of child and family research and training. Defines the dialectical perspective and then discusses its applicability in a department of child and family studies. (Author)

Examines the history of data on child health and suggests ways that data could be more useful in informing policy decisions. Summarizes findings of an assessment of the effectiveness of medical care for a variety of childhood conditions. Lists recommendations of a task force on dealing with decreases in publicly funded service programs for the…