Assessed the significance of distinctive versus shared family realities. Data indicated a divergence of adolescents' and parents' perception of the family in domains that concerned adolescents' emerging intellectual and emotional autonomy. Parents' and adolescents' perceptions converged in regard to domains that threatened family cohesion. (BC)

Reports on Soviet parents' responses to a 1986 survey concerning parental influence on children and alcohol use. Points out that most parents perceive the link between their own alcohol use and children's drinking but cultural traditions and alcoholic habits often preclude change. Notes parents' opinions on effectiveness of governmental and school…

This study found that a linear discriminant function was able, with 73 percent accuracy, to distinguish between learning-disabled dropouts (n=213) and learning-disabled graduates (n=92). The discriminant function was composed of six variables--student ethnicity, reading ability, family intactness, family socioeconomic status, school transfers, and…

This preliminary investigation examined issues of gender, the home situation, access to curricula, and access to work in school and postschool placements for 80 individuals (ages 13-18) with severe intellectual disability in Australia. The investigation generated the hypothesis that young women with severe intellectual disability are doubly…

This case study describes a criterion-referenced method of assessing the speech and language of a young child who speaks an uncommon or unfamiliar English dialect. The method, Parent Child Comparative Analysis, involves administering an identical test battery to parent and child and interpreting the child's performance in relation to the parent's.…

Examines the comparative research on maternal teaching behaviors of minority and low-status families. Offers some exploratory data that reexamines the verbal teaching behavior of Chicana- and Anglo-American mothers while instructing their children to tie their shoelaces. Contrary to earlier studies, the findings support that ethnic differences in…

Data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress indicate that school characteristics as well as individual actions of students help to explain differences between 661 high-achieving and 1,894 low-achieving African-American eighth graders. Process variables connected with schooling rather than family background explain differences in…

Ethnographic methods coupled with ethnohistorical documents make it possible to learn far more about 56 street children in Colombia than through logical empiricism alone. Many street children fare better than is the popular perception, and many are part of families that function to bring them to early independence. (SLD)

This study analyzed diagnostic profiles of 151 children with disabilities receiving Head Start services. Three clinical clusters emerged which described the children along demographic, developmental/medical, family/home, and academic dimensions. Far more children with learning disabilities (26%) and serious emotional disturbances (29%) were…

A study assessed early literacy skills and expressive and receptive vocabulary skills in 39 Head Start children and correlated skills with measures of caregiver/child interactions observed in the home. Degree of caregiver involvement, rate of language interactions, and participation in early literacy activities were related to literacy and…

Examines developing cultural and linguistic identities of three French/English bilingual children reared in two linguistic cultures: American and Quebecois. Results indicate the adolescent boy, who speaks more English than French, identifies with his American peers, from whom he conceals his bilingualism. The twin girls, in a French-immersion…

Examined impact of Chinese family socialization practices on children's socialization over 4 years. Found that parental reasoning, intellectual stimulation, and encouragement of independence were significant indicators of overall family socialization practices. Children's self-control, and positive attitudes toward others and toward work were…

Tested a model linking family financial resources to adjustment among African American 6- to 9-year olds with single, rural, Southern mothers. Found that inadequate financial resources related to mothers' depression and low self-esteem. Self-esteem was linked with family routines and mother-child relationship quality. Child self-regulation…

This study compared 20 young deaf children with either exceptionally good or exceptionally poor spoken language for their hearing loss, age, and intelligence. Factors associated with high performance included earlier use of binaural ear-level aids, better educated mothers, auditory/verbal or auditory/oral instruction, reliance on spoken language…

Examines a sample of 710 subjects ages 14-19 to assess psychological health of United Arab Emirates (UAE) families with adolescent members. Used the Family Functioning Questionnaire to assess adolescents' perceptions of family life and climate. Males scored higher on emotional fulfillment. Family functioning scores were higher in upper social…