TIMSS (Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study) is an international assessment of mathematics and science at the fourth and eighth grades that has been conducted every four years since 1995, with the most recent assessment in 2011. PIRLS (Progress in International Reading Literacy Study) is an international assessment of reading…

Long and frequent deployments, with short dwell times in between, have placed stresses on Army children and families already challenged by frequent moves and parental absences. RAND Arroyo Center was asked by the Army to examine the effects of parental deployments on children's academic performance as well as their emotional and behavioral…

The Durham Family Initiative (DFI) is one of two community-based child abuse prevention efforts that comprise The Duke Endowment's Child Abuse Prevention Initiative. Beginning in 2002, the Endowment provided support to the Durham Family Initiative (DFI) in North Carolina and Strong Communities in South Carolina to develop a comprehensive approach…

Researchers agree that language and literacy derive from the first days of a child's life. Children become literate members in society by listening and interacting with the people that surround them. This study examines how children develop literacy through play by looking closely at the benefits of uninterrupted play and how it encourages…

Washington State has experienced a significant increase in the number of children entering licensed child care. In 2005, the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) conducted a study of licensed child care, including both licensed home and facility care. The DSHS study concluded that the number of children in child care…

Peer relations during middle childhood and adolescence are an important part of children's social and emotional development. Children and adolescents pick up essential social and communication skills from their peers as they move into late adolescence and early adulthood. Peer conflict is not necessarily a bad thing; disagreement and conflict are…

To determine the status of emotionally handicapped children who had attended a psychoeducational intensive day treatment facility and to explore procedures for long term assessment, a followup telephone interview was undertaken with 37 parents or guardians of the elementary program clients. It was found that the children are for the most part…

Working with the entire junior class of a suburban, middle-class high school, researchers investigated the effects of family stability on student performance, using the Iowa Test of Educational Development as an achievement measure. A statistical test was applied to two groups of students, representing stability or lack of stability in the family…

Describes development of the Hospice Environmental Survey (HES) to measure user's perception of the homelike atmosphere provided by a hospital inpatient unit called Hospice House. Presents the HES instrument, methodology, and pilot study data. (Author/NB)

For many working parents, hiring a caregiver to work in their home is the best solution for their child care and household needs. In-home care can be tailored to individual family needs, and, in the case of multiple children, can be the most convenient and cost-effective option. This handbook is designed to guide you through the process of finding…

This study was conducted to examine the effects of functional communication training when used by mothers to address the serious challenging behaviors of toddlers. Multiple baseline (across home routines) designs were used with two mother-child dyads. The data showed mothers used the procedures correctly and interventions produced reductions in…

This report documents the design and collection of the National Household Education Surveys Program (NHES) of 2001. It begins by providing an overview of the collection and the report. Next, the design of the questionnaires are discussed. Chapter 3 presents the sample design which is followed by information about the data collection. Chapter 5…

This report describes the results of a 2006 formative study by the Family Strengthening Policy Center, National Human Services Assembly to collect quantitative and anecdotal evidence that since 2003 the human services field has integrated place-based, family-strengthening approaches into their policies, programs, and practices. The Annie E. Casey…

Children drawn on a variety of experiences when they first become interested in literature. Cultural as well as economic backgrounds may influence their selection. Attitudes from family members may also influence these choices. A study determined the effect of exposure to literacy in the early years on reading in the "formal" school years.…

The Instructional Environment System-II (formerly known as the Instructional Environment Scale) is designed to assist in systematically analyzing a target student's instructional environment, including both school and home contexts, and instructional needs. Through observation and interviewing educators systematically describe the presence and…