Assesses the effects of gestational age, race, and sex on neurobehavorial responses of 510 singleton infants who were evaluated at term conceptual age using a modified Prechtl Neurologic Examination. Results suggest that gestational age at birth is the most influential variable; race is also important, but gender has minimum impact. (Author/CB)

Attitudes toward the colors black and white may influence the way black and white children view each other and themselves. (Authors)

Examined factors that influence children's competence in mathematics when they begin first grade. Results indicated that parent education, family economic resources, and parent expectations influenced children's competence. Race and family structure, when considered apart from other variables, were not significant influences. (PCB)

Differences in language proficiency between social classes and races were studied to determine the effect of familiarity of the testing situation. Results showed no natural setting language differences. (ST)

Black and white kindergarten and second-grade children were tested for accuracy of detection and recognition of orientation and location changes in pictures of real-world and geometric figures. The purpose was to test children's ability to detect and remember objects in a visual display. (Author/CS)

Reports a comparison of depressed and nondepressed subjects undertaken to identify aspects of the early parent child relationship that may be associated with depressive illness in adult life. Results show maternal rejection was found more closely associated with depression in female children; the effect was essentially the same among Black and…

Examined school and neighborhood friendships of 292 Black junion high school students and White junior high school students. Findings suggest that there may be important differences in peer friendship networks of Blacks and Whites. Results also suggest the importance of school and nonschool settings in friendship patterns of the two groups. (PCB)

Assessed child behavior, maternal depression, and family socioeconomic status and observed mother-child interactions for 376 first graders and their mothers. Found that the quality of mother-child interactions mediated the relationship between maternal depression and child behavior problems for boys, girls, and Caucasians but not for African…

Observations indicate Black and White sixth-grade students interacted primarily with others of their own sex and race. Boys interacted more across racial lines than did girls, and Blacks were almost twice as likely as Whites to be the source of cross-race interactions. Peer behaviors were more likely to be task-related when directed toward White…

Found significant cultural and racial differences in 62 of 118 behavioral and emotional problems among 308 Kenyan, Thai, African-American, and Caucasian-American 11- to 15-year-old children. Caucasian-American children were rated high on undercontrolled problems such as disobedience. Embu children in Kenya were rated high on overcontrolled…

Considered (1) the relation between peer socioeconomic status and specific negative outcomes; (2) the possibility that sociometric status serves as a marker variable for negative outcomes; (3) the possibility that rejected children experience more types of problems during adolescence than other children; and (4) which of six predictor variables…

Psychometric properties of the MacArthur Communicative Development Inventory (CDI) were examined. Findings suggested that the CDI reflects the progress of language development within the age range 10 to 27 months. Findings support caution in using results to identify individuals at risk for language deficits, to compare groups with different…

Compares the strength of four demographic variables (income level, gender, ethnicity, and household composition) as predictors of three forms of children's school-based competence (peer relations, behavior or conduct, and academic achievement). Income level and gender were the strongest predictors of children's competence. (PCB)

Examined factor structure of the emotional Autonomy Scale (EAS) in 3 samples of adolescents, with each sample consisting of 3 racial/ethnic groups. Found that the EAS exhibited poor construct validity and behaved quite differently for different grade and ethnic groups. Suggested that the most credible solution may be to reexamine the conceptual…