Examined predictability of observed parent-child interaction from preschool to middle childhood among 283 mother-child dyads who were welfare recipients enrolled in a job training program. Found that interaction in middle childhood could be predicted from observed interaction 4 years earlier. Families with greater risk factors tended to show more…

Preschoolers at high or low family risk for reading disability (RD) were evaluated yearly from preschool through second grade. Findings indicated that participants who became RD showed deficits in phonological skills at all time points. Both risk groups underwent a similar--though not simultaneous-- developmental shift from letter-name knowledge…

This review of literature on infant habituation and recognition memory performance as predictors of later IQ concludes that the level of prediction is (1) substantial; (2) higher for at-risk than nonrisk children; and (3) not higher than the level of predictions based on parental education and socioeconomic status. (MDM)

Aggressive and nonaggressive third- through fifth-grade African-American boys were assigned to a behavior intervention program designed to reduce aggressive males' tendency to attribute hostile intentions to peers, an attention training program, or a nonintervention control group. The benefits and limitations of the intervention program are…

Presents a critical appraisal of resilience, a construct connoting the maintenance of positive adaptation by individuals despite significant adversity. Addresses common criticisms, proposes solutions for those considered legitimate, and clarifies misunderstandings surrounding less valid criticisms. Concludes that work on resilience possesses…

Findings suggest that social difficulties that are present as late as three years of age in some low-birthweight children are related to the type and severity of early medical complications. In spite of severe neonatal medical risk, high-risk and low-birthweight children showed many similarities in their social development to low-risk and…

Examined antecedents and moderators of antisocial behavior among children interviewed annually through high school and in early adulthood. Analyses identified four configurations differing in early school dropout and criminal arrests. School extracurricular activity participation related to reduced rates of early dropout and criminal arrest among…

Interviewed 150 Palestinian mothers and their children living amidst the Intifada uprising in what was then the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Found that the number of risks present in a child's life was significantly correlated with the number of behavioral problems the child exhibited. Under conditions of high accumulated risk, boys evidenced more…

Tested hypotheses from an organizational-developmental model for childhood resilience among 7- to 9-year olds. Found that caregiving factors and early development differentiated children with resilient and stress-affected adaptations. Variables reflecting emotionally responsive, competent parenting were direct, proximal predictors of resilience…

Explored relations between additive and cumulative representations of contextual risk, caregiver emotionality, child adaptability, and teacher reports of problem behaviors of 6- and 7-year-olds from economically disadvantaged families. Found evidence that the relation for cumulative risk may be moderated by caregiver negative emotionality and…

Examined the effect of residential and school mobility in the academic performance of 5- to 15-year-old maltreated children. Found that maltreated children encounter more academic difficulties in part because they experience relatively high levels of residential mobility and school transfer. Found little evidence to support the role of mobility in…

Compared low-birthweight children in experimental (LBWE) intervention and no-treatment (LBWC) conditions, and normal birthweight (NBW) children. At age seven, and after SES adjustment, LBWE scored higher than LBWC and similar to NBW on cognitive tests. (BC)

Examined adjustment problems from late childhood to early adulthood among 500 Swedish girls. Found a diversified pattern of multisyndrome formation in late childhood. The syndrome structure in early adolescence identified externalizing adjustment problems and peer problems. An externalizing syndrome was stable between late childhood and early…

Children's lead and pesticide exposures are used as examples to examine social disparities in exposure reduction efforts as well as environmental policies impacting children in poverty and minority children. The review also presents an estimate of the effect of social disparities in lead exposure on standardized test performance. Because including…

Infants of depressed mothers who were visited at home outperformed infants of depressed mothers who received no intervention services by an average of 10 points on the Bayley Mental Scale and were twice as likely to be classified as securely attached. Unserved, high-risk infants showed a high rate of insecure-disorganized attachments. (RH)