Compared socialization, family, and mental health variables among 231 low socioeconomic status Hispanic and Anglo-American preadolescents and their mothers. Found that Anglo-American mothers, compared to Hispanic mothers, reported less rejection and inconsistent discipline, but also less cohesion. Anglo-American children reported less rejection,…

Describes how applied developmental science (ADS) integrates developmental research with policies and programs promoting positive development or enhancing life chances of vulnerable children and families. Maintains that ADS contributes to social justice, promotes outreach, and serves as a model of how higher education may engage policymakers,…

Children at risk for cognitive difficulties were put in two intervention groups, family and day care education and family education alone, and one control group. Children were tested for cognitive performance. The family and day care group scored higher than other groups. No intervention effects were observed for the family education alone group.…

Investigated interactions among 18 African American mother-infant pairs participating in an early intervention program for infants with developmental delays or at risk for developmental disabilities. The hypothesis that mothers would become less responsive to infants over time as a function of drug addiction, poverty, or serious developmental…

Examined nonshared environmental (NSE) influences on twin preschoolers' behavior independent of genetics. Found that within-pair parenting differences correlated with monozygotic differences in behavior. For the extreme 10 percent of the parenting-discordant and behavior-discordant distributions, average NSE effect size was 11 percent, suggesting…

Examined the moderating effect of risk on the relation between autonomy processes and family and adolescent functioning. In families in low-risk contexts, behavior undermining autonomy was negatively related to relationship quality; adolescents' autonomy expressions related to positive social functioning. In high-risk-context families, undermining…

Maintains that research from developing countries may help in understanding effects of poverty on child development in the United States, citing three cases: (1) the link between anemia and decreased levels of mental and motor development; (2) the positive effects of supplemental nutrition programs on child development; and (3) effects of poor…

Explored within-group effects of mother-infant attachment and day care on children's social and emotional development in a high-risk, low income sample of mothers and infants who entered day care early, and a home-reared, middle-class sample of infants and their mothers. Found that the effects of early day care are influenced by security of…

Compared aggressive, withdrawn, and aggressive/withdrawn children to normative and matched control groups on teacher and peer relationship attributes, loneliness, and social satisfaction from kindergarten through grade 2. Found that withdrawn behavior was neither highly stable nor predictive of relational difficulties. Aggression was fairly stable…

Two studies examined a "child x environment" model of early school adjustment. Findings indicated that entry factors directly and indirectly influenced behavior, participation, and achievement in kindergarten. Initial behavioral orientation influenced the type of relationships formed with peers and teachers. Stressful aspects of…

Unsupervised after-school peer contact was examined as a risk factor in developing externalizing problems among early adolescents. Longitudinal findings showed that unsupervised peer contact, lack of neighborhood safety, and low monitoring incrementally predicted grade seven externalizing problems, after controlling for family background factors…

Examined the empirical validity of a model of human motivation as it applies to school success and failure, assessing how indicators of context, self, and action related to measures of risk and resiliency. Subjects were 10- to 16-year-old African American youth in 3 independent samples. Found that parental engagement predicted school performance…

Assessed effects of social risks on psychological adjustment of African American and black South African 6- year-olds. Confirmed poverty and gender as risk factors; but not single-female family headship. Found that poverty and gender posed less risk for South Africans than African Americans. Found gender and national differences in adjustment;…

Examined effects of time-limited welfare on children ages 5- to 17-years at a 4-year follow-up. Found that effects were moderated by families' risk of long-term welfare dependency. Found few effects for children of parents most likely to reach the welfare time limit. Found consistent negative effects for children of parents with the largest…