Noting that adopted and foster children may have suffered early traumatic experiences, often expressed in emotional and behavioral problems that become increasingly problematic as the child approaches adolescence, this book presents strategies to help adoptive and foster parents deal with their youngsters' troubling behavior and to make them feel…

Background: The goal of this study was to investigate the effects of ethnic origin and acculturation factors on psychiatric problems among immigrant adolescents. One aim was to examine variations in psychiatric problems according to gender and immigrant generation level. Another aim was to explore ethnic group differences in psychiatric problems…

This paper reviews the research on factors that contribute to or protect from the development of antisocial behavior in children, especially those with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and learning disabilities (LD). It also presents a model to promote prosocial behavior. General risk factors that put all children at risk for…

Evaluations of early intervention for children facing biological and/or socioeconomic risk have tended to focus most directly on change in the child, treating family variables primarily as mediators of change. In contrast, the current study used developmental theory to articulate hypotheses that address one way in which a focus on the relationship…

Educators have frequently expressed concern about young children who are exposed to known environmental risk factors associated with the development of chronic behavior problems (e.g., poverty, domestic violence, child maltreatment). Nevertheless, a societal commitment to address these environmental risk factors by identifying young children who…

The need to acknowledge and overcome classroom problems arising by students' difficult behavior is the central issue addressed in this book. The aim of the articles presented is to consider ways in which both student and teacher achievements in the resolution of challenging behavior can be encouraged, supported, and valued. A major emphasis is…

This cognitive-behavioral middle school prevention program includes both parent- and teen-based curricula focusing on precursors to problem behavior such as communication, limit setting, problem solving, goal setting, and dealing with negative peer influences. Results from 158 participating families found the program effective in engaging both…

Recent research indicates that children exposed to certain risk factors in their families, at school, among their peers, and in their communities are at greater risk of becoming serious violent juvenile (SVJ) offenders. The Study Group on Serious and Violent Juvenile Offenders, a group of 22 researchers convened by the Office of Juvenile Justice…

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;…

This longitudinal study examined socioemotional antecedents of adolescent school adjustment. Findings indicated that early and later parental problem-solving support accounted for 13 percent of variance in high school adjustment. Early and later parental problem-solving support, peer competence, externalizing behavior, and emotional…

Reviewed construct of resilience and adaptation by measuring psychosocial functioning, self-esteem, academic performance, absence or low level of drug use, gang involvement, and delinquent activities among 877 at-risk youths. Found adjustment and low level of antisocial behavior as two latent constructs of resilience and adaptation. (Author/DLH)

The nation's youth are increasingly affected by violence, both as its perpetrators and as its victims. Many violence prevention programs aim to reverse this trend, but few have been rigorously evaluated, and even fewer have been shown to work. To devise better programs, researchers need more information. To that end, RAND researchers identified…

This report presents the collective results of studies funded under the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention congressional directive. The studies confirm that young African-American males are disproportionately involved as offenders and victims of violence, that firearms play a large role in juvenile violence, and that gang…

Negative emotionality and poor attention may combine or interact as risk factors in development. Negative emotionality is considered a challenge for self-regulation, whereas good attention is a potential means of self-regulation. In the current study, composites of 1- and 2-year maternal ratings of negative emotionality and global ratings of…

The "new federalism" paradigm offers an explanation why the federal government has devolved much of its administration of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF, formerly AFDC) and Medicaid (through managed care) programs. A review of child and family outcomes data resulting from these devolutionary changes in TANF and…