Higher rates of mental health problems, including depression, have consistently been documented among lower-income samples, and the highest rates of depression have been found among low-income mothers with young children. This study examined maternal depressive symptoms as a risk factor for the development of children who are already at risk by…

Examines issues related to risk and culture, with particular emphasis on how risk impinges on children growing up in Africa. Treats risk as cultural-specific and discusses risk in the context of an ecological model. Demonstrates that the systems and the model's recurrent theme of continuity/discontinuity provide a useful structure for…

Schouten and Kirkpatrick's review of evaluations of the Miller Assessment for Preschoolers' predictive validity reveals unacceptably high error rates in target population identification. Miller's response suggests flaws in their argument, Humphry and King-Thomas suggest alternative interpretations, and Schouten and Kirkpatrick respond to their…

The idea of "resiliency" (successful development of children despite stressful childhoods) is related to ideas of gifted education. Three publications addressing the idea of resiliency are reviewed. (DB)

Used a subsample from the Infant Health and Development Program to examine effects of neighborhood and family income and family risk factors on developmental test scores at ages 1 through 3. Family poverty was associated with lower scores at ages 2 and 3. Neighborhood affluence was associated with higher scores at age 3. Home environment was a…

Examined analytic methods for describing children's social risk. Found that the individual-risk-variables approach provided better overall prediction of developmental outcomes at a particular age. The risk-factor approach provided good prediction of developmental trajectories with moderate to large sample sizes. The risk-index was useful for…

In this article, we review the literature on siblings of individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) from a lifespan developmental perspective, from infancy through adulthood, focusing on the sibling relationship and sibling well-being. We situate this review within the larger body of research on siblings of individuals with developmental…

During the 1990s, the federal government promised low-income families that work would pay. Parents moved into jobs in response to new welfare rules requiring work, tax credits and other work supports that boosted take-home pay. Unfortunately, the record shows that low-income families have not progressed much. Many do not bring home enough to cover…

The methodological and empirical literature on measuring the need of child populations is sparse. What does exist is more orientated towards children in receipt of non-universal or specialist services, overlooking those children with similar needs who are not in contact with such services. Further, there is a tendency often for need analyses not…

In this Research-to-Results Brief, the author discusses the importance for policymakers, taxpayers, and the media to recognize the diversity in children's circumstances, because this recognition affects the number of children believed to need varied services and the magnitude of the challenge of meeting that need. Many researchers have developed…

This study investigated the impact of a short-term interaction-focused parenting curriculum on maternal behaviors and child development outcomes. Participants were 94 teen-mother-child dyads; 48 in the intervention group received a relationship-focused curriculum offered in 24, 1-hour sessions. Maternal behaviors during play were videotaped and…

Attachment theory and resilience theory have developed as two separate bodies of knowledge with their own genealogy. In this paper it is argued that the concepts of attachment and resilience should be regarded as complementary and that each is strengthened by such an approach. The cultural implications are discussed with particular reference to…

The media have sensationalized the problem presented by children exposed prenatally to cocaine. Many people erroneously assume that all cocaine-exposed children are severely affected; little can be done for them; and all their medical, behavioral, and learning problems are caused by cocaine exposure. Each child must be individually evaluated. Not…

This study evaluated the effects of completing infant development questionnaires on mothers whose ability to provide an appropriate caregiving environment for their infants was suspect. The 18 mothers who completed the questionnaire were found to be more accurate observers of their infants than 18 control mothers who had not completed the…

Applies two-axis model of human development to problem of suicide trajectory, in which organism begins each stage at negative or dystonic position in reaction to stage-initiating life event and must move ahead vertically to achieve positive syntonic quality and attain stage-specific syntonic equilibrium. Provides clinician with developmental guide…