The issue of child care is still widely debated, with some scholars arguing that children fare best in parental care, whereas others suggest center care may enhance children's development. Using the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study--Kindergarten Cohort of 1998 to 1999, the author demonstrates how the use of cross-sectional versus longitudinal…

Objective: To study childhood predictors for late adolescence criminality. Method: The follow-up sample included 2,713 Finnish boys born in 1981. Information about the 8-year-old boys' problem behavior was obtained from parents, teachers, and the children themselves. The follow-up information about criminal offenses was based on the national…

As any parent knows, anger towards children is a natural occurrence of parenting. Since it is important to identify and address some of the emotional issues that underlie child abuse, the role of anger in parenting and in child maltreatment is covered in this paper. An ecological analysis of parental anger is presented, with special emphasis on…

From birth--and possibly before--children are likely to encounter a considerable amount of stress generated by society. This book explains what adults can do to prevent and/or minimize the harmful consequences of stress for children. Part 1, "Understanding Stress in Children," explores the general causes of stress, with particular emphasis on…

The purpose of this study was to investigate a possible link between differences in parents' reactions to conflict involving their children and their children's older peers or siblings, and differences in their children's self-monitoring level. It was hypothesized that children who were high in self-monitoring would come from environments in which…

Children experience stress just as adults do. Various responses to stress can damage the body's health in at least two different ways. First, they may do direct damage to the tissues--especially those of the circulatory system. Second, and more often important to the health of children, they may suppress the body's natural defenses against…

Results of a pilot study on the role of the family in the development of locus of control convictions and causal attribution tendencies are presented. Six mother-child dyads were observed in their natural surroundings. Mothers' verbal responses to their daughters' behavior were recorded and analyzed for content. Results showed (1) that causal…

In a two-stage procedure to discover how children use television commercials in family group viewing situations, researchers first conducted thirty family interviews with as many family members present as possible; then they selected nine children's families for extended (three month) participant observation to study the formative aspects of each…

The question which guided the studies in this third volume of technical reports to the Scientific Advisory Committee on Television and Social Behavior is whether aggressive social behavior by adolescents can be attributed in some degree to violent television programming. After an overview which sets the studies in a comparative context, the…

Based on principles taught in the Parent Connection, Inc., parenting education and counseling program, this book for parents provides information on the fundamentals for good parenting, preventing family crises, and teaching children to be thinking, caring, and confident. The chapters are: (1) "So You're a Parent...Now What Should You Do?"…

This book examines socialization science, which is the empirical effort to understand how children acquire traits from their families and cultures. This work proposes that one part of the family influence process--broad differences in family environments, except for those that are neglectful, abusive, or without opportunity--may exert little…

This study examined similarities and differences among children who regularly use computers at home, including difference in their families and communities. The following characteristics were identified as key factors that might be associated with differences: gender, age, parental computing experiences, number of computers in the home,…

In an effort to highlight the importance of identifying children who have been lead poisoned, the Illinois Department of Public Health produces its surveillance report to alert the community to the geographical risk of lead poisoning and to report on screening results. The hope is that increased public awareness will result in less harm to…

Noting the health risks posed by lead exposure, especially for children under age 6, this guide provides U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommendations on how individuals can reduce the risk of lead exposure and prevent lead poisoning. These recommendations range from simple steps that can be done immediately to more rigorous…

The 1997 National Survey of America's Families (NSAF) asked parents of 6- to 17-year-olds several questions in order to assess the degree of turbulence or stability in a child's life. Turbulence was associated with several types of change, including moves and multiple school changes. The NSAF is a survey of more than 44,000 families, representing…