Numerous studies have confirmed the connection between the family climate and various forms of externalizing behaviour problems, such as aggressive and violent behaviour, vandalism, skipping school and running away from home, substance abuse and others. Therefore, it is of particular importance to point out those risk factors, that according to…

There is considerable debate about the relative importance of family versus school factors in producing academic and nonacademic student outcomes, and whether and how their impacts vary across different student groups. In addition to critically reviewing and synthesizing earlier work, this study extends the literature by (a) using the ECLS-K, a…

In a sample of more than 400 fifth grade students, the reading comprehension levels of children living with both parents and children living with only one parent were compared. Data were collected on the demographic variables of race, student sex, family organization (two parents/one parent), parent educational level, family occupational prestige,…

This study examines influences on the high reading achievement of two low-income, African American fifth graders, both girls, and both of whom lived with their grandmothers. Data came from interviews with the students, their teachers, and their custodial guardians and from observations of the students at school and at home. Results indicated that…

This report explores the notion that a relationship exists between a matricentric lower class black society, (in this case defined as a society with adult male absence and the development of self attitudes among children, particularly boys. The major hypothesis is that black boys from homes lacking adult male figures would have significantly more…

Objective: The purpose of the current study was to examine the practice validity of a new ecological assessment instrument for third through fifth graders in terms of whether it provided school staff with new knowledge about students. Method: Preassessment knowledge of school staff was compared to data obtained from 21 children and their parents…

The unstructured observations of a participant observer can point out areas of research interest overlooked by formal research instruments. This researcher's diary presents insights obtained while conducting a study regarding the home environments of 15 higher achieving and 11 lower achieving Puerto Rican fifth and sixth grade students residing in…