This study investigated family characteristics as risk factors for sexual abuse by examining the family environments of both abused and nonabused young adults as assessed by the Family Environment Scale. Participants were college students (N=230) at a major southeastern university. A total of 105 students reported sexual experiences which occurred…

This paper describes an ongoing project on the nature and effects of family structure and family interaction. The research presented involves the study of normal families, emphasizing the effects of system-level variables on the development of children within the family. A theoretical model is provided which focuses on the individuation process,…

The intergenerational systems approach predicts that family interaction styles learned in the family of origin will be perpetuated in future interpersonal relationships. To investigate the relationship between the perceptions of atmosphere in the family of origin and current family, a normative sample of married couples completed the Family…

This guide presents information for divorcing parents on how to design the child-custody arrangement best suited for their own family. A step-by-step program is delineated that shows parents how to decide how to share, how to deal with judges and lawyers once they have decided to share, and how to make equitable financial arrangements. Numerous…

The purpose of this study was to compare the behavior of family members at home as recorded by audio tape recordings in two conditions--with an observer present or absent. Behavioral differences were expected as a function of differential reactivity to these observational procedures. The results revealed no behavioral differences between…

This paper describes the Family Development Project which is aimed at developing a systematic model of parenting support for new families and evaluating its effects on family development. The project focuses on Parenting Groups consisting of 6 to 10 couples who meet together as soon after delivery as possible, weekly for 6 weeks, and monthly for 4…

"Zero to Three is a single focus bulletin of the National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families providing insight from multiple disciplines on the development of infants, toddlers, and their families. Noting the greater variety of families children are entering or in which children are growing up, this issue focuses on looking beyond…

This guide provides teachers and librarians with helpful activities for using children's literature as a resource for acquainting middle-school children with culturally diverse families. The book selections chosen aim to offer students insight into the question, "What is a family?" The guide is organized in 4 sections according to the primary…

Noting that most reports on work-family relationships are based on limited data, this report attempts to establish a foundation for ongoing analysis of job and family patterns in Canada based on both historical and current labor force data and other sources. The report tracks and charts the connections between paid work and family trends for…

Examines new studies of family-level dynamics that explain individual variability in early socioemotional development. Shows that family processes help explain unique variance in conceptually related measures of child development. Reviews studies showing prospective links between family processes during infancy and behavior at age 4, and…

Assessed whether presence of both natural parents at home and level of perceived emotional bonding in the family were predictors of depressive symptoms. Found cohesion was associated with depressive symptoms after controlling for family structure and parent education, but there were significant interactions of cohesion with race and gender.…

A study with 48 family caregivers of children with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) examined the relationships of family functioning, stress, and social support. A family adaptational model is suggested, which integrates the concepts of stress, coping, and ecological systems. Service delivery considerations for family support are discussed. (JDD)

A total of 50 children were observed at home at 33 months of age and then tested at 40 months on affective labeling, perspective taking, and false belief tasks. Individual differences at 40 months were associated with family discourse about feelings and causality at 33 months, verbal fluency of mother and child, and sibling cooperation. (BC)

Examined the utility of a 2-step ecological model in predicting externalizing behavior among 144 African American seventh and eighth graders. Found that parental work environment and parental social support had an indirect impact on externalizing by influencing the microsystem variables of parental warmth, parental use of restrictive control, and…

Questioning of teachers and mothers of 84 Israeli students (ages 7-10) classified as either hyperactive, learning disabled, both, or neither, found higher distractibility and hostility among hyperactive children whose families were also reported as less supportive. Learning-disabled students were characterized by dependent interpersonal relations…