Qualitative data were collected during interviews with adoptive parents involved in face-to-face contact arrangement with birth relatives. Ratings of empathy for birth relatives and empathy for adopted child were developed. Findings indicated that empathic, understanding adopters were more likely than others to maintain or increase face-to-face…

This study compared how parents in Germany and the United States perceive the quality of early childhood education services received by their children. In both countries, parents indicated high importance for the aspects measured in the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale. Parents assigned substantially higher quality scores to their…

Israeli parents (N=13) bereaved of young children were compared with parents (N=42) who had lost sons to war. Although all parents demonstrated pronounced mourning, those bereaved of adult sons were particularly affected by loss. This was true for initial year and for current status of bereavement response, an average of 10 years postloss.…

Data from the Family Needs Survey, provided by 53 mothers of young children with disabilities, were subject to both classical test theory analyses and factor analysis. Results suggest that the Family Needs Survey yields reasonably valid data regarding family needs. (Author/JDD)

Examined Parenting Inventory: Young Children (PI), rating scale measuring developmental expectations and behaviors of parents of young children. Data from 1,056 mothers revealed PI discriminated successfully between parents with children of different ages and had substantial content validity. PI was not strongly related to Adult-Adolescent…

A study explored the perspectives of 12 parents of children with disabilities who attended inclusive play groups between 1987 and 1996. Factors that should be considered when planning and implementing inclusive play groups to help parents of children with disabilities feel more comfortable within the groups are discussed. (Author/CR)

Examined impact of cued observation and discussion by 24 parents of their young children's play on parental thinking and reasoning about child development and parent-child relations. Found statistically significant changes in reasoning about eight issues after the eight-month intervention, demonstrating change within a range that could be viewed…

This article discusses the impact of childhood deafness on family dynamics, with particular attention given to the influence and role of grandparents. Results from a survey of 10 parents of young deaf children (ages 1-4) found the majority felt their parents were supportive at the time of diagnosis and presently. (Contains references.) (CR)

It frequently is suggested that parents underutilize assistive technology (AT) for their young children with disabilities despite wide spread recommended practices for providing optimal AT interventions (i.e., devices and services). However, neither parent perspectives of AT underutilization or families' experiences with AT have been reported in…

Emphasizing that beginning literacy consists of experiences during the first years of life that lead to reading and writing, this booklet offers practical tips for parents who wish to create a literate home environment for their young children. The booklet discusses reading with the child, listening and talking to the child, going to the library…

The 35-item Family Needs Survey (FNS) is purported both to facilitate the acquisition of the parent's perspective on needs of families with handicapped children and to possess prescriptive utility. The FNS directs parents to indicate if they definitely do have a need, definitely do not have a need, or are uncertain if they have a need in six…

An adapted version of the Impact on Family Scale, a rating scale for measuring the impact of the handicapped child on family members, was completed by 49 mothers of children between 36 and 64 months of age. Evaluation suggested the adapted scale is effective in assessing the effects of early intervention programs on families. (Author/DB)

Examined families' television viewing habits during prime time and family members' perceptions of their viewing habits. Individually interviewed 24 mother-father-child triads to determine viewing patterns over a four-evening period. Both boys and girls were more concordant with fathers than with mothers. Age differences were not significant for…

Behavioral observations obtained from mother-child interactions were compared for three groups of nine mother-child (mean age 6 years) pairs: (1) nonclinic, normal children; (2) noncompliant children; (3) children identified as learning disabled. (Author)

Author speaks of the necessity for skilled guidance on the part of teacher and parents but that creative activities do not take place in an atmosphere of insecurity or fear or anxiety. (Author/MB)