Parents (N=250) of Mexican and Puerto Rican origin and with young children with developmental delays were interviewed concerning the role of religion in their lives. Most parents viewed both church and faith as supportive. Thematic analysis revealed specific religious beliefs and practices parents viewed as supportive and the religious frameworks…

This qualitative study examined how state and local administrators, direct care providers, and parents perceive service integration under Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and the Early Head Start program. Respondents (N=56) perceived effective service integration to include administrative structures and interpersonal…

Discusses the opportunities to expand child care services into the primary grades. Presents information on the market for private schools, suggests reasons parents would consider primary grades in child care centers as a viable alternative to public schools, and identifies a rationale for expansion. Discusses initial activities, such as testing…

A study involving 11 non-medical professionals and 17 parents of children with autism resulted in the following guidelines for sharing a diagnosis of autism, including establish a family-friendly setting, understand the family's needs, use good communication skills, provide a list of resources and interventions, discuss prognosis, provide hope,…

Within a longitudinal design, the present study assessed parental attitudes, quality of stimulation in the environment, historical factors, and children's temperament to identify determinants of cognitive ability at 54 months. Children (n=147) were randomly assigned to one of three treatment groups: a center-based intervention, a home-based…

The parents of students in the second year of a kindergarten French immersion program were surveyed to determine their experiences in the program, and a sample of the children who had spent one or two years in immersion was interviewed by a procedure developed for assessing the French language skills. The interview procedure was planned to assess…

Described is an educational program for parents of preschool deaf children which uses open ended visuals to stimulate group discussions of concerns about deafness and of strategies for facilitating the child's development and improving parent-child relationships. (LH)

This study investigated the influence of television commercials for toys and cereals on young children. Forty-four children, ranging in age from 4 to 7 years, were interviewed regarding their television viewing habits, their attitudes toward television commercials, their demands for their mothers to buy cereals and toys, and their interpretation…

Reviews current research on the individual temperament of young children and recommends strategies to understand and build upon children's personality strengths. Discusses the influence of adult perceptions and misperceptions on children's personality development. (DT)

This paper focuses on effective transition-to-school programs. Using a framework of 10 guidelines developed through the Starting School Research Project, the paper provides examples of effective strategies and transition programs. In this context, the nature of some current transition programs is questioned, and the curriculum of transition is…

This study investigated the utilization of early intervention services by 102 children (ages 2 to 72 months) and families seen for assessment at a diagnostic clinic in Portland, Maine. Surveys completed by subjects' case managers assessed whether recommended early intervention services were received and reasons why recommended services were not…

Federal legislation mandates that states participating in early intervention provide services to children with disabilities from birth to their third birthday. The early intervention population is a diverse group, with African Americans comprising the second largest group served. African Americans may have differences in child rearing practices…

An integrated home/school program model for training parents of young handicapped children was evaluated by 26 participating mothers. Parents reported a high level of satisfaction with each of the components of the program, which included videotaped practice teaching sessions by the parent and coordination of home and school efforts. (CL)

Investigated mothers and children's concepts of children's areas of personal discretion, autonomy, and individuality. Findings indicated that mothers viewed their roles as educators and nurturers and valued the development of individuality in their children. Gender differences were found in the ways mothers characterized boys' and girls'…

This study compared families receiving child care subsidies with matched families from subsidy waiting lists. Findings indicated that mothers receiving subsidies were more likely than waiting list mothers to be employed, spent half as much of their income on child care, and were less likely to be very poor. Children receiving subsidies were more…