A study of the preschool television audience in Ontario, Canada, investigated the types of programs children aged two through six years old watch; in what kinds of households preschool children view TV Ontario (TVO), the Canadian public television network; and the kind of strategies that might best capture the potential preschool market.…

The short-range purposes of this study were (1) to determine parental attitudes about the appropriateness of two varieties of Black English for their children in three contexts (classroom, neighborhood, and home) and in four language arts areas (listening, speaking, reading, and writing), and (2) to show how parents' attitudes are related to their…

A brief introductory review of the literature reveals that research on family influence in the development of political orientations in adult children is inconclusive. This study focused on highly politicized families and examines: (1) the relative influence of family emotional climate versus family political climate; and (2) the relative…

Conclusions from a study of 505 mothers in 9 rural southern Illinois counties are: (1) they prefer the home environment over a day care center environment; (2) if available, a majority would use day care; and (3) if good infant care were available, most would work outside the home because of need or desire. (LC)

Examines whether the rising percentage of unmarried adults would affect the level of social support between adult children and their parents. The only major effect found was for coresidence. Neither divorced children in general nor divorced daughters or divorced single parents in particular posed a special burden to parents. (RJM)

Families (n=725) with young children with disabilities completed the Parenting Stress Index (PSI), and their scores were compared with the PSI's normative sample. No differences were found between samples on parent-related stress, supporting the normality or family strengths perspective. A normative table of PSI scores for families with children…

Explores the often-negative impact homework assignments pose for students already short of time, and for their parents. Includes case vignettes and sidebars on the effects of poverty on homework environments, how technology will affect homework assignments, and treating homework as an opportunity rather than as a threat. (HTH)

A study investigated the effects of integrating assistive technology into the homes of 13 children with learning disabilities (ages 9-16). All placements were judged to have had positive effects on children and/or their families. Eight placements were judged successful in all three categories of technology performance and child and family…

Used responses from open-ended interviews with 10 families of young children to develop a 60-item family literacy questionnaire examining families' perceptions of their contributions to emergent literacy. Matched questionnaire factors with those emerging from literature review on family variables influencing literacy. Found 95 percent agreement on…

Parenting stress is influenced by parents' perceptions of their relationships with their children, which can vary widely for each parent depending on which child in the family is being considered. Because this within-parent variation is rarely studied, we investigated some of the differential perceptions that arise with respect to children's…

Feelings of stigma and self-blame were studied among 62 Cuban, Dominican, and Puerto Rican mothers of 4- to 10-year-old children with disruptive behaviors. Data were collected and analyzed both qualitatively and quantitatively. Results indicated that 42% blamed themselves for their children's behaviors, and 39% felt stigmatized by others.…

Based on the theoretical perspectives of socio-constructivism and language socialization, this study reports two Chinese Canadian first grader's experiences of language and literacy learning in and out of school in a unique sociocultural setting where they were "the mainstream." The article examines the students' reading and writing…

This report presents Phase 1 of the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA) 3-phase Preprimary Project being conducted in 11 to 15 countries. The project spans the years 1987 through 1997. The Preprimary Project has been designed to be conducted in three interrelated phases: Phase 1, a household survey in each…

Children who live with chronic illness are confronted with challenges that frequently force them to cope in myriad ways. The ways in which children face chronic illness are summarized in this literature review. Also covered, are how the effects of family can influence coping strategies and how family members, especially parents, cope with their…

This study assessed parental attitudes toward early mathematics and examined the ways in which families initiate and support the development of young children's early mathematical concepts. Six families with preschool-aged children (4 girls and 2 boys) participated in this case study involving observation of family interactions, interviews with…