Formats of communication within families are believed to be relevant contexts for children's development. Cultural values, norms, and interpretation patterns are transferred from parents to children within the family's specific communication framework. The purpose of this project was to study the quality of relationships and the communication…

Although the sexual climate in the United States appears to have changed, there is substantial documentation which indicates that parents are reluctant to talk with their children about sexual matters. This review of the literature indicates that now, as 30 years ago, the primary source of sexual information among preadolescents is peers. Studies…

Risk factors for early adolescents' (700 between the ages of 10 to 13) delinquency were compared between groups of children high and low in childhood adversities. The samples represented young people from the two former Germanies (200 from former East and 500 from West Germany) who were interviewed in person. Additional information was gathered…

Dutch replication of Bybee, Robinson and Turow's 1982 study of parental influence on television viewing by children between 3 and 18 years old found 3 distinct parental models: restrictive, evaluative, and unfocused guidance. Parental attitudes toward television and its effects on children were found to be important determinants in the type of…

Over time, mother-child relationships in families with remarried mothers grew increasingly similar to those in families whose parents had never divorced. Relationships in single-mother families remained different from those in the other two types of families. Stepfathers were less likely to be authoritative than were nondivorced fathers. (BC)

Used a hierarchical linear model to examine contributions of neighborhood disadvantage, collective socialization, and parenting to African American 10- to 12-year-olds' affiliation with deviant peers. Found that community disadvantage had a significant positive effect on deviant peer affiliations. Nurturant/involved parenting and collective…

Used contextual and transactional approach to examine age and gender differences in experience and consequences of life stress in clinic-referred 8- to 18-year olds. Found that adolescent girls experienced highest interpersonal stress, self-generated within parent-child and peer relationships. Preadolescent girls experienced highest independent…

This study examines different pathways of maternal influence on the value that preadolescents attribute to mathematics and German language as domains of education. On the basis of data from 355 students and their mothers, the author tested effects of mothers' education, general parenting practices, leisure pursuits, joint activities with their…

This study examined diagnostic agreement between children and their parents for seventy 9- to 13-year-olds (45 boys and 25 girls) who had received cognitive?behavioral treatment for anxiety disorders. Parent-child diagnostic rates and agreements for generalized anxiety disorder, separation anxiety disorder, and social phobia were evaluated at 3…

We sought to investigate the relationships between negative family factors such as insecure attachment and adverse parental rearing, and internalizing and externalizing symptoms in a large sample of non-clinical children (N = 237) aged 9 to 12 years. All children completed a set of self-report questionnaires including a single-item measure of…

This book describes ways that parents, teachers, and caregivers can give children the support, encouragement, and problem-solving skills they need. It is designed to help these adults work together with children to create the best environment for a child's emotional, physical, and intellectual well-being. The emphasis is on skills for positive…

This document presents a guide for parents to help them understand and effectively parent their adolescent children. Section I focuses on Parent Haven, a weekly parent support group run by parents, volunteers, and staff of the Family Enhancement Program in Madison, Wisconsin, which provides on-the-job training and support for parents of preteens…

The literature suggests that children steadily move away from egocentric thought and acquire more effective interpersonal skills as they age, but at puberty a new egocentrism makes self-disclosure difficult. To develop an adequate behavioral measure of self-disclosure, 16 situations were described to children aged 8, 11, and 14 years old, who then…

Interviewed family members about family relationships and observed family members' interactions. Found that, compared to other girls, early maturing girls experienced higher levels of psychological distress; experienced greater psychological distress in grade 10 when they had a mixed-sex friendship network in grades 7 through 9; and were more…

Used symbolic interaction theoretical framework to predict association of seven variables with self-esteem, depression level, and negative behaviors of female adolescent incest victims (N=101). Found type of sexual act single most powerful distress predictor. Found age and race had unexpected associations with victim outcomes. (Author/CM)