The present study investigated the reliability and validity of scores from the Child Abuse Potential (CAP) Inventory. The CAP is a screening device for physical abuse potential in adults; it is a self-administered test written on a third-grade reading level. Subjects were 113 mothers, including 53 (46.9%) mothers of young children with handicaps,…

This study investigated how 223 mothers and 200 fathers of 3- to 6-year-old children from Taiwan saw their child-rearing strengths and shortcomings. The Mandarin version of the Parent as a Teacher Inventory (PAAT) was administered to each of the 423 subjects. This instrument is designed to examine five aspects of interaction between parent and…

This newsletter theme issue addresses the needs of infants and young children at risk due to economic, cultural, and environmental disadvantages. Individual articles have the following titles and authors: "Understanding the Early Experience of Black Children in High Risk Environments: Culturally and Ecologically Relevant Research as a Guide to…

An overview of some of the recent developments in experimental research on early infantile autism considers related issues such as language impairments, cognitive and affective deficits, nonverbal communication, social behavior, and therapeutic interventions. Research indicates that difficulty with abstract use of language and with pragmatic…

This study presents first-hand information on aspects of the developmental process during the first five years of life in rural Teyateyaneng in Lesotho, a small country surrounded by the Republic of South Africa. Implicit in the study is the assumption that a relationship exists between informal education at home and formal education at school.…

The vulnerability of children to developmental problems was studied in three groups of young children: (1) children with schizophrenic mothers (N=35); (2) children with severely depressed mothers (N=19); and children with well mothers (N=21). The children ranged in age from birth to 5 years, with 64 percent under age 2, and came from families who…

Twenty dyads--ten middle-class mothers and ten lower-class mothers and their two-year-old children--were videotaped in a play situation. Variables in speech and utterance production were examined for change across condition (awareness or ignorance of being observed) and across socioeconomic class within condition. The number of utterances was…

This student guide for a program focusing on the concept of developmental tasks, and how to interpret children's behaviors in terms of these tasks, is designed around a magazine format to allow maximum flexibility to different groups using the materials. The guide is divided into seven sections: (1) an overview of the theme and contents; (2) a…

Research on the acquisition of sex roles in the United States has indicated a tendency for parents to treat girls less harshly than boys and for fathers to treat girls with more special warmth than they do boys. Eighteen children and their parents were interviewed and observed in Oslo, Norway, as part of a longitudinal study of parental influence…

This study addresses itself to the development of a valid method for identifying a high-risk group of preschool children. The design used is longitudinal and attempts to relate early child and parent behavior patterns to various outcome measures as the child grows older. This paper reports the behavior patterns of a group of two-year-olds and how…

Discusses the substance of project TIES (Teaching Interpersonal Skills to Strengthen Systems), a short-term project designed to enhance the mission of Head Start. Primary goals of TIES were to enhance the affective environment of Head Start children, families and staff, and increase the availability of high quality mental health services. (RWB)

Two models are described that facilitate the collaborative development of Individual Family Service Plans for families with handicapped children. The theoretical model of the coping process and the decision-making model of personalized learning provide a structure for enhancing family resources for adaptive coping. Two case studies illustrate…

This booklet for parents, in both English and Spanish, offers suggestions for helping their young children develop and improve their reading skills. The booklet first presents tips for helping infants or preschoolers be ready to read and ready to learn. Suggestions include talking to the infant or toddler, reading aloud starting at 6 months,…

Describes a new educational television series called "Footsteps" designed to help new and prospective parents learn about their children's development and their own interactions with them. Each show is about a single topic, stressing affective rather than cognitive learning. Print materials are available for parents, teachers, and community…

Studied semantic and cognitive development of Korean-speaking and English-speaking children. Found that categorization and a naming spurt emerged later in Korean speakers than in English speakers, while means-ends abilities and success/failure words emerged earlier in Korean speakers than in English speakers. Also, Korean-speaking mothers…