A total of 881 third through fifth graders completed sociometric measures of acceptance and friendship, a measure of loneliness, a questionnaire on their best friends, and a measure of friendship satisfaction. Results indicated that, although many low-accepted children had satisfying friendships, they were less satisfying than the friendships of…

Used three-wave longitudinal design to examine relationships among emotional restraint, peer drug associations, and gateway drug use among 1,256 middle school students. In reciprocal model, low emotional restraint was significantly related to subsequent increases in gateway drug use among boys. In contrast, peer drug models and peer pressure were…

Mothers (n=112) with young, middle childhood, or older children with developmental delays completed the Parenting Stress Index. Child Domain scores were high for all age groups, but Parent Domain scores were within normal limits. The middle childhood group was higher in both domains than other groups. Degree of handicap and behavior problems were…

Examined changes in mothers' reported child-rearing practices in regard to independence and control, positive and negative affect, and disciplinary practices. The Child Rearing Practices Report was administered five times during an eight-year period. Substantial stability in behaviors and values was noted. Some practices changed with age. (BC)

Tested model of middle school science and mathematics achievement with national probability sample of 3,116 seventh grade students. Collected data from students and parents over three time periods in seventh and eighth grades. Concluded that, although prior achievement had dominant influence in schooling process, other variables including parental…

The association between boys' peer relations, antisocial behavior, academic skill deficits, and family ecology was examined. Two cohorts of boys and their families were interviewed, observed in the home, and assessed in school. (PCB)

Explores the challenge of keeping parents involved in their children's education beyond the elementary school years. Suggests the invitational model as proactive approach for keeping parents involved in the lives of their children, particularly during the transition years of middle school education. As background, discusses nature of…

Among a group of mostly African-American and Hispanic 10- to 14-year-olds, boys believed that parents would disapprove more of retaliation against siblings than friends, whereas girls believed that parents would equally disapprove of retaliation against either target. Children expected that retaliation was more likely to deter additional…

Assessed fourth-graders' peer clique characteristics as a function of socioeconomic status, gender, and aggressiveness. Found that rejected youth were less central group members than average-status peers; aggressive preadolescents were no less involved than nonaggressive peers; rejected preadolescents belonged to smaller cliques and cliques…

A study examined a summer science camp's impact on the attitudes of 46 children aged 9-12 toward the environment, and the extent of consequent behavior changes. All participants showed an increase in positive attitudes towards the environment. Almost one-fourth of the 128 intentions reported were acted upon during the following year. (Contains 30…

Discusses two aspects of a conceptual framework for examining the unique developmental significance of friendship. Presents findings from longitudinal study of preadolescent peer rejection and friendship status as predictors of adjustment in early adulthood. (SD)

This study sought to clarify parents' role in the initiation of alcohol use of young adolescents. Findings indicated that parent norms were directly related to adolescents' alcohol-related cognition, and thereby had a significant indirect relationship with teenagers' alcohol use. No significant differences were found between intervention and…

This study investigated parental socialization of adolescent political reasoning from a Vygotskian cognitive socialization perspective. Discussions between mothers and their adolescent sons or daughters were examined using a transactive dialogue system and were related to the adolescent's age and gender and to family parenting style. As predicted,…

Examined predictors of children's moral reasoning development over 4-year period. Found that parental and friend interaction during moral conflict discussions influenced development differently. Minimal moral development was predicted by friends' cognitive challenges to the target child's moral reasoning and by parents' interfering interactions.…

Two studies compared multidimensional self-concept measures in preadolescents. Findings indicated that the Self-Description Questionnaire and Self-Perception Profile for Children were highly correlated and comparable in reliability, stability, subscale interrelations, and associations with others' evaluations. Correspondence among various…