Tested two competing hypotheses explaining similarity of parent-child attitude changes across life course. Compared developmental perspective with socialization theory measured on political, religious, and gender role attitude scales collected from three-generational families (N=1,159). Found older parent-child dyads diverged over time, but…

Composite measures of reading performance and symbol-processing speed were analyzed in a total of 105 reading-disabled children (age 7-12) and 97 controls over an interval of 4-8 years. Rates of change in reading performance were highly similar for subjects and controls, but differences in symbol-processing speed increased as a function of age.…

Findings in a study of 94 children in nursery school and day care who completed landmark placement, mental rotation, and map tasks suggested the existence of 2 different, age-related strategies of map use. Younger and older map users may make different tradeoffs between encoding and updating. (RH)

Measures the relationship between developmental maturity and performance on a test of reading readiness. Finds no significant difference in performance between boys and girls or between older and younger children. Concludes that reading readiness is in large measure determined by the nature of the reading program. (RS)

Adolescents with and without learning disabilities (14, 16, and 18 years old) were tested to determine whether they differed in auditory, visual, and/or multisensory social perception abilities. The adolescents with learning disabilities at all age levels were not as adept at understanding nonverbal social information regardless of whether it was…

The study compared three word recognition abilities (analysis, phonics, and context analysis skills) with 75 elementary and 75 high school reading disabled students. The two groups had significant differences in their ability to use the three skills. Results have implications for minimum competency testing in reading. (Author/DB)

A study of two- to six-year-olds' spontaneous uses of "from" to mark oblique agents showed that, while the two-year-olds produced "from" for agents and "with" for instruments in imitation, older subjects shifted to "by" for agents and kept "from" to mark locative sources. (Author/CB)

Examined effect of children on social integration and isolation of married people (N=2,194) over three life stages through use of a family life course perspective and social exchange theory. Found parents whose children had left home were most involved and "permanently" childless couples most isolated. Concluded social isolation of childless…

Examined effects of teacher-imposed structure versus child-initiated structure on the writing of children in kindergarten through third-grade. While females favored child structure, males showed more developmentally advanced characteristics when writing with teacher structure. (Author/BB)

A six-year study investigated relationships between individual development and: (1) changes in aggressive expression; (2) continuities of aggressive behavior in girls and boys; and (3) convergence between self-concepts and social attributions of others in ontogeny. Participants were 220 fourth grade students who were followed from childhood…

Examined extent and nature of suicide, attempted suicide, and intentional life-threatening behavior in long-term care facilities and differences in patterns of suicidal behavior by gender, age, and race. Results from 463 facilities revealed sex differences in terms of method chosen, and age differences on type of suicidal behavior and likelihood…

Examined Visual Aural Digit Span Test (VADS) and Bender-Gestalt (BG) scores as predictors of Wide Range Achievement Test-Revised (WRAT-R) scores among 115 elementary school students referred for low academic achievement. Divided children into three age groups. Results suggest BG and VADS Test can be effective screening devices for young children…

A study of effects of age and schooling in grades five and six on raw scores from a variety of general ability tests found that schooling: (1) is the major factor underlying the increase of intelligence test scores as a function of age; and (2) has a larger effect on verbal than nonverbal tests. (RH)

Two studies assessed the way in which changes in appearance and sex-typed names affected the performance of 124 preschool, second-, and fourth-grade children on a gender constancy task. Results suggest that children who lack an understanding of gender constancy can be misled by changes in appearance and name cues. (RJC)

Analyzes the interrelationships among delinquency, substance abuse, and sexual activity in a sample of 1,725 youths over a 5-year period. Findings indicate that adolescent sexual intercourse is a function of age and sex, and may reflect a general propensity to engage in risky behavior. (FMW)