Used signal detection methodology to examine how cognitive set affects mothers' response to crying by "difficult" and "easy" infants. Found that increased mothers' sensitivity was associated with the "difficult" infant cognitive set and that mothers with high illusory control were least sensitive in detecting…

Takes a look at three recent young adult novels that are stories of children abandoned by their parents, and shows how each retains the essential features of the Hansel and Gretel folktale, a prototype of abandonment stories. (SR)

Assessed sleep disorders in 265 visually impaired and 67 non-disabled 10- to 72-month olds. Found that infants with visual impairments had more difficulties in falling asleep and in sleeping through the night than nonhandicapped children. Also found a relationship between sleep disorders and the regularity of children's daily routine and…

Assessed female juvenile offenders' perceptions of their existing family functioning characteristics and the quality of their relationships with their mothers. One test indicated that all of the family functioning constructs measured except communication positively related to the quality of the mother-daughter relationship. Another test indicated…

Summarizes a study designed to determine the effectiveness of parental influence on their children. The researcher interviewed nine students from a St. Louis, Missouri Catholic elementary school along with the students' parents and teachers. The author presents findings related to family discipline procedures, parental expectations for children,…

Tests the degree to which adolescents and young adults felt caught between their parents as a mediator between divorce and children's avoidance and satisfaction with them. Reveals that divorce was largely associated with avoidance and satisfaction through children's feelings of being caught, which were a function of their parents' demand-withdraw…

Reviews published research on the effects of parental mental illness diagnosis or symptoms on childhood substance abuse. Risk and protective factors for developing a substance use or related disorder in these children are summarized. Recommendations for substance abuse prevention in children of parents with mental illness are presented and used to…

This essay describes one man's experiences learning to read in the 1940s. He notes that at that time, parents were not expected to teach their children to read prior to entering school. That was viewed as the teacher's job. However, his parents filled his house and his life with literacy-based experiences. Once he learned to read, his community…

Children's perspectives can enlighten decisions regarding custody and parenting plans. This article discusses why most procedures for soliciting children's preferences do not reliably elicit information on their best interests and do not give children a meaningful voice in decision making. Instead, these procedures provide children with forums in…

Using a conceptual framework that acknowledges the losses associated with a parent's incarceration, 56 caregivers visiting an incarcerated family member during children's visiting hours were interviewed. Problems believed to be created by incarceration included parenting strain, emotional stress, and concerns about children's loss of involvement…

Children's attachment behavior was assessed at 18 months. Children's behavior with peers was observed and teachers' ratings of children's peer relations were gathered from 18 to 24 months. Found that, in response to their own positive behaviors, insecure-resistant children received fewer positive reactions from peers, and insecure-resistant and…

Fifteen mother-child dyads were observed when the children with visual impairments were 20 to 36 months old, and a year later, to investigate the influence of several variables (maternal behavior, home environment, and socioeconomic status) on their development. Results found the influence of maternal behaviors was more significant during the…

Maternal wait time after open- and closed-ended questions with eight Down syndrome (DS) and eight language-age (LA) matched peers was investigated. Mothers provided a longer mean wait time for LA children (2.5 seconds) than for DS children (1.8 seconds). These wait times matched well with children's usual response times. No differences for…

Investigated the effect of mother-infant skin-to-skin contact on self-regulatory processes of premature infants. Found that infants treated with prolonged skin-to-skin contact showed improvements in state distribution, sleep-wake cyclicity, emotionality thresholds, arousal modulation, mother-infant shared attention, and infant sustained…

A study of older women and their employed daughters used social exchange theory and a life-course perspective in focus groups with 12 daughters/caregivers. Results showed that being reliant on a busy employee for care has negative consequences. (Contains 55 references.) (JOW)