Today, levels of mistreatment of children are internationally reported as having reached epidemic proportions. Throughout recorded history babies and young children have suffered acts of violence by parents, care providers and others. However, "some believe that, for the first time in history, we are beginning to face the true prevalence and…

The curricula for young children rarely provide specific teaching about how to conserve earth's resources. Yet, adults need to help children early in life become aware of and actively involved in ecologically sensitive and sound practices. Interviews were conducted individually with 41 children (4- to 6-year-olds; 7- to 9-year-olds and 10- to…

Investigated resilience, as assessed by mothers, among 4- to 11-year-old children of Taiwanese immigrant families in the United States. Found that maternal support for child resilience and mixed cultural rearing style was most predictive of children's resilience, but maternal employment was not associated with resilience. Boys were less resilient…

Examined parenting styles of families of 105 preschoolers who experienced varying amounts of full-time infancy care. Found that mothers did not differ on nurturance, responsiveness, consistency, parental control, or use of physical punishment. Mothers of early care group were more likely to use reasoning and remind children about rules than…

Discusses the future training of early childhood educators, focusing on techniques for teachers to build prosocial skills, develop aesthetic appreciation, inculcate acceptance and inclusion, and develop a curiosity for learning among children. Also discusses the political status of early childhood education. (MDM)

Fifty two-year-olds and fifty three-year-olds from low-income families were observed in 10 urban day care centers. Child-teacher interactions were coded as positive or negative. Boys engaged and elicited more negative behaviors than did girls. It is concluded that providers should not reinforce negative behaviors in children who are emotionally…

Explores imitations of prosocial actions by 5 mainstreamed handicapped and 10 nonhandicapped preschoolers. Argues that teacher education for work in mainstreamed settings needs to include attention to methods by which young children can be encouraged in prosocial behavior. (DE)

Behavior profiles of four experienced teachers of infants and toddlers were obtained by means of the Assessing the Behavior of Caregivers (ABC) checklist. The ABC was shown to be a sensitive and easy-to-use instrument that was useful in monitoring interactions between adults and children and effects of in-service training. (DE)

Examines language scores of untreated disadvantaged four-year-olds on the Illinois Test of Psycholinguistic Abilities as a function of the Family Development Research Program testing style. Children in the program were more likely than other intervention project preschoolers to achieve near normal scores. (Author/BB)

Introduces the articles in this issue on caregivers. Emphasizes that the papers focus preferentially on the adult facilitator of early learning and development and on the relationship and interaction of adult with child, rather than exclusively on the child. Each article underlines a different facet of the important job of mentoring done by…

Evaluates a project designed to provide information support to low-income, low-education, first-time fathers. Significant differences were found between fathers who were provided appropriate child-rearing information and those who were not. Following their babies' birth, fathers in the intervention group more accurately pinpointed the age at which…

Reviews how chronic illness affects the psychosocial and cognitive development of ill children, using both Eriksonian and Piagetian theoretical rubrics. Explores family and child stress and coping with medical crises and manifestations of illness. Provides recommendations for enhancing parent and professional communication and educational…

Explored the influences of teacher education on musical curriculum related to young children's responses to music. The findings showed that during a music activity, children attended to their teachers, that children's responses to music differed according to their age, and that teaching a music curriculum to early childhood caregivers does make a…

Examines medical, social, demographic, parental, and other variables in relation to early language adequacy or delay in development among native French and immigrant toddlers. (PCB)

Parent interviews with low-income, urban mothers in Korea, India, Sweden, France, and the United States provided a profile of behaviors that mothers used in response to various child behaviors. Although mothers exhibited some behaviors typical of their cultural groups, there were more similarities than differences in responses across cultures.…