Examined the transition of 10 children to day care. Found that separation from parent was difficult for one child and that a caring teacher, opportunities for exploration, and support in those activities assisted in overcoming separation difficulties. Identified the caregiver-child relationship as important for supporting children in their…

Examined predictors of development in very low birth weight infants from diverse backgrounds. Found that low income and greater frequency of medical problems predicted developmental risk on the Bayley Scales. In two-parent households, paternal education predicted developmental scores. Several individual biomedical factors predicted…

Evaluated the Early Coping Inventory (ECI) as a measure of coping skills in low-risk nursery school children. Findings pointed to significant associations between observers' ratings and teachers' ratings on the Evaluation of Adaptive Behavior in Nursery School. Findings suggest that the ECI may be valuable in early identification of children with…

Examined whether first- to third-graders' language and mathematics achievement was affected by family context and type of school-related activities practiced by parents. Found that achievement was related to family size, number of adult caregivers, and parents' educational level. Students with parents engaging in learning activities at home were…

Used responses from open-ended interviews with 10 families of young children to develop a 60-item family literacy questionnaire examining families' perceptions of their contributions to emergent literacy. Matched questionnaire factors with those emerging from literature review on family variables influencing literacy. Found 95 percent agreement on…

A pilot study tested an intervention to provide basic skills of touch therapy to parents of 13 children with disabilities. Post-intervention interviews indicated that both parents and children found touch therapy enjoyable. Parents felt more confident in their own abilities and felt closer to their child. Children had improved sleep patterns, more…

Examines reasons behind very low attendance of fathers at primary level family literacy events in Great Britain. Discusses rapid social and demographic changes, the sex- segregated power structure in education, the gendered nature of parental involvement in education, and the nature of family literacy events. Concludes that the environment of…

Examined effects of full-day and half-day kindergarten on 974 second graders' academic outcomes. Found that full-day children scored significantly higher in math and reading on the Iowa Test of Basic Skills and had fewer absences than half-day children. Found that fewer children from full-day cohort had been retained in grade. Found no differences…

Examined how homeless African American women who have been professionally assessed and who self-report to be dependent on alcohol and other drugs make sense of their becoming chemically dependent. Found that interviewees perceived childhood physical, sexual, and psychological abuse and neglect to be among the antecedents to their chemical…

Preschool teachers and directors from special education, Head Start, and day care centers completed a questionnaire assessing their perceptions of diversity and resources utilized in relation to diversity. Respondents indicated that children with "differences" should be treated like "children"; children with "differences" were defined by the…

Classroom observations and field notes were collected during group reading time in four southeast London primary schools to investigate the interplay between gender, teacher, and peer group influences. Reading behavior among boys differed in each classroom. English as an Additional Language (EAL) male students seemed highly motivated;…

Research on solitary play most often views solitary in contrast to social play. Children who play alone more than is typical fall into four groups: shy and non-shy soloists, isolated, and depressed children. Only the latter two groups present clear concerns during the preschool years. Solo play should be viewed as an important developmental…

Reviews research concerning the origins of violent behavior in the early childhood years. Discusses the importance of early childhood intervention, and offers recommendations for the coordination of intervention efforts by behavior specialists and early childhood educators. (Author/EV)

The Infant Temperament Questionnaire was used to assess behavioral peculiarities of 30 infants born with low birth weight (LBW), compared to two control infants of normal birth weight assigned to each LBW case. LBW was significantly associated with infant's adaptability, with LBW infants presented as slower adapting. This behavioral feature was…

A study examined appropriateness of the self-monitoring intervention procedure for African children with autism. Tentative comparisons of African data with previously reported data on American children indicated that the concepts underlying the use of self-monitoring as an intervention procedure are relevant and that there was a positive…