Examined the effects of age at entrance to first grade on success in elementary school, using a set of demographic, social, and early experience variables as covariates. Concluded that entrance age was a far less powerful predictor of academic achievement than were socioeconomic factors. (Author/GR)

Looks at transracially adoptive and biologically multiracial families. These families need support and understanding because much of society is uncomfortable with them. It is important not to stereotype children of such families. The article presents suggestions to help these parents enrich their childrens' lives. (SM)

Examined nonpersistence among 83 nonpersisting students using Tinto's model and compared retention risks for traditional-aged and nontraditional-aged students. Found that traditional- and nontraditional-aged students showed same risk factors for dropping out: both had parents with low educational levels, attempted to combine education with…

Examines how family composition, size, and atmosphere; parental control; and the level of parental education and socioeconomic status are associated with children's problems at school. Shows that underachievers came from families with absent natural fathers, lower parental control, and negative atmosphere; overachievers came from intact families…

Compared the extent of maternal depression among the client groups for social workers and home-health visitors in England. Found similarities between depressed clients of both types of workers, important effects of low income and absence of support for health clients referred to social workers, and an emerging gap in services provided for…

Uses multivariate regression techniques to analyze 1992 household survey data from rural Tanzania, focusing on how household and individual characteristics affect whether a child attends primary school, completes primary school, and attends secondary school. Fathers' education has a greater influence on boys, whereas mothers' primary education has…

Explored the role of parental unemployment as a risk factor for abuse and neglect of Danish children between 6-18 years old. Found that incidences of abuse or neglect were seen most often in families suffering from: father's neurotic disorder; diminishing social networks; violence in the family and parental criminality; mother's alcohol or drug…

Examines the effect of Catholic school culture on academic achievement in the Higher School Certificate Examination. Attempts to model achievement as the outcome of a Catholic school culture that is the result of variables operating at both the individual and school levels. Develops and tests the model. Discusses the findings in detail. (CMK)

Investigated outcomes of referring child welfare clients for substance abuse, examining relationships between gender, prior treatment, court-ordered intervention, significant others' support, and treatment and placement outcomes. Found that significant others' support positively influences all outcomes, while court-ordered intervention was not…

Structural equation modeling was used to test the hypothesis that parental distress would mediate relations between parental lifetime alcohol and physical health problems and child behavior problems. Results indicated that sons of parents with alcohol and physical health problems are at elevated risk for behavior problems, partly related to…

Describes the work of welfare reliant women and reveals commitment to work in the experiences of 84 welfare reliant, rural women interviewed for this study. Discussion focuses on women's formal participation in and barriers to the labor force; survival strategies for making ends meet while receiving welfare; and the stigma of welfare receipt. (BF)

The purpose of the present study is to investigate differential attrition rates in terms of both demographic characteristics and initial levels of child functioning of participants in North Carolina's system of care evaluation. Participants included 303 families (78 dropped out of the study, a 26% attrition rate). Families dropped out of the…

This study uses The Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) data to compare students from Hong Kong with students from the US on the mathematics achievement and on a series of family background factors such as mothers' expectations, parental education, presence of study aids, living with different family members, and…

This article examines the approaches to storytelling used by Greek parents with their preschool children. The first part of the article discusses the types of stories chosen and the reading approaches employed by the parents. The second part examines the extratextual interactions between parents and children related to content during storytelling.…

A study examines the long-term effects of a family process program on social and cognitive competence and aggressive and deviant behavior among rural African American adolescents. Results suggest that family processes influence the status and changes in adolescent competence and behavior, while analysis of covariant structures suggest that…