Although popular literature cites between 25,000 and 100,000 parental child snatchings a year, no empirical studies have been conducted to support this estimate. To determine an empirical estimate of the extent of parental child snatchings, telephone interviews were conducted by Louis Harris and Associates with a representative cross section of…

There has been increased interest in family systems approaches to the treatment of children's behavior problems. A study was conducted to compare children's behavior patterns in clinical and nonclinical intact families and to explore the relationship between family functioning and boys' behavior patterns. Subjects consisted of 16 clinic families…

Traditionally, research findings on family problem solving have been based on observational data from vignettes provided by the researcher. To examine problem solving in couple relationships from a participatory perspective, 27 married couples discussed a mutually relevant domestic problem, while being videotaped. Subsequently, each partner…

Comparison of 70 girls (ages 3 to 5 years) who had been sexually abused and 42 nonabused girls found abused girls exhibited more sexual behaviors and more internalizing problem behaviors. Girls abused by a member of their family showed slightly more symptomatology than girls abused by nonfamily members. (Author/DB)

A study used data on African American children in foster care collected by the National Black Child Development Institute (NBCDI) to compare whether there are differences in the characteristics, needs, services, and outcomes for children depending on whether or not parental drug abuse was a contributing factor in their foster care placements. The…

Comparison of 16 autistic children receiving psychotropic medication with 16 similar nonmedicated children and their parents found that discriminators of the parental decision to medicate or not included: family stress; the child's speaking ability; and irritable, driven, non-goal-directed child behavior. (DB)

Results of this longitudinal study (7 years) suggested that the stress attributed to a specific child (including a child with an intellectual disability) by parents (N=93) may be an indicator of more general family stress. Although the strength of parental worry decreased, the pattern of worries did not change over time. (Contains references.)…

The purpose of this study is to illustrate how the combined use of qualitative and quantitative methods were necessary in obtaining within this society a clearer understanding of incest. The paper opens with a report of studies carried out on natural father and stepfather incestuous families, and this opens up the issue of the appropriateness of…

Evaluation of 11 children from 5 exile families with at least 1 parent having been subjected to torture found children were anxious, depressive, and regressive with psychosomatic symptoms, sleep disorders, and family and school problems. Coping strategies including isolation and withdrawal, mental flight, eagerness to acclimatize, and strength of…

A review of studies that used the Questionnaire on Resources and Stress with families rearing children with developmental disabilities identified three primary difficulties: (1) definitional problems: (2) multiple measures of the same construct that do not converge: and (3) failure to replicate. Solution strategies include separating demands,…

Little is known about the process by which healthy families resolve everyday problems. Families with an adolescent diabetic must handle the usual adolescent problems as well as disease management problems, and must meet both the needs of the adolescent and those of the rest of the family. Phasing rationally is a term used to describe the orderly…

Three groups of adolescents (n=82) who received treatment for emotional disturbances as children were compared on four predictive indicators: organic problems, family problems, conduct disorders, and academic problems. Using childhood treatment data, significant differences were found between the aggressive group and one or both of the comparison…

Fathers are involved in treatment for child and family problems to a far lesser extent than are mothers. This article reviews the level of fathers' inclusion in therapy, delineates possible barriers to fathers' participation in child-related treatment, and discusses factors associated with fathers' involvement in therapy. Empirically and…

In response to changing social norms and "psychosocial epidemics" disrupting children's lives, schools must become more important agents of character development, providing education in civic virtue and personality adjustment. Schools'"damage control" function cannot succeed without involving families and reevaluating existing…

Chinese families (n=101) from two settings (urban and rural) responded to the Family Needs Survey describing life with a child with disabilities. Findings indicated that information was the most pressing need followed by financial help and help locating a doctor. Type of impairment and setting were related to need expression. (Author/DB)