Traditional observed variable multilevel models for evaluating indirect effects are limited by their inability to quantify measurement and sampling error. They are further restricted by being unable to fully separate within- and between-level effects without bias. Doubly latent models reduce these biases by decomposing the observed within-level…

Background: Mentoring has drawn substantial interest from policymakers, intervention theorists, and those interested in identifying promising and useful evidence-based approaches to interventions for criminal justice and child welfare outcomes (Grossman & Tierney, 1998; Jekliek et al., 2002). Mentoring is one of the most commonly-used…

This study compares three variations in how researchers construct middle childhood social networks: (1) with "friendships" or "affiliations" as a relational tie; (2) with children providing "self reports" of relationships, or in addition, "multi-informant reports" of relationships in which they are not involved; and (3) whether network computation…

Children, Play, and Development, Fourth Edition, discusses the relationship of play to the physical, social, intellectual, and emotional growth of the child. Author Fergus P. Hughes focuses on the historical, sociocultural, and ethological context of play; the role of development in play; and the wide range of theories that provide a framework for…

The main themes of some prominent theories of youthful offenders are reviewed, and some of the far reaching reforms implied by these themes are outlined. The main goal is to consider how schools may respond to the problem, and attention is restricted to changes in schools that may help, even though more fundamental reforms in society would have…

The present study was designed to define the relationship between the supposed syndrome of hyperactivity and that of aggressive conduct disorder. (Author/DB)

Controversies continue regarding the effects of corporal punishment on children. Research has demonstrated an association between levels of corporal punishment and negative outcome behaviors such as aggression and other mental health problems. However, most of these studies have been cross-sectional and correlational in design, thereby precluding…

In response to community concern about developmental effects on children who play with toys that portray antisocial, violent, or militaristic themes, two government committees were set up to investigate the issue. Psychologists have argued that playing with such toys may increase antisocial and aggressive behavior in children and have long-term…

Presents results of two studies supporting the hypothesis that attribution of more aggression to boys may be a function of observer bias. Reports that some forms of instruction eliminate sex-typed biases while others yield significant biases. Discusses implications pertaining to the socialization of aggression and to research on sex differences in…

Identifies methodological challenges for understanding childhood aggression and gender. Considers definitions, contexts, and subtypes, as well as sampling and measures before moving on to research comparing the level of aggression shown by boys and girls. Notes that physical and social aggression may not have the same developmental origins;…

Research in the area of anger has traditionally been pursued from a reductionist and empiricist perspective and has taken place mainly on an individual level. The reductionist approach defines anger as an experience with physiological, cognitive, and behavioral components which can be defined and assessed. This approach ignores the phenomenology…

The value of physical or corporal punishment is disputed among psychologists; most regard it as harmless, although a subgroup of researchers has controversially suggested that parental use of physical punishment may be causally related to the development of aggression. Thus, the psychological community appears to have separated into determined…

Describes the findings and some of the difficulties in researching the effects of television on children. Available from: Australian College of Education, 916 Swanston Street, Carlton, Victoria 3053, Australia, $2.50 single copy. (Author/MLF)

Raises conceptual and empirical questions regarding: whether physical aggression is the main individual risk factor for antisocial behavior; the prospect that language impairment is also a risk factor; the meaning of the male preponderance for antisocial behavior; findings on environmentally mediated risk; the role of biosocial interplay; the…