Examines the relations among the quality of stepparent-stepchild relationships, the frequency of visits from nonresident parents, and child outcomes in four types of stepfamilies. (HOD)

Examined the tendancy of non-Indian teachers to rate Amerian Indian early adolescents as behaviorally disordered more often than non-Indian children. Non-Indian teachers (N=28) rated a hypothetical Indian or non-Indian student. No significant cultural bias was found. (JAC)

Bender Gestalt Test data from 60 severely emotionally handicapped and 60 normal children were computer digitized and scored traditionally. Reliability results from comparison of analysis techniques favored computer approach; criterion-related validity was unsuccessful for both scoring methods; and concurrent validity results indicated limited…

Presents a bibliography of books recently published in Mexico, Spain, Argentina, and Peru for Spanish-speaking children and young adults. The books are grouped by the following levels: (1) preschool and primary grades; (2) grades 3 to 6; (3) junior high and up; and (4) young adult. (SED)

Perceptive principals and teachers can use to their advantage the effects of peer pressure on 10- to 14-year-old children. Schools should provide these middle-grade students with clear expectations, predictable consequences for undesirable behavior, and frequent rewards for positive actions. Conclusions of research on grade grouping are…

Examined effects of relaxation training on preadolescent children (N=532) with behavior problems. Results indicated fewer discipline problems among students receiving relaxation training than those who did not. Fighting, cutting class, and discipline reports markedly decreased. Suggests that counselors can serve as schoolwise consultants for…

Middle schools are here to stay. The overriding purpose of middle-level education continues to be that of providing programs based on the unique characteristics, needs, and interests of middle-level students. (Author/TE)

The article lists skills to be taught, then describes the psychoeducational training procedures, management problems, and research evaluation results of the structured learning approach for teaching social competencies to aggressive, withdrawn, immature, or developmentally lagging preadolescents and adolescents. Effectiveness reported includes…

The incidence and continuity of smoking and drinking, precursory social-behavioral characteristics of smokers and drinkers, and life conditions related to smoking and drinking are described. Part of an extensive Finnish longitudinal study of social development, the original sample consisted of eight-year-old subjects. Follow-up studies were made…

Examines 8- to 12-year-olds' perceptions of parents' responses to sons and daughters experiencing interpersonal conflicts. Reports that children expect parents to respond in a manner consistent with traditional instrumental-expressive sex-role stereotypes. (Author/KH)

Compared the behavior of 48 preadolescent boys with and without peer adjustment problems in a naturalistic school setting. Analyses provided general support for the reciprocity hypothesis, which posits that individuals tend to match the affective quality of a response to that of the previous response. (LLL)

This thesis details a program of teacher-reinforced behaviors for juveniles convicted of a felony and incarcerated at the West Virginia Industrial Home for Youth (WVIHY). The goal was to determine an effective way to control behaviors of incarcerated youth in an educational setting by use of a positive reinforcement program: "Keys to…

Four features of early adolescent friendship have received the greatest attention in the literature: intimacy of conversations, friends' responsiveness to each other's needs and desires, the degree of similarity or complementarity between friends, and the stability of friendships over time. Each of these features and its potential effect on the…

One-hundred-and-forty early and midadolescent males and females were interviewed to document the lower age boundaries of ego identity development in the content areas of vocational choice, religious beliefs, political philosophies, and sex-role preference. (Author/MP)

A theoretical model of parental socialization of children's coping behavior was tested with 310 fourth- and fifth-graders. Found that children's coping efforts were associated with family environment, the quality of the parent-child relationship, parents' own coping, and parent coping suggestions. Maternal data were more strongly associated with…