Twenty-seven parents with sexually abused children evaluated the effectiveness of a parent support group. Results indicated significant decreases in some of the children's dysfunctional behaviors, increased parental perception of coping skills and confidence as parents, but no change in parents' stress levels. (Author/JDD)

One hundred forty-six young adolescents and 166 young adults completed questionnaires assessing the appraisal of efforts to cope with 3 common stressful events--conflicts with mother and friend and failure. Significant correlations were found between appraisal and coping, and results suggest that coping is multiply determined. (SLD)

Examined factor structure of responses to Chinese version of General Health Questionnaire from 2,150 Chinese secondary school students. Found that, although five-factor model (Anxiety, Depression, Inadequate Coping, Social Dysfunctioning, and Sleep Disturbances) was able to fit data, higher-order model with same five primary factors and…

Investigates whether primary school children construct gender as a source of discrimination in their school lives. Reports their descriptions of sexism in school as well as their strategies to cope with or resist it. Suggests that girls may be prevented from assertive resistance due to their constructions of passive femininity. (DSK)

Notes that Brazilian street children are socially branded as criminals, limiting their opportunities to improve themselves and believe they can change their lives for the better. Draws on interviews with street children to provide a true picture of daily struggles and demonstrates ability and creativity in many situations. (LBT)

In a 1998 study of effective British principals, school staffs agreed that successful heads were values-led, people- centered, achievement-oriented, inward/outward facing, and able to manage ongoing tensions and dilemmas: leadership/management, development/maintenance, autocracy/autonomy, personal time/professional tasks, personal…

This article explores common issues facing beginning special educators and discusses ways to support the transition from prospective teacher to professional teacher based on responses by 13 such teachers to a survey about induction and support programs, professional challenges, coping strategies, and advice for others. (Contains references.) (DB)

Explored constraints experienced by Australian high school girls when using public swimming pools, noting strategies they developed to negotiate these constraints. Data from focus groups and individual interviews indicated that embarrassment affected frequency and quality of participation. To reduce self-consciousness, some girls developed…

Interviews with 158 urban, low income, Mexican American 10th-graders found that a family-related event was the most difficult recent life-event stressor; the most commonly used coping strategies were family social support, self-reliance, and behavioral avoidance; and coping was most helpful in dealing with school-related stressors. (Contains 33…

Offers a classroom vignette that describes how the author invites students to collect pearls of wisdom (memorable quotations in books) as a source of inspiration. Offers an example of such a quote that stimulated rich discussion in a sixth-grade classroom. (SR)

A study examined variables that might mediate the incidence of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in 20 Australian child witnesses (ages 6-12) to domestic violence. Results found PTSD was not mediated by maternal emotional well-being, age and gender of the child, or the child's style of coping with parental conflict. (Author/CR)

An expansion of the Social Coping Questionnaire was used to investigate how 229 gifted students (ages 11-17) coped with being identified as gifted. Results found five social coping factors: denial of giftedness, emphasis on popularity, peer acceptance, social interaction, and the hiding of giftedness. Females were more likely to deny abilities.…

Discusses the negative effects of neglect and abuse on young children, including the cognitive, neurological, and psychological effects. Considers interventions that can prevent neglect and abuse and foster resiliency in the affected children. Advocates the community, family, and professional support of preventive and therapeutic efforts that…

Investigated the effectiveness of analyzing drawings of 8- to 12-year-old children as a method of understanding the effects of living and coping with ongoing civic unrest. Compared drawings by white and black South African children with those of children from Belfast, Ireland. Found cross-national differences in stress, emotion, adjustment, and…

Examined HIV transmission behaviors and health practices among HIV-infected youths over 15 months following participation in a preventive intervention that emphasized coping with HIV and reducing risky behaviors. The intervention resulted in increases in social support coping and reductions in risky sexual and lifestyle behaviors specifically…