This study examined relationships between parenting, severity of disability, and 5 aspects of family ecology for 83 preschool and 69 elementary school children with disabilities. Family ecology variables included socioeconomic status, coping styles, social support, stressful life events, and marital quality. Results showed positive correlations…

This study used interviews and home observations with three families to examine how chronic illness in a young child affects daily family life. The families reported frequent low vitality, selective interest in available support groups, restricted social life, and preoccupation with decisions concerning their child's illness. General strategies,…

Maintains that reading humorous storybooks to toddlers can support their development and learning. A bibliography of humorous children's books is included. (BB)

A brief review of the history of health psychology reveals that many key developments in the field reflect essentially feminist principals. Feminist concerns for inclusiveness and equity influence national health policies in the following areas: (1) violence; (2) acquired immune deficiency syndrome; and (3) policy and planning. (SLD)

This study investigated the differential effectiveness of assertiveness and problem-solving training on 28 dually diagnosed (mild mental retardation and mental disorders) patients' adaptive social behavior, distress and psychiatric symptoms, anger control, and problem-solving coping skills. Improvements resulted from combined assertiveness and…

Reviews primary and secondary source material about Asian-American Vietnam veterans. Reveals the reality of marginality faced by Asian Americans and Pacific Americans in the war theater and in the larger society. Subjects' war time and postwar experiences show that the U.S. promise of democracy has not been realized. (SLD)

Research on children's perceptions of control has identified both changes and consistencies in control beliefs during childhood and early adolescence. Developmental changes in coping have also been documented. Implications of research for interventions aimed at enhancing children's problem-solving and coping skills are discussed. (SLD)

A variety of strategies are suggested as useful to female faculty members in developing their careers and coping with nonoptimal working conditions. Issues addressed include getting information, networking and mentoring, negotiating, handling discrimination, personal presentation, sexual harassment and other sexual issues, interviews, working…

Maintains that early childhood professionals must confront the challenges of alleviating children's fears about the Persian Gulf War. Topics addressed include emotional support for children with parents stationed in the Gulf; effects of the media's war coverage on children; and fiscal and human costs of the war. (BB)

A study of 98 African-American and Hispanic parents of children with hearing loss found low levels of stress. The communicative ability through signing of the child was significantly related to stress, with Hispanics differing significantly from African Americans in making greater use of coping strategies. (Author/CR)

Analysis of questionnaire, interview, and observational data with 36 hearing mothers of school-aged children with a hearing loss found (1) social support emerged as an important predictor of maternal adjustment; and (2) maternal problem-solving skills emerged as a significant predictor of child adjustment and as a mediating factor between child's…

Asserts that today's students must cope with considerable hostility and find the courage to survive aggression (e.g., through organized religion). Without religion in schools, educators lose values that teach children to be ethical, contributing citizens. Teachers must be leaders in moral development in order to help students understand how their…

Compared adjustment in adoptive and biological parents rearing 1- to 12-year-olds with Down syndrome. Found that birth mothers and fathers were functioning quite similarly to adoptive mothers and fathers on family strengths, marital adjustment, and resources and stress. Birth mothers displayed higher personal burden than adoptive mothers, with the…

Investigated factors associated with academic success and coping of low-income, urban, minority adolescents transitioning from 8th to 9th grade. Interviews with high- and low-performing students indicated that the transition brought challenges related to school, friends, and family. High-performing students coped more actively and had a wider…

Examined academic and social defensive pessimism and optimism strategies and adolescents' future orientation in the domains of education and military service. Found that academic strategies were significantly linked to prospective education components and social strategies to military service components. Found that investment in prospective…