Attempts to demonstrate that specifically language-impaired (SLI) children can be viewed as normal learners faced with systematically altered input. By assuming SLI children are limited in their ability to perceive and hypothesize grammatical morphemes that are low in phonetic substance, many features of SLI children's language can be explained by…

Investigated interpersonal understanding in friendship reasoning of 97 children at ages 9, 12, and 15 years. Results support theories of the cumulative nature of the development of friendship reasoning. (RJC)

Examines peer group perceptions of 312 students in grades 5-12. Early and middle adolescents placed more value on being in a popular group; perceived more conformity, antagonism, and leadership in their groups; and reported more antagonistic interactions with those outside their groups than did preadolescents and late adolescents. (RJC)

Tested 2 models of the effect of social cognition on the link between child adjustment and the 2 family risk factors of maltreatment and parental psychopathology. In 83 subjects of 7-14 years, maltreatment predicted aggression and peer rejection, but parental psychopathology did not. Adjustment of subjects with a disturbed parent depended on…

Used longitudinal data to estimate reciprocal relationship between parental support and fifth- through eighth-grade childrens' (N=338) self- esteem. Found parents' supportive behavior affected childrens' self-esteem but childrens' self-esteem also affected how much support from parents children reported. Found parents had greater effect on girls'…

Investigated effects of pubertal, social, and biological factors on negative affect of 103 White girls aged 10 t0 14 years. Results indicate that social factors, and the interaction of negative life events and pubertal factors, accounted for more variance than did hormonal pubertal factors alone. (RJC)

In effort to reduce disruptive classroom behavior, five students attending school for behavior-disordered youth were shown videotapes depicting themselves or peer appropriately engaged in classroom activities. Effects were idiosyncratic across students, the most significant effects occurring for the self-observation procedure. (Author)

Investigated possible bias of Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (K-ABC) with 76 White and 90 Mexican-American fifth- and sixth-graders. Criterion variable was Comprehensive Tests of Basic Skills (CTBS). Results showed considerable evidence of bias in differential predictive validity, indicating global cognitive score of K-ABC was less…

Data on perinatal and early childhood somatic and psychological risk factors of a random sample of children in early to middle childhood were used to examine the long-term risk of emotional and behavioral problems of late childhood and adolescence. (PCB)

Examined fears of fifth grade students and ways in which their parents perceived the fears. Responses from 66 students and 47 parents suggest that children have more fears than parents think they have. Children reported concerns over accidents, nuclear war, and death, while parents expected children to have more fears about scary movies, the dark,…

Points out ways the tobacco industry markets products to youth, including paid advertisements, sponsorship of sporting events, music concerts, and magazines. Relates several focal points for smoking prevention, which include deglamorization of cigarette advertisements and making smoking socially undesirable. (LS)

Examined first year postdivorce functioning of young adolescents, assessing social and social withdrawal behavior, cognitive functioning, and externalizing problems. Interparental conflict exerted significant main effect on social and social withdrawal behavior and, for cognitive functioning, interacted with marital status. Parental marital status…

Examines gratifications associated with home video cassette recorder (VCR) use among Israeli school children. Finds that while the VCR is often used, it has not achieved any special priority in its perceived utility to gratify various needs. (MS)

Discusses literature for transitional readers (8 to 11 year olds who can read fairly lengthy stories independently, but need to sharpen and extend reading comprehension and critical thinking skills). Outlines developmental characteristics of these readers, and characteristics of the literature they tend to favor. Includes references to 73…

Two experiments examined the development of recall organization by observing use of categorical and spatial clustering strategies and how encoding experiences and recall task influence degree of organization. Children and adults recalled furniture from their home. Older subjects organized items spatially; when recalling objects and their…