Prevalence of severe sleep problems and its association with other variables were investigated with 109 individuals who have Angelman syndrome. Severe settling problems, frequent night waking, and early waking were found in 2%, 37%, and 10% of the individuals, respectively. Sleep problems were persistent in this sample. No statistically…

Older women with intellectual disabilities remain the least studied and understood members of the disability population, and yet they often live well into late adulthood. In this exploratory study we used extensive interviews to examine the demographics, economic and personal safety nets, health, social roles, and well-being of 29 Irish and…

This article reports the findings of a study examining the gender differences in perceived self-determination among Russian young adults. The study was participated in by 1,000 young men and women from fourteen to thirty years of age in the city of Toliatti in April and May 2002. Findings of the study reveal the following: (1) An…

One of the most significant theoretical contributions to welfare analysis across a range of disciplines has been the development of the capabilities framework by Sen and others. Motivated by the claim that freedom should play a key role in social evaluation, the capabilities framework suggests that we consider what it is that people are free to…

This paper takes as its central thesis Martha Nussbaum's normative proposition that social arrangements should be evaluated primarily according to the extent of freedom people have to promote or achieve functionings they value. Using this as a lens the paper explores the housing circumstances of older people in the UK. The paper makes three…

Early childhood education is first and foremost about establishing a base on which to build life-long learning. Early childhood educators dream about well-rounded adults in the distant future who will be productive citizens as well as happy, healthy family members. To enhance their ability to develop well-rounded children, some educators draw upon…

This is the 2nd "New Jersey City Kids Count," a snapshot of child well-being in New Jersey's largest and poorest cities. The report serves to measure progress and challenges in the cities where most of New Jersey's poorest children are growing up. The Association for Children of New Jersey, with funding from the Annie E. Casey…

Although the FPG Child Development Institute's primary mission is to generate new knowledge, this research is in the service of a higher goal: child and family well being. This goal is distilled in their tag line: "Advancing knowledge, enhancing lives." This phrase is not just a tag line--it encapsulates 40 years of striving to be an…

The unexpected loss of a loved one, a car accident, or exposure to a violent experience is familiar to many. Everyone reacts to such events, but the responses vary widely, ranging from numbness and withdrawal, to crying, nervousness, and agitation. Because traumatic events are prevalent, cause profound suffering, and may lead to life altering…

The proportion of low-achieving children in a class can affect the progress of individual pupils in that class. Having a large proportion of low achievers in a class could slow down growth in cognitive achievement but, might also boost such growth, due to the effects of specialist teaching geared to low achievers' needs. In a longitudinal study of…

This study examined the mental health needs, knowledge, and utilization of counseling services among graduate students at a large university in the western United States. Almost half of graduate student respondents reported having had an emotional or stress related problem over the past year, and over half reported knowing a colleague who had an…

Young children with disabilities are significantly more likely to live in poverty than their peers without disabilities. Exposure to poverty creates additional risk of adverse outcomes for these vulnerable children. In this article, the following key circumstances contributing to this increased risk of impoverishment are analyzed: elevated costs…

Background: Findings are presented of the second phase of a longitudinal study of families created through surrogacy. Methods: At the time of the child's 2nd birthday, 37 surrogacy families were compared with 48 egg donation families and 68 natural conception families on standardised interview and questionnaire measures of the psychological…

Although advances in HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention have led to improvements in health and well-being, HIV/AIDS continues to be a global health concern, especially for adolescents and young adults. The school system, with its access to vast numbers of youth, has and continues to be the most pivotal player in prevention. This article reports on…

This study examines the interrelationships among racial discrimination, racial identity, and psychological functioning in a sample of 314 African American adolescents. Racial discrimination was associated with lower levels of psychological functioning as measured by perceived stress, depressive symptomatology, and psychological well-being.…