A sample of 70 mother-infant dyads were used to cross-validate and test the concurrent validity of the Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment Inventory (HOME). (Author/SS)

Analyzes UK PISA data to test two central hypotheses in the "school mix" theory of student achievement. Findings suggest that the school composition effect is sometimes an artifact of statistical procedures and caused by "unmeasured" within-SES school selection for noncognitive dispositions and variable family resources within…

Investigates group differences in the use of language to request information in the conversational discourse of 39 children of 4-5 years. Membership in an ethnic group, social class, and situation affected speakers' displays of this function. (RJC)

Argues that the individualism-collectivism dichotomy overlooks values that inherently serve both individual and collective interests, ignores values that foster the goals of collectives other than the ingroup, and promotes the mistaken assumption that individualist and collectivist values form opposing syndromes. Suggests refined value types. (FMW)

Examines the development of the Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) program and analyzes workfare reforms proposed by Senators Moynihan and Armstrong and the National Service program proposed by Senator Nunn. Argues that all of these programs are based on racism, sexism, and classism. (FMW)

Used data on 65 mother-infant dyads to test Kohn's hypothesis concerning the relation between values and parenting behavior. Findings support Kohn's hypothesis that parents who value self-direction would emphasize supportive function of parenting and parents who value conformity would emphasize their obligations to impose restraints. (Author/NB)

Discusses two factors that greatly diminish the chances for success in college of working class students: communication protocols, and position within a family or a community organization. Discusses what middle- and high-school teachers can do to better prepare working class students for the tasks ahead in the areas of memorization, critical…

Examines two Spanish-language short stories that use language as a codifying system for examining false institutions, antiquated prejudices, and iron-cal hierarchies that have been erected in the name of Mexican culture. (12 references) (GLR)

Discusses race and class in American politics, political empowerment, and self-efficacy and exposure to mass media. Results of a telephone survey conducted in Prince Georges County (Maryland) that examined media use, political self-efficacy, and system efficacy across race and social class are described. (Contains 37 references.) (LRW)

Discusses the narrative, or storytelling, approach to understanding human action and character. Cites several authors who view identity as life-story construction, psychopathology as life stories gone awry, and psychotherapy as exercises in story repair. (DM)

Tells the story of the author's working class niece who became the first student in the history of a university-sponsored writing workshop for children and young adults to have her story rejected for publication. Examines aspects of the story's violence, its connections to popular culture, the gender inflections of the story's reception, and class…

Examined the social composition of an unselected sample of 282 English 8- to 16-year olds involved in intensive training in football, swimming, tennis, and gymnastics. Found that working-class children and those from single-parent families were underrepresented in all sports. Concluded that financial considerations and difficulties in accessing…

Analyzes four topics: (1) everyday discourse and judgments about language usage; (2) "social linguistics" and explanations for language differences in terms of categories such as class and gender; (3) the proposition that identity is constructed by language; and (4) the extent to which social categories are discursively constructed. (SK)

Investigates the relationship between problem behaviors and social skill deficits in a predominantly African American sample of preschool children. Children were evaluated by their teachers using the Conners' Teacher Rating Scales-28, the ADHD Rating Scale, and the Social Skills Rating System. Implications of results regarding children at risk for…

Dutch child care can be described as organized provision with care, guidance and additional education for children from 0-16 years old, by other people than parents or guardians in a way that is adapted to the space of twenty-four hours and the age of children and to the needs of parents or guardians. Child care in the Netherlands is characterized…