Describes four sectors comprising "the good life": behavioral competence, psychological well-being, perceived quality of life, and objective environment. Assessment approaches for each sector are described and empirical evidence is presented regarding interrelationships among them. Presented at the 35th Annual Scientific Meeting of the…

Evaluated a 10-week yoga program with 61 White and 45 low-income Black elders and a control group. Results showed White elders attended class regularly, practiced daily, improved psychological well-being, and lowered their blood pressure level. Black elders attended regularly but did not practice or improve well-being. (JAC)

Determined the degree of concern students (N=429) have about a variety of health problems and issues which affect their physical, mental and social well-being. Compared the ranking of health items related to alcohol consumption with the leading mortality and morbidity problems of college students related to drinking. (LLL)

The mission of Agenda for Children is to make Louisiana a state in which all children can thrive. Knowing that supports for children and families require action at the local, state, and national level, Agenda for Children works closely with key partners in each of these arenas. This paper describes the activities and accomplishments of Agenda for…

Teaching children to meditate can improve their decision making and put them in touch with their deeper core values. Instructions for teaching children meditative techniques are presented in this book. It is suggested that the leader of the group read through the entire book before leading the children through the meditations and exercises. The…

To help mitigate the impact of multi-environmental degradation, the model program for emotionally at-risk children that uses nature to enhance emotional well-being (or intellect) has been constructed, implemented and researched. The six sessions that compose the program are designed to impart social-emotional understanding and prime perceptions by…

In a rapidly changing world, the success of nations, communities, and individuals may be linked, more than ever before, to how they adapt to change, learn, and share knowledge. This report helps clarify the concepts of human and social capital and evaluates their impact on economic growth and well being. Although the evidence on social capital is…

Noting that injuries are the leading cause of child death in all the world's more developed countries, this report is the second in a series of "Innocenti Report Cards" designed to monitor the performance of industrialized nations in meeting the needs of their children. The report focuses on child death by injury in the member countries…

This report constitutes one of the first activities of the Forum on Adolescence, a cross-cutting activity of the Institute of Medicine and the National Research Council of the National Academies. Established under the auspices of the Board on Children, Youth, and Families, the forum's overarching mission is to synthesize, analyze, and evaluate…

In recent years, the belief that marriage bestows large economic gains has generated enthusiasm for policy proposals that encourage the formation and continuation of two-parent families. This study examined the effects of family structure on economic resources, controlling for unobservable family background characteristics. Data were drawn from…

This brief discusses how living arrangements in general, and cohabitation in particular, affect children's material wellbeing and socioeconomic outcomes, documenting how poverty rates and food insecurity differ across living arrangements using data from the 1999 National Survey of America's Families (NSAF). It examines how other measures of child…

Childhood physical abuse, sexual abuse, and neglect have both immediate and long-term effects. Different types of abuse have a range of consequences for a childs later physical and psychological well-being, cognitive development, and behavior. This article discusses what is known about the long-term consequences of childhood victimization and the…

This paper discusses how to raise the level of children's psychological soundness and explains why it is beneficial to do so since it complies with the development of modern society. Many educators have realized that only by improving the psychological quality of students can they improve teaching efficiency, build a sound personality, and…

In response to federal welfare reform legislation, Arkansas created the Transitional Employment Assistance (TEA) program in April 1997. The goal of this Kids Count report is to increase awareness regarding issues underlying the early implementation of TEA, focusing on caseload reductions, demographic composition of the caseload, level of support…

This document is comprised of 9 issues of a newsletter providing information on current child advocacy initiatives and accomplishments. Each issue describes one local or state child advocacy program or initiative and its accomplishments. The issues of this publication represent a series of short information pieces to highlight the National…