Conversational control in mother-child dyads. Auditory-oral versus total communication

This study compared the conversational control of hearing mothers who use auditory-oral communication (A/O) and those who use total communication (TC). Deaf preschool children were grouped into pairs consisting of one A/O and one TC child matched for age, intelligence, and communicative competence. Interaction between the children and their mothers was then evaluated. The mothers of both A/O and TC children were found to exert similarly high levels of conversational control; however, the TC children exerted more control than the A/O children. For both the A/O and TC groups, maternal conversational style was found to be related to the child's communicative competence. Within the A/O group, maternal style reflected the child's spoken language ability. Within the TC group, maternal style was related to the child's social development.     

SOCIAL CLASS AND PERFORMANCE ON AN INTELLIGENCE TEST

Noting the wide differences in verbal abilities of middle and lower class children, the investigators proposed that two groups of children, one from the lower class, one from the middle class, who achieve comparable total scores on a group intelligence test, would get their scores by successfully completing different sets of items. In the first study children were placed in social classes based on their fathers' occupations, following guidelines from the Warner scale. Middle class children were matched with lower class children on total Otis scores. No item-social class interaction was found. The study was repeated using the occupational categories of the Dictionary of Occupational Titles as a guide to social class standing. Again no item-social class interaction appeared. If two social class groups are equated on total intelligence scores, one social class sample appears to succeed on essentially the same test items as does the other social class sample. A given score on an intelligence test appears to represent the same skills for one social class as it does for another social class.     

Social competence in internationally adopted and institutionalized children

A growing, sizable proportion of school children do not live in conventional family environments. Among these, internationally adopted children have gained increasing visibility in recent years. While other areas of their behavior have been widely explored, little is known about adopted children's social competence and their integration into peer groups. This study, involving 148 children between 4 and 8 years of age, compared 40 internationally adopted children with 50 children who were residing in institutions for children and 58 community comparison children. Social competence, problems with peers and friendship relationships were assessed using SSRS and SDQ, with both parents/caretakers and teachers as the informants. The sociometric status of the children and their friendship relationships were obtained through their teachers’ reports. The results showed statistically significant differences between children living in institutions (more problems with peers, poorer social skills and sociometric status) and those in family environments, whether adopted and non-adopted. Also, the results suggest some minor differences between the adopted and the comparison children, the former with greater visibility and the latter with higher sociometric status in the peer group.     

留守经历与退缩型人格——基于新生代外来工的实证分析

采用2385名新生代外来工的调查数据,通过相关行为倾向变量来考察童年期留守经历与个体退缩型人格的关系。结果表明,有过留守经历者更可能“怕被炒掉或被刁难而不反映劳动权益意见”,显示出比较明显的退缩型人格特征。其中以学前留守的影响最显著,而留守时间越长,影响越大。以“愿否因自身权益受损参加维权活动”这一假想情境下的意愿变量、“是否怕被报复而不投诉权益受侵害行为”这一现实情境下的行为变量所做的参证分析及倾向值匹配前后的对照分析验证了上述结论的稳健性。文章重点以现实情境下的行为倾向测量验证了采用心理量表施测及定性研究所得的结论,并表明留守经历对于退缩型人格的长期性影响可以从大学生等群体推展到普通的外来工群体。所得结论亦表明,除结构逻辑和历史逻辑以外,对于新生代外来工的研究还需纳入生态逻辑,关注其童年期的发展生态系统。由于退缩会对社会融入产生消极影响,诱发“半城市化”的社会结构张力,今后的留守儿童关爱保护工作,需更多关注其人格发展,尤需对那些处于学前阶段的留守儿童采取有针对性的教育和干预策略。     

Racial Prejudice,Interracial Contact,and Personality Variables

This study examined the relationship of the racial prejudice of school-age children to the actual race of the child, interracial contact, grade, sex, intelligence, locus of control, anxiety, and self-concept. A scale was devised to measure five facets of racial prejudice: a total index of racial prejudice, dating and marriage, school, social relationships, and racial interactions in restaurants. The subjects were 93 black children and 307 white children in grades 6 through 10. The results indicated that white students appear to be more prejudiced than blacks in situations requiring prolonged interracial contact; however, no differences were noted in circumstances involving minimal intimate social relationships for short periods of time. No differences in prejudice were found among grade levels; however, females were generally less prejudiced than males. Black males of low prejudice were more intelligent, more external, and less anxious than black males of higher prejudice. It is suggested that integration in schools be gradual, and that personality factors, not external circumstances, may make major contributions to the development of prejudice.     

Relations Between Children's Invented Spelling and the Development of Phonological Awareness

The objective of this study was to assess the impact on phonological skills of a training program that was intended to lead preschool children to move from prephonetic spellings to early phonemic spellings. The participants were 30 preschool children who were divided into two groups (experimental and control groups) that were equivalent in terms of the children's intelligence, the number of letters with which they were familiar and the nature of their invented spelling. The intervention proved effective, inasmuch as the children in the experimental group moved to early phonemic spellings, whereas those in the control group did not. This conceptual evolution entailed enhanced performance in phonemic classification, segmentation and deletion tests, in which the children in the experimental group displayed a degree of progress which differed significantly from that achieved by the members of the control group.     

Individual, family, and neighborhood factors distinguish resilient from non-resilient maltreated children: a cumulative stressors model

OBJECTIVE: Children who are physically maltreated are at risk of a range of adverse outcomes in childhood and adulthood, but some children who are maltreated manage to function well despite their history of adversity. Which individual, family, and neighborhood characteristics distinguish resilient from non-resilient maltreated children? Do children's individual strengths promote resilience even when children are exposed to multiple family and neighborhood stressors (cumulative stressors model)? METHODS: Data were from the Environmental Risk Longitudinal Study which describes a nationally representative sample of 1,116 twin pairs and their families. Families were home-visited when the twins were 5 and 7 years old, and teachers provided information about children's behavior at school. Interviewers rated the likelihood that children had been maltreated based on mothers' reports of harm to the child and child welfare involvement with the family. RESULTS: Resilient children were those who engaged in normative levels of antisocial behavior despite having been maltreated. Boys (but not girls) who had above-average intelligence and whose parents had relatively few symptoms of antisocial personality were more likely to be resilient versus non-resilient to maltreatment. Children whose parents had substance use problems and who lived in relatively high crime neighborhoods that were low on social cohesion and informal social control were less likely to be resilient versus non-resilient to maltreatment. Consistent with a cumulative stressors model of children's adaptation, individual strengths distinguished resilient from non-resilient children under conditions of low, but not high, family and neighborhood stress. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that for children residing in multi-problem families, personal resources may not be sufficient to promote their adaptive functioning.     

Perceived and actual academic competence in maltreated children

OBJECTIVE: The aims were twofold: 1) to determine whether maltreated and nonmaltreated children differed in the accuracy of their self-assessments of academic achievement; and 2) to determine whether discrepancies between perceived and actual academic competence were related to perceptions of social support from mothers, teachers, and peers. METHOD: A sample of 195 maltreated children known to a state protective service agency was compared to a control group of 179 nonmaltreated children. The groups were matched on child's gender, age, ethnicity, and birth order; socioeconomic ranking of neighborhood; and family structure. RESULTS: Although maltreated children had significantly lower achievement scores than did nonmal-treated children, the two groups did not differ on perceived academic competence. With regard to discrepancies between perceived and actual competence, maltreated children were more likely than nonmaltreated children to overestimate their level of competence, particularly for reading and arithmetic. Overall, children who reported low maternal support were more likely to overestimate reading competence than were those who reported average or high maternal support. When maltreatment status was considered, maltreated children with low support seemed likely to overestimate abilities, whereas nonmaltreated children with low support seemed likely to underestimate competence. CONCLUSIONS: Maltreated children may overestimate their academic abilities in order to compensate for self-perceptions of low self-worth. Efforts to improve academic performance in maltreated children should focus not only on increasing academic skills but also on enhancing self-esteem.     

Book review of Reform and Resistance in Schools and Classrooms: An Ethnographic View of the Coalition of Essential Schools

A research study with a wide range of outcomes related to school readiness, including health, social skills, cognitive skills, and language skills was conducted with eligible 4-year-old applicants and their parents within a southeastern Head Start program of high quality. Children and their families in the Head Start treatment and wait list comparison groups were given a battery of assessments. The study used growth curve modeling and traditional analysis of variance when only 2 measurements of outcomes were available. Initial status was equivalent and the growth rates for the Head Start children were statistically significantly faster than the comparison children on the receptive vocabulary and phonemic awareness measures. There was a statistically significant time by group interaction and main effect of time for the problem behavior index of the social functioning measure. The parent report of health outcomes also showed statistically significant differences between the 2 groups with the treatment group reporting more healthy responses.     

The psycho-social adjustment of gifted children in middle-childhood

The psycho-social adjustment of 50 gifted (mean IQ=127) and 50 German ten-year-olds of average intelligence (mean IQ=106, matched individually on socio-economic status and gender) was compared. Data from different sources (children, parents, teachers) on social behaviour, (therapy-relevant) behaviour problems, and emotional stability revealed no significant differences between the two ability groups. Gifted elementary-school children are socially and emotionally at least as well adjusted as their non-gifted age-mates.     

The little emperor: Chinese parents’ assessment of their own,their partner’s and their only child’s intelligence

This study set out to examine whether Chinese parents, more than people from other nations, over-estimate the intelligence of their son (little emperor) compared to their daughter. In this study, 155 pairs of married couples from mainland China estimated their own, their partner’s and their only child’s overall intelligence and 13 “multiple intelligences.” They also completed a short measure of the Big Five personality traits. Replicating previous studies, fathers rated themselves higher than mothers for almost all types of intelligence. Results revealed, however, no parental sex differences in the estimates of children’s multiple intelligences. Both parents attributed higher overall, verbal, and musical intelligence, but lower existential intelligence to their child than to themselves. Multiple regressions indicated that estimates of verbal, logical–mathematical, spatial and intrapersonal intelligence were the best predictors of estimates of overall intelligence. Participants’ openness and neuroticism were significant predictors of self-rated intelligence. The results were interpreted in relation to specific Chinese social and cultural influences, though there seemed to be no “little emperor” effect.     

The Peer Relations of Preschool Children with Communication Disorders

The peer-related social interactions of preschool-age children with communication disorders were compared to those of normally developing chronological age-mates. All children were previously unacquainted with one another and participated in a series of short-term play groups. Differences between the 2 groups emerged primarily in terms of overall social activity, as children with communication disorders engaged in fewer positive social interactions and conversed with peers less often during non-play activities. Children with communication disorders also were less successful in their social bids and appeared to be less directive with their peers. However, both groups of children exhibited similar patterns of socially competent interactions including the ability to sustain play (group play), to minimize conflict, to join others in ongoing activities, and to respond appropriately to the social bids of others. Based on peer sociometric ratings, both groups of children were equally accepted. These general patterns of similarities and differences were found in settings in which play groups consisted of all children with communication disorders (specialized settings) as well as in settings in which the play groups included both children with communication disorders and normally developing children (mainstreamed settings). However, even during the relatively brief acquaintanceship process, an analysis of peer preference patterns revealed that children with communication disorders in mainstreamed settings were less socially integrated in the play groups than normally developing children. The potential for additional difficulties in peer interactions for children with communication disorders when children become more familiar with one another and play becomes more intricate was discussed in light of interaction patterns formed during the shortterm play groups.     

The relationship between personality adjustment and success in remedial programs in dyslexic children

Dyslexic and a normal group consisting of 104 children each were matched with reference to age, income, intelligence, and sex. Specific personality dimensions including self-concept, achievement motivation, general manifest anxiety, test anxiety, and behavior deviance were measured. Dyslexic children showed poorer adjustment in all areas of personality. Comparison of results within the dyslexic group showed that children who are successful in remedial training show better emotional adjustments than unsuccessful dyslexic children. A stepwise multiple regression analysis employing personality variables and overall success in remedial language training was computed. Classroom behavior and self concept were found to correlate with success and yielded a multiple correlation of .544. Results are discussed with reference to remediation and treatment.     

Investigating social networks of older Singaporean learners: a mixed methods approach

ABSTRACT

Lifelong learning is regarded as an important channel in promoting active engagement in later life for aging societies. While most studies depict older learners as a group resilient to engaging in lifelong learning, few have addressed the impacts of their social networks on their participation. Drawing on the nationwide lifelong learning program in Singapore, the study explores the extent older Singaporean adults’ social networks influence their involvement in learning courses and illustrates how those networks matter to their motivations. A mixed methods approach consisting of two network instruments (Name Generator and Position Generator) and in-depth interviews based on 30 older Singaporeans (between 50 and 79 years old) were employed. The findings demonstrated that primary family members (spouse and children) were key discussants for older learners, but the narratives showed only children were key supporters. For female learners, husbands’ support could be limited. Such a gender difference was revealed in overlap networks among couples, with male learners receiving greater positive support from their wives. Furthermore, the results showed that single or widowed learners had more non-kin members and diverse network resources, which reflect in their discourses of being highly motivated and active in spreading news of courses. To conclude, the study delivered deeper understandings of how diverse social contexts influence older learners’ motivations. Future research shall continue to focus on variations of network characteristics and network resources to improve the understanding of how significant others and accessible network resources provide social support or opportunities for older learners.     

Social representations of the development of intelligence, parental values and parenting styles: a theoretical model for analysis

Within the theoretical framework of social representations theory, a substantial body of literature has advocated and shown that, as interpretative systems and forms of knowledge concurring in the construction of a social reality, social representations are guides for action, influencing behaviours and social relations. Based on this assumption, the primary goal of the current study was to investigate the relationship between social representations of the development of intelligence and parenting styles while also examining the role played by the values that parents desire for their children. The sample included 466 subjects with educational responsibilities (117 fathers, 227 mothers and 122 mother–teachers). Participants completed a self-administered survey on their representations of the development of intelligence, values desired for their children and parenting styles. A theoretical model which examined the relations among these variables was tested. Structural equation modelling procedures indicated, as hypothesised, that dimensions which emphasise the role of parents and the importance of constant accompaniment of children for the development of intelligence influence the authoritative parenting style, while dimensions which outline the role of school and teachers relate to authoritarian and permissive parenting styles. Additionally, although in some cases values were seen both to be determined by social representations and to influence parenting styles, the meditational hypothesis of values was not fully confirmed. Overall, the results obtained suggest that social representations, styles and values tend to build up a potentially significant organisation for parental activities. Theoretical and practical implications of these findings in research and educational intervention are discussed.     

Patterns of Social Expectations among Black and Mexican-American Children

In 2 studies, a total of 213 black and Mexican-American third- and sixth-grade children were asked to respond to 8 videotaped scenes of everyday social encounters with same-ethnic, unfamiliar peers at school. Mexican-American children reported expectations for sharing and relying on authority figures significantly more often, and apologizing, getting angry, and initiating action significantly less often than their black peers. Emotional responses decreased and socially desirable responses increased with grade for both groups. In addition, ethnic differences were greater at the sixth-grade than at the third-grade level for both groups. Girls apologized and sought help from teachers more often than boys, and social expectations varied by sex for each ethnic group. Individual children varied in the degree of similarity to their group, with some children giving responses highly typical of their group across all 8 scenes and others giving responses not typical of their group. High self-esteem was significantly correlated to being similar to one's own group.     

Conformity to peer pressure in preschool children

Both adults and adolescents often conform their behavior and opinions to peer groups, even when they themselves know better. The current study investigated this phenomenon in 24 groups of 4 children between 4;2 and 4;9 years of age. Children often made their judgments conform to those of 3 peers, who had made obviously erroneous but unanimous public judgments right before them. A follow-up study with 18 groups of 4 children between 4;0 and 4;6 years of age revealed that children did not change their "real" judgment of the situation, but only their public expression of it. Preschool children are subject to peer pressure, indicating sensitivity to peers as a primary social reference group already during the preschool years.     

小学高年级留守儿童创造性思维与创造性人格的调查与分析

选取254名小学五、六年级学生为被试,采用创造性思维、创造性人格测验,考察了留守儿童与非留守儿童在创造性思维、创造性人格上的差异,结果发现：留守儿童与非留守儿童的创造性思维、创造性人格得分差异不显著;在创造性思维总分及流畅性、独创性维度上,被试类别与年级的交互作用显著;对创造性思维总分而言,还存在着性别与年级的显著交互作用;在创造性人格的好奇性维度上,六年级儿童显著高于五年级儿童;留守儿童创造性人格对于其创造性思维有着显著的影响,其中的挑战性、想象性、冒险性与创造性思维的相关较高。     

Discrepancies between perceptions of first-grade students at risk for learning disabilities,their parents and teachers

ABSTRACT

This study compared discrepancies between children’s academic and social self-perceptions and parents’ and teachers’ perceptions of children’s academic and social competence among 89 first-grade children: 45 children at risk for learning disabilities (RLD) and 44 of typically developing peers (TD). The relationship between self-perceptions among the two groups of children and their significant adults‘ perceptions were compared. The children with RLD reported lower academic self-perception, but did not report lower social self-concept. The discrepancies between students’, parents’ and teachers’ perceptions of students’ academic and social competence were found only for the RLD group. Parents and teachers rated children with RLD as demonstrating lower levels of academic competence. Only teachers rated children with RLD as demonstrating lower levels of social competence. No significant differences were found among children and their significant adults for the comparison group. A serial-multiple mediation analysis presented the relationship model and emphasized the critical mediating role of teachers and parents in predicting children’s academic self-concept. The educational implications of the results call for sensitizing teachers and parents to their perceptions, and to develop empowering intervention with a focused awareness to the impact of their perceptions.     

Mental health problems of deaf Dutch children as indicated by parents' responses to the child behavior checklist

Emotional/behavioral problems of 238 deaf Dutch children ages 4-18 years were studied. Parental reports indicated that 41% had emotional/behavioral problems, a rate nearly 2.6 times higher than the 16% reported by parents of a Dutch normative sample. Mental health problems seemed most prevalent in families with poor parent-child communication. Deaf children ages 12-18 showed more problems with anxiety and depression and more social problems than those ages 4-11. Deaf children with relatively low intelligence showed more social problems, thought problems, and attention problems than those with relatively high intelligence. The authors stress the need to get information on deaf children's mental health functioning not just from parents but from other informants such as teachers and the children themselves. An expansion assessment of deaf children, and of special services and treatments for deaf children and adolescents with emotional/behavioral problems, is recommended.