Researchers found that genetic factors explain only a small extent of social aggression (20%), with environmental factors such as parental behavior and peer influence having a greater impact. The study also suggests that reducing physically aggressive behavior in early childhood may help prevent the development of social aggression.
Research finds that after-school program participation significantly improves reading achievement and motivates students. Highly engaged program staff also boosts motivation, highlighting the importance of engaging content and activities to foster long-term academic improvements in disadvantaged children.
A study found that boys with supportive parents are less likely to engage in violent behavior after witnessing violence, while girls with high levels of social understanding are also at risk. Interventions focusing on improving the parent-adolescent relationship and teaching social understanding may reduce violence in both boys and girls.
Parents affect adolescents' substance use behaviors by influencing their images of typical smokers and drinkers, as well as their willingness to try substances. Strong parenting, especially in high-risk neighborhoods, has a positive impact on reducing substance use among teens.
Research by King's College London and City University found that shared environments, including prenatal factors and socialization effects, contribute significantly to gender-role behavior in early childhood. The study suggests that environmental influences are more important in shaping behavior than genetic factors during this age group.
A study by the NICHD Early Child Care Research Network found that children from families experiencing poverty at any age during early childhood did not perform as well as those who were never poor. The quality of home environments also dropped over time if families became poor after the child was 4.
A study by researchers at Penn State and Washington state universities found that relying on others outside the family for information is associated with parents being less knowledgeable about their child. In contrast, parents in relational groups were more likely to be informed and had teens engaging in less risky behavior.
The study investigates individual differences in language development among 4.5-year-old twins, finding that genetic and environmental influences shape both average and low-ability language skills. The results suggest a shared role of genetics and environment in shaping language abilities in boys and girls.
A study found that when children are part of a group that excludes others and is threatened by outsiders, they reveal the most prejudice. However, race affects willingness to change groups, with same-race membership being preferred.
Research found popular adolescents were more well-adjusted on many dimensions, but over time, they showed greater increases in delinquency and drug use. This suggests that the benefits of popularity may come with negative consequences.
The frontal cortex, a brain region controlling multi-tasking, continues to develop until age 17. The ability to remember single pieces of spatial information develops by age 11-12, while strategic self-organized thinking takes longer to mature.
Children who face obstacles in resolving conflicts exhibit significant changes to their goals, prioritizing retaliation over relationship-oriented objectives. Poorly adjusted children may need social skills interventions focusing on maintaining adaptive goal combinations during challenging interactions.
A study found that 63% of children of incarcerated mothers had insecure relationships with their mothers and caregivers. Children's reactions to separation from their mothers typically included sadness, worry, confusion, anger, loneliness, fear, sleep problems, and developmental regressions.
Research reveals children's increasing recognition of emotional satisfaction from following rules and considering future consequences. By age 7, kids acknowledge that willpower makes people feel good, even if they don't get what they want.
Research suggests that the quality of time spent by employed mothers with their infants is crucial for early development, rather than the amount of time spent. Mothers who prioritize spending time with their babies, regardless of employment status, are more likely to provide sensitive and high-quality parenting.
Middle school students report frequent peer harassment, with witnessing others' harassment shielding them from emotional distress. The study highlights the importance of targeting violence intervention efforts to all students and addressing all forms of bullying.
Research suggests that intrinsic goal setting and autonomy support improve conceptual learning in adolescents. Teachers can promote this by highlighting the relevance of learning to intrinsic goals and using an empathy-based approach.
Children below 10 years old suppress racial prejudice when held accountable for their actions, but older children may increase their bias. Researchers suggest changing the normative climate in social environments can induce significant attitude change.
Researchers investigate intergenerational transmission of positive parenting and find it can foster healthy child development. The study, which followed over 1,000 individuals born in the early 1970s, suggests that parents' own childhood experiences influence their parenting style.
Researchers found that children of working mothers with nonstandard schedules performed worse on cognitive tests, despite controlling for environmental factors. The type of care children receive during these hours may be a key factor in this effect.
Researchers found that preschoolers' motivation and temperament are crucial factors in developing attention skills. Children who prefer challenging puzzles exhibit better attention, suggesting screening tests should consider additional factors beyond cognitive ability.
Researchers found that children are more likely to disagree with biasing questions than non-biasing ones. Children who have already agreed with a question tend to continue agreeing, while those who disagreed may be asked more biased follow-up questions.
A study by Kalil A and Ziol-Guest KM found that single mothers' employment dynamics impact their adolescents' sense of self-efficacy, self-esteem, and educational progress. Adolescents whose mothers were stably employed in higher-wage jobs showed better outcomes compared to those with unstable or low-wage employment.
A two-year study of 127 families found that children's behavioral problems lead to increased parental conflict and vice versa. The researchers identified differences in sibling experiences within stepfamilies, suggesting that each child evokes unique responses from parents.
Research suggests that young children may understand word use more flexibly than previously thought, learning words through simple games and routines. Children as young as 9 months old can learn and apply new words in a decontextualized manner.
A study of 44 adolescents with same-sex parents found they developed positively in school and psychologically, with no significant differences compared to peers with opposite-sex parents. The quality of parental relationships was more important than the gender of a parent's romantic partner.
This study explores the role of low-income fathers in their children's development, finding that supportive father-child interactions predict better language and cognitive outcomes. Fathers' involvement also affects mothers' parenting styles, promoting a positive cycle of care.
Research found that triplet mothers exhibited lower sensitivity to their babies' communicative signals compared to singletons and twins. At 1 year, triplets showed poorer cognitive development and symbol usage skills. High parenting stress was linked to lower maternal sensitivity and child cognitive achievement.
This study found that economic hardship has similar effects on Mexican-American and European-American families, leading to higher rates of depression and marital problems. Acculturation levels were also linked to family pathways, with more acculturated mothers experiencing marital issues but less hostile parenting.
This study explores the relationship between adolescent personality characteristics and environmental risk factors. It reveals that possessing protective assets like self-esteem and problem-solving skills may not be enough to counteract the negative effects of multiple risk factors across various settings. Instead, community-based inte...
A study of 101 at-risk adolescents found that poverty, enmeshed family relationships, and depressive symptoms are associated with decreases in attachment security. Longitudinal analysis revealed that stressors overwhelmed coping abilities while cutting off support from close relationships.
A study found that preschool participation significantly increases rates of high school completion and lowers juvenile arrest rates. The primary contributors to these outcomes include attendance in high-quality elementary schools and parental involvement in school.
Research on the 1970 British Cohort Study found that middle childhood development significantly affects adult outcomes. Children's relative cognitive ability changes between ages 5 and 10 are crucial, as those who 'escape' their initial performance tend to have better life chances and reduced risk of negative adult outcomes.
The study found that adolescents' autonomy increased over five years, with more independence in personal and multifaceted issues as they aged. Parental involvement in prudential and conventional decisions was associated with better adjustment, while joint decision-making on multifaceted issues predicted positive outcomes.
Girls spent more time in feminine activities with lower testosterone levels and reported interest, while masculine activities increased until age 13. Family characteristics, such as personality traits and attitudes, also predicted involvement in sex-typed activities.
A meta-analytic review found that home visiting programs enhance parenting behaviors, increase educational attainment, and boost children's cognitive and social skills. While the benefits are statistically significant, the magnitude of the impact varies.
A study of 1,323 students found that teenage perceptions of math and English changed over time, with boys generally liking math more and girls preferring English. Initially, girls found math harder than boys but this gap narrowed by senior years.
Research found that differential parenting, particularly negative behavior, is linked to child maladjustment and aggressive-disruptive behavior. The study suggests parents should follow a principle of fairness in dealing with their children, but acknowledges that special circumstances require different treatment.
The study found that living at home helped teenage mothers stay in school during the first two years of their babies' lives, possibly due to increased encouragement and child care support. However, it had little impact on their parenting skills, which may be influenced by other factors such as maturity level.
Children who feel socially ineffective and undeserving of attention from peers are more likely to withdraw and experience teasing, leading to a self-perpetuating cycle of negativity. Intervening requires changing how children perceive their social abilities and worth, as well as modifying school environments.
A study found that high maternal anxiety during a specific period in pregnancy (12-22 weeks) can program the fetus's brain, increasing susceptibility to childhood disorders. This effect was more pronounced than other factors such as smoking or low birthweight.
Research suggests that prenatal cocaine exposure is not directly related to child development, but rather the quality of caregiving. Children in non-parental care performed better in several developmental areas, despite initial health issues at birth. Support for caregivers and mothers could help prevent and treat developmental problems.
Research found that infants with higher maternal DHA levels at birth showed more mature attentional development and were less distractible during play. This suggests a potential link between DHA supplementation during pregnancy and improved infant cognitive functions.
A new study uses virtual reality to safely study children's ability to cross busy roads, revealing that kids leave less time between themselves and oncoming cars than adults. The findings suggest mistakes in judging traffic gaps may be a significant risk factor in car/bicycle collisions.
Adolescents from lower socioeconomic families exhibit heightened biological responses to stressful situations, interpreting ambiguous social interactions negatively. Positive life experiences and alternative interpretations can promote better physical health for these children.
A study of 819 early adolescents found that unsupervised out-of-home care and lack of parental monitoring predict increased problem behaviors. In contrast, consistent adult supervision and community engagement appear protective against these issues.
Research identifies genetic and environmental protective factors contributing to childhood resilience. Genetic factors influence behavioral and cognitive resilience to poverty, while maternal involvement in stimulating activities helps promote intellectual development. Both genetic and social-environmental sources of protection are inv...
A study found that parents' close relationships with their children and efforts to monitor their behavior can help prevent adolescents from engaging in substance use and delinquent activities. Parental control was also a strong predictor of lower levels of problem behavior, regardless of the level of knowledge gained through monitoring.
Research suggests that when mothers use a controlling approach, children become disengaged and perform poorly in school. In contrast, an autonomy-supportive approach improves children's performance immediately and leads to better grades over time. The study emphasizes the importance of this parenting style for low-achieving children.
The program, which translates research into prevention programming, focused on mothers and their 11-year-old children. Participants showed improved skills in parenting behaviors, such as discipline and communication, leading to better outcomes for the young people.