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AEL's contract with the U.S. Department of Education includes work partnering with faith-based organizations in Kanawha County, West Virginia, to (1) build their capacity to better serve at-risk youth and (2) document what best helps such organizations to successfully impact youth and their families. One of the first faith-based organizations with which AEL became involved on an individual basis was the Helping Others Pursue Excellence (HOPE) Youth Development Movement. Work undertaken with the HOPE program during 2002 has served as a pilot test of the types of data collection methods and instruments needed to document the impact of AEL's involvement with faith-based organizations serving African American youth. This evaluation report of the process for partnering with a faith-based organization serves as documentation of the pilot test of the instruments and provides the baseline data for the HOPE program. The primary audiences for this report include AEL staff, U.S. Department of Education staff, and HOPE staff. Secondary audiences include staff of other faith-based organizations interested in promoting such partnerships within their communities. Appendixes include a description of HOPE programs, a completed evaluation standards checklist, interview protocols, the AEL Skills Inventory, and a satisfaction survey. (GCP)

Based on McLoyd's (1990) model of African American children's development, this study examined the linkages between poverty, maternal psychological distress, marital conflict, the home environment, and children's outcomes among a sample of 805 African American 4- to 9-year-olds whose families were interviewed in 1992 as part of the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth. Findings revealed that poverty, psychological distress (as measured by maternal depression and low mastery), and a relatively unsupportive home environment increased the risk of child behavior problems. Contrary to expectations, the path between marital conflict and child behavior problems was not significant in this sample. An adaptation of McLoyd's model examined predictors of children's receptive vocabulary, indicating a direct effect of poverty on children's vocabulary even when maternal academic aptitude and HOME environment assessments were controlled. (Contains 35 references.) (Author/KB)

The purpose of this study was to determine if there was an association between HIV sexual risk and substance use behaviors among a sample of inner-city African American youth. As part of a larger study, youth (n=193) competed questionnaires that measured sexual risk as well as substance use. Participants were separated in to high risk and low risk groups. A greater proportion of high risk participants as compared to low risk youth used alcohol and marijuana in the last month. Further, a significant correlation between sexual risk scores and alcohol consumption in the last month was observed, with greater sexual risk being associated with greater alcohol consumption and marijuana use. High risk youth also report lower self-efficacy for refusing drugs or refusing sex after drinking. Results indicate that African American youth who engage in high risk sexual behaviors are more likely to use alcohol and marijuana than those who do not. Prevention programs should be designed to address the interaction of these risk behaviors. (Author)

This report contains the proceedings of a hearing on the overidentification of students with disabilities that was conducted on October 4, 2001, before the United States House of Representatives Committee on Education and the Workforce. The report includes opening statements by Chairman John Boehner and Representative George Miller and the statements of: (1) Secretary of Education Roderick R. Paige; (2) Representative Chaka Fattah from Pennsylvania; (3) Thomas Hehir, lecturer on education at the Graduate School of Education at Harvard University; and (4) Matthew Ladner, Policy Director of Children First America. Concerns raised at the hearing include the overidentification of minority students for special education services, particularly African American boys, the link between poverty and disability, and the need for increased funding in special education. Extensive appendices include written statements of the participants, a letter submitted for the record by Gary Orfield, Daniel Losen, and Christopher Edley, Jr., from the Civil Rights Project at Harvard University, responses submitted for the record by Secretary Paige to questions asked by congressmen, a statement submitted for the record by Representative Hilda Solis, and a statement submitted for the record by Representative Harold Ford, Jr. (CR)

Discovering why adolescents take sexual risks, despite knowledge of consequences, is a vital first step in combating the problem. Optimistic bias, the misperception that one is less likely than others to experience negative consequences from health behaviors, offers a promising explanation for adolescents' sexual risk-taking. Unfortunately, optimistic bias research has over-emphasized convenient college student samples and neglected adolescents and minority populations targeted with the actual campaigns. Results from a small-scale survey of "at-risk" youth indicate that African American adolescents exhibit optimistic bias, believing they are less likely than peers to become pregnant (or cause a pregnancy). Findings indicate that optimistic bias is linked to sexual risk-taking in youth, sexual intentions, and attitudes toward sexual activity. Although the current study is one of the first to include minority youth and one of the first to confirm a relationship between optimistic bias and risk behaviors, the findings suggest a promising course of action in reducing risky sexual practices among youth and, eventually, teen pregnancies. (Contains 62 references.) (Author)

Noting that research on long-term effects of attending preschool has found social as well as cognitive effects, this study explored the association between preschool participation and adolescent goals and activities in a sample of 80 urban eighth graders who had attended different types of preschool and kindergarten programs. The sample was 55 percent female; 94 percent of the sample were African American. Most students (76 percent) qualified for subsidized school lunch based on low family income, and 70 percent lived in single-parent families. Students were individually interviewed using a modified version of the Youth Follow-Up Interview. Subjects reported that the hardest adjustment in the transition to junior high school was the new school routine, followed by adjusting to a new physical environment, and making new friends. Findings indicated that these inner city students were highly involved in the typical activities of early adolescence. Their educational and career aspirations were high. More adolescents involved in extracurricular activities hoped to complete college. Few had violated rules of their community, and all had accomplished something that made them proud. Adolescents who had attended preschool were more likely than those who had not to be proud of themselves for achievement-related reasons and, of those, graduates of child-initiated preschools were most likely to report prosocial reasons for feeling proud. Graduates of teacher-directed, academic early childhood programs had somewhat lower postsecondary aspirations, were less likely to participate in sports, and were the only ones to report intentional violation of community rules. (KB)

Noting that none of the small number of studies examining false belief performance in low-income children has addressed cultural practices that may help or hinder children's grasp of mental states, this study examined false beliefs from a cultural context, using an ethnically diverse low-income Head Start preschool population. Participating in the study were 36 black and 36 white preschool children with an average age of 53 months. Fifteen of the black children and 18 of the white children were enrolled in Head Start, and the remainder in a non-Head Start program. Children were given a false beliefs task embedded within a narrative: they were shown a wordless picture book, asked to look at the pictures, make up their own story, and listen to the experimenter's story. Afterward, children were asked forced-choice questions about the character's thoughts and the story. Analysis of covariance using language scores as the covariate revealed that black children scored significantly higher on two of the three questions asked. Findings suggested that black children's cultural experience with storytelling contributed to their success in answering questions about a character's beliefs within a narrative context. (Contains 13 references.) (KB)

This paper reports on a case study of four African American hearing parents who participated in an intervention project involving reading story books to their deaf/hard-of-hearing (hh) young children. The study included the utilization of: (1) research-based literacy strategies for both hearing and deaf/hh children; (2) African-American cultural role models and mentors, both hearing and hearing impaired; (3) cultural books featuring African-American characters and themes; and (4) American Sign Language for communication purposes. Parent training sessions were in the parents' homes and included videotaping the parent reading/signing to their child and provision of feedback to parents based on a checklist of desirable literacy strategies. Among results of the intervention were the following: parents learned to modify reading strategies to fit the specific literacy needs of their deaf/hh child; parents began utilizing sign language more for daily communication; parents were exposed to African-American deaf culture and deaf culture in general; and the children were provided with a strong literacy model (their parent). (DB)

As part of a longitudinal investigation of the effect of prenatal alcohol exposure on children's cognitive and socioemotional development, this study examined the role of physical punishment on the development of children's externalizing behavior. Participating in this phase were 296 inner-city African-American families with 7-year-olds who had been assessed in infancy. Each child's caregiver (mother, father, grandmother) was interviewed regarding child rearing practices, including intellectual stimulation and strategies used in conflict with the child. Caregivers and teachers rated behavior problems displayed by the child. Children were tested in the laboratory for intellectual development. Multiple regression findings indicated that caregiver reasoning was positively correlated with quality of intellectual stimulation measured on the HOME Inventory and with maternal verbal competence. Spanking was unrelated to maternal verbal competence and negatively correlated with the HOME Inventory. Caregiver reasoning, quality of intellectual stimulation, and maternal verbal competence were positively related to children's verbal comprehension. Spanking was associated with higher scores on a checklist of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder-like symptoms as related by caregivers and teachers. Spanking was also associated with caregiver-reported anxiety, social problems, thought problems, sex problems, delinquency, and aggression. Reasoning was not related to any behavior problems reported by caregivers or by teachers. The data suggest that caregiver reasoning to resolve conflict promotes verbal skills in children independent of mother's intelligence and the amount of intellectual stimulation in the home, but does not influence child behavior. Spanking seems to promote problems in the relationship with the mother but does not interfere with verbal intelligence. (KB)

This report summarizes an analysis of the Illinois State Board of Education's (ISBE) Funding and Child Tracking System (FACTS) for students with emotional/behavioral disabilities (EBD) from 1989-1996. The data indicate: (1) the numbers of youth identified with EBD as a primary disability increased by 13 percent; (2) older children, male children, and African American children are more likely to be identified with EBD than any other disability; (3) the percentage increase of youth identified with a secondary disability of EBD has increased at a much faster rate for Hispanics and African Americans; (4) percentages of youth in more restrictive settings have decreased over time; (5) older children and African American children, regardless of their gender, were significantly more likely to be placed in more restrictive educational settings including residential placement; and (6) individual school districts have dramatically decreased the percentage of youth with EBD for whom they pay room and board costs, while child welfare is now paying for a greater percentage of students. In addition to statewide analysis, data trends for regions of the state that have been involved in ISBE funded system of care initiatives and wraparound implementation are discussed. (CR)

Growing migration of diverse groups from urban to rural areas increases the chance that culturally and situationally based behaviors of relocated urban children will be misinterpreted. Culturally determined behaviors may be rejected or labeled as inappropriate in an Anglo-Saxon culture and environment, leading to mislabeling of minority group children as being emotionally disturbed or having behavior problems. A study examined the behaviors of 24 African American children in a metropolitan public school program for 4-year-olds. African American children were selected due to the high probability of mislabeling and present overrepresentation in classrooms for the emotionally disturbed. A screening device was developed to differentiate between behaviors related to acceptable cultural differences and those requiring intervention. The screening measure included observational criteria for eight areas: display of emotion, relationship skills, play skills, response to authority, creative skills, responsibility, problem-solving skills, and "freedom of life." Two groups of 4-year-olds were observed daily during play time for 4 weeks. Behaviors likely to be deemed unacceptable were identified and defined as to their characteristic cultural and demographic origins. In addition, six children exhibiting age-inappropriate behaviors were selected for directive group play therapy that was sensitive to culturally determined behaviors. After 10 30-minute sessions, the children showed significant gains in age-appropriate behavior, active participation in structured activities, self-concept, and overall social skills. (SV)

This study examined language development as a precursor of maladaptive behavior in inner-city early adolescents. Participating were 256 adolescents from the graduation classes of 2000 and 2001 who had previously attended District of Columbia prekindergarten/Head Start and kindergarten. The sample was 98 percent African American and 56 percent female. The subjects' teachers completed the Vineland Maladaptive Behavior Domain subscale. Results indicated that based on normative age expectations, only 48 percent of subjects were classified at the Nonsignificant level of maladaptiveness (NM), while 24 percent showed Intermediate maladaptation (IM), and 28 percent were Significantly Maladapted (SM). Among the SM group, boys outnumbered girls, students from poorer families outnumbered those from more affluent families, students from single-parent families outnumbered those from two-parent families, students previously retained in-grade outnumbered non-retained students, special education students outnumbered regular education students, and those not identified as gifted outnumbered gifted students. Kindergarten listening and pre-reading skills of NM children were significantly higher than those of SM peers. Differences in third and sixth graders' Comprehensive Test of Basic Skills scores were most notable between NM and SM students. Kindergarten receptive, expressive, and written language skills of future SM adolescents were significantly lower than those of NM peers. By fourth or fifth grade, both IM and SM students scored significantly lower than NM students in receptive and expressive language. SM students also scored lower than NM students in written language. Eighty percent of SM adolescents were accurately classified based on current language grades. (Author/KB)

The Urban Youth Public Education campaign was a Center for Substance Abuse Prevention initiative that embodied the concept of targeted programming in terms of cultural sensitivity and community participation. The Campaign, which began in 1990, targeted inner-city African American children, youth, and families in 14 initial sites. Other sites were added later. The processes and strategies of the Campaign provide an important model for the prevention community. This technical assistance bulletin synthesizes the lessons learned so that other African American communities can replicate the campaign for their youth. It also shows how effective it can be to target a program to a specific racial population. The market research associated with the Campaign showed that in the face of overwhelming odds, many African American youth manage to evade drug use, and the role of African American adults is influential and positive. These messages clarify campaign goals and provide direction for prevention themes and messages, and should be a basis for replicating the campaign in other communities. Replication begins with creating community ownership of the Urban Public Education Campaign. To magnify the positive messages from the market research, the Campaign's messages should stress that it is important for adults to serve as role models and that adult behavior sets an example for youth. It will be important to encourage innovation and promote the Campaign through a variety of traditional and nontraditional communication channels. Enlisting local sponsors, developing local materials and other educational materials, and sponsoring special events are all ways to get the Campaign's messages across. (Contains eight references.) (SLD)

More research into illicit substance abuse in rural African-American communities is needed. The existing literature indicates that patterns of use for licit substances (alcohol and cigarettes) are either similar for rural Blacks and Whites or lower for Blacks. However, the negative health and social consequences of smoking and abusive drinking are greater for African-Americans, and therefore substance abuse among African-Americans should be explained in the context of rural sociocultural factors as well as sociodemographic factors, including age, sex, income, and occupation. Moreover, the lack of research on the impact of recent substance abuse issues such as crack cocaine on rural black populations should make this a priority area for future research. Finally, research should go beyond comparisons of racial differences and similarities in patterns of substance abuse to an exploration of the social processes that lead to and sustain substance involvement. Data from the National Educational Longitudinal Study indicate that substance use behaviors of black youth, such as perceptions about the effects of drugs, differ across geographic location. Understanding the complex processes involved in the initiation and maintenance of drug use behaviors will require both qualitative and quantitative methodologies. (Contains 72 references.) (TD)

Results of three national surveys suggest that the prevalence of drinking was lower in nonmetropolitan areas than in metropolitan areas. However, nonmetro and metro areas were similar in the presence of risk for heavy, dependent, and problem drinking. Therefore, they probably share similar risks for health consequences of such levels of consumption. These consequences include alcoholism; chronic health effects on the liver, brain, heart, and reproductive system; increased risk of cancer; fetal alcohol syndrome; depressed immune system; accelerated diabetes; and acute effects such as increased motor vehicle accidents, other accidents, and related injuries and mortality. A study of alcohol consumption and related health problems in rural Georgia found more alcohol-related mortality in rural Georgia than in the nation, but somewhat less than in the state. However, the wide variation among the rural counties indicates a need for research focused on subpopulations at increased risk, a critical step in the development of effective intervention strategies. A study of predictors of alcohol use among rural African American adolescents focused on family processes in 90 African American families with married parents and a first-born child aged 9-12, living in rural Georgia or South Carolina. Analysis of observational data supported a proposed mediational model of relationships among family economic resources, family processes, and the development of externalizing behaviors that place rural youth at risk for alcohol problems. (Contains 86 references and 6 figures.) (SV)

This final report discusses the findings of a project that investigated research on the use of educational strategies with students with serious emotional disturbances (SED) for the purpose of communicating to teachers and parents which techniques were effective in serving minority youth with SED. The project reviewed 250 documents to synthesize research findings about the improvement of in-school success and post-school benefits. The data confirmed that youth with SED have poorer outcomes after exiting school; however, graduates of programs for youth with SED appeared to do better than dropouts in the rate of employment. Also, it was found that ethnic group membership did influence rates of representation within programs for youth with SED. While the rate for African American youth in these programs was proportionately greater than their rate in the general population, rates for Hispanic and Asian/Pacific Islander ethnic youth in the programs was proportionately less than their rates in the general population. Outcomes for ethnic youth were also found to be different, with African Americans having lower grade-point levels, missing more school, and having lower rates of employment. Recommendations for programs for minority youth with SED are provided. An appendix includes a discussion of problem areas identified by constituents. (Contains over 650 references.) (CR)

Case studies of African American youth with conduct disorder were examined in the context of a descriptive evaluation of co-occurring substance-related problems and mental disorders. The purpose of this study was to extend the findings of the Epidemiologic Catchment Area (ECA) study of the National Institute of Mental Health into the area of comorbid assaultive violence and to evaluate recommendations made by J. D. Yoder and A. S. Kahn (1993) for noncomparative and descriptive research designs. Case records of 257 male youth offenders, aged 12-17 years, were reviewed. Variables were documented alcohol- or drug-related problems, referrals or counseling for emotional problems, and incidents of interpersonal violence. Half of these participants had at least one prior offense, and 14% were adjudicated for drug-related offenses not related to alcohol. Thirty-three percent had a history of violent crime. Subjects with an alcohol problem were 18 times more likely to have a co-occurring drug problem, 10 times more likely to have a co-occurring drug-related or mental health problem, and 5 times more likely to have an emotional problem than subjects without a history of alcohol-related difficulties. However, there was no indication of comorbidity of any of these disorders with assaultive violence. Substance-related and mental disorders may share some common pathways, but the mechanisms underlying interpersonal violence appear to be different. (Contains 32 references.) (SLD)

Social Skills Training (SST) has become a popular and effective means of prevention and intervention with adolescent populations exhibiting behavioral difficulties. Early in their development many African-American youth are exposed to homicide, crime, and interpersonal violence. The acquisition of social skills is critical to the development of mediational techniques in combating these stressors. Standard SST programs, which are not culturally specific, are thought to be less effective in producing durable gains with African-American youth. This study examines the effects of an Afrocentric SST curriculum, in comparison to a standard SST curriculum, in promoting social skills development with 89 inner-city African-American youth (ages 10-15). Each 12-session curriculum teaches these skills as part of a community-based summer youth program involving problem solving, anger management, and conflict resolution. In addition, the Afrocentric curriculum incorporates discussion of relevant cultural experiences as they relate to the ancient and recent history of African Americans based on the Nguzo Saba cultural value system principles of: Umoja (unity); Kujichagulia (self-determination); Ujima (collective work and responsibility); Ujamma (cooperative economics); Nia (purpose); Kuumba (creativity); and Imani (father). Both curricula use manuals with intervention protocols that feature didactic and process-based training in a small group format. Monitoring and evaluation procedures are used to ensure treatment integrity. Results support the hypothesis that social skills training can produce significant gains in interpersonal skills and anger management for inner-city African American adolescents. (Contains 3 tables and 36 references.) (Author/SLD)

This study sought to investigate the factors that predict alcohol drinking among African-American children of alcoholics (COA). The instruments used were: (1) the Children of Alcoholics Screening Test (J. Jones, 1981); (2) the Adolescent Alcohol Involvement Scale (J. Mayer and W. Filstead, 1979); and (3) the New York Self-Esteem Scale (M. Rosenberg, 1965). Participants were 649 adolescents, aged 12 to 19, 42% male, who were recruited from youth-serving organizations. Fifty-two percent of these adolescents were alcohol drinkers, and 15% of these misused alcohol, representing only 2.3% of the overall sample. One out of four adolescents was classified as COA, representing 27% of the alcohol users. Age, self-esteem, and being COA were strong predictors of alcohol drinking. Gender did not have any bearing on being COA, and the effect of gender on drinking was the same for COAs and nonCOAs. The proportion of COAs involved in drinking was significantly higher for COAs. In fact, age, self-esteem, and the status of COA/nonCOA were predictors of alcohol involvement. (Contains 3 tables and 33 references.) (Author/SLD)

An increasing number of young black males are over-represented among youth who are involved in homicides, accidents, and suicides. This is being called the "new morbidity," a term coined to describe the interrelationship of self-destructive and life-threatening behaviors particularly applicable to African American males. The new morbidity refers to conditions evolving from economic, cultural, and social forces. This report describes the results of a study that uses a "public health model" to examine a set of risk factors associated with an integrated approach to the study of violence. A proposal is offered for addressing the situation from a public health perspective. The study was designed to provide a more comprehensive understanding of assault victims' risk exposure and the resources directed at those risks by using the University of Kentucky trauma program database for July 1990 through September 1996. There were 1,410 records available. The majority of victims of violence (75.8%) were male, and young people were victimized most often. Of these cases, 135 black males and 188 white males were victims. Gunshot wounds and stabbings were the most common forms of violence recorded. Data support the belief that people in central cities have higher victimization rates and more severe injuries. Many surviving victims had extremely serious injuries, a finding that suggests the importance of further research into the costs and lost quality of life due to crime victimization. Victim outcomes might be enhanced by effectively linking public health data with police crime reports. (Contains 17 references.) (SLD)

This study was a secondary analysis of data from the Prenatal/Early Infancy Project (PEIP), a randomized clinical trial of nurse home visits for socially disadvantaged families in a semi-rural community in upstate New York. A sample of 141 primiparous women between 13 and 21 years, unmarried and from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, was selected from the PEIP data set for inclusion. Eighty-four percent of the mothers were White and 16 percent were Black. The control group consisted of families who received either infant developmental screening and referral only or free transportation to prenatal and well-child visits in addition to screening. The intervention group was comprised of families who received varying numbers of nurse home visits. Results of the analysis indicated that nurse-visited mothers were more likely than control group mothers to expect high levels of social support from significant others with child care and household chores. Black mothers in the control group reported more support for chores during pregnancy and in the postpartum period than did Black or White mothers in the nurse-visited group. Mothers in the treatment group more frequently reported being accompanied during labor and reported higher partner interest in their child at 6, 10, and 22 months than mothers in the control group. Black mothers in the nurse-visited group were more likely than other mothers to have consistent male partner interest over time. White mothers in the same group had higher expectations than other mothers for tangible support during intake and for experiencing more support during labor. (Contains 29 references.) (KDFB)

This presentation reports on a survey to explore the attitudes of African American middle school students about teaching as a career choice, and to determine their perceptions of the conditions associated with the teaching profession. The study surveyed 265 eighth-grade students in Gary, Indiana. Only 35.8 percent had had anyone talk to them about becoming a teacher, and less than 50 percent had asked a teacher why they selected teaching as a career. Survey responses also covered perceptions regarding job satisfaction, instruction level and subject area preferences, and characteristics of teachers. Findings of the study suggested that a pool of qualified African American middle school students are available to be recruited into teacher education programs. However, intervening variables such as financial support, career awareness, lack of positive information on education as a career choice, and lack of encouragement appear to be barriers in enlisting minority high school graduates into the teaching field. In addition to the findings of the survey, the report offers 12 strategies for immediately increasing minority student enrollment in preprofessional education programs, including: career opportunities for minorities with degrees outside of teacher education and career ladder opportunities for non-certified employees already in the schools; alternative certification programs using evening and weekend study; establishment of Future Teacher Associations at middle and high schools; scholarships with work-study and summer employment opportunities; school visits by successful educators; mentors for high school and college students interested in teaching careers; "publicity" activities that communicate the employment rewards offered by teaching; and "magnet" middle and high schools that have a teaching career theme. (Contains 44 references.) (ND)

This collection of papers presented at a 1996 conference on children's mental health focuses on utilization research. Papers have the following titles and authors: (1) "Information Equity: A Critical Component of Strong Service Systems" (Catherine Batsche and Allison Metcalf); (2) "Utilization of Children's Mental Health Services: Differentiating Families Who Use Community-Based Services from Those Who Do Not" (Frances Johnson Niarhos and others); (3) "Children's Mental Health Needs and Services in an Urban Area: Mapping and Analysis" (Theodore Fallon); (4) "Addressing the Barriers to Mental Health Services for Inner-City Children and Their Caregivers" (Mary McKernan McKay and others); (5) "Referral Bias?: A Clinical Comparison of African-American and Caucasian Children Referred to a Child Psychiatric Outpatient Clinic" (Paula Armbruster and Mary Schwab-Stone). (Individual papers contain references.) (DB)

This study tested a conceptual model developed to explain the link between kinship support and the psychological well-being of economically disadvantaged African-American adolescents. The relationship of kinship support with both maternal and adolescent well-being and mothers' child-rearing practices was assessed in 51 African-American families whose incomes placed them at or below the poverty threshold. Findings revealed that kinship social support to mothers/female guardians was positively associated with adolescent psychological well-being, maternal well-being, and more adequate maternal parenting practices (acceptance, firm control and monitoring of behavior, autonomy granting). Maternal well-being and more adequate maternal parenting practices were positively related to adolescent well-being. Evidence of the mediational role of maternal well-being and parenting practices was revealed. When the effects of maternal well-being and parenting practices were controlled, significant relationships between kinship support and adolescent well-being were no longer apparent. (Contains 3 tables, 3 figures, and 43 references.) (Author/SLD)

This study examines economic and social stressors and their effects on the parenting styles and adolescent adjustment of African American families. It systematically characterizes and explains the nature of some of the chronic economic and social stressors experienced by poor African American families as they affect parenting and adolescent adjustment, and addresses the processes linking family stressors to adolescent adjustment. The stressors may include: (1) a high level of poverty; (2) low family income resulting from divorce, work cutbacks, or family illness; and (3) a high level of job uncertainly for various reasons. Research has indicated that economic hardship has a negative effect on psychological functioning and the quality of family relationships. The impact of living in stressful neighborhoods also causes psychological distress that results in less adequate parenting. Research on the linkage between African American parents' social networks and adolescent adjustment is scarce, but empirical studies have shown that adults and younger children benefit from the availability of an extended kin network and that social support from relatives enhances family functioning. Parenting style and family management practices may also be linked to adolescent adjustment. The processes that link stressful experiences to parental and adolescent adjustment need further exploration, as do the ways in which neighborhood characteristics affect family and adolescent adjustment. Normative data are needed to explain typical behavior patterns of poor and nonpoor African American families. Two related publications are listed for additional reading. (SLD)

This monograph summarizes asthma management conclusions developed by five studies funded under a 5-year federal program titled "Interventions for the Control of Asthma among Black and Hispanic Children." The research goals were to develop model, replicable programs to reduce asthma morbidity; decrease inappropriate use of health care resources; and enhance the quality of life of African American and Hispanic children with asthma. After an introduction, each of the five projects is briefly described. Projects focused on an urban community, a school system, a rural medical care system, a residency training program, and a public health clinic system. Practical insights gained through the projects are organized into three sections: clinical notes, research notes, and public health notes. The section on clinical notes contains insights in two general areas: patient education and management and health professional education. The research notes section, designed for the novice researcher, offers practical tips for all stages of research including pilot studies, patient/participant identification and recruitment, patient/participant retention, staffing, questionnaires and assessment measures, design and assessment of intervention delivery, and data analysis and missing data. The public health notes section covers a variety of issues relevant to the planning and implementation phases of minority asthma interventions. These include educational content and format; modalities of implementation; recruiting, training, and retaining staff and volunteers; and barriers to implementation of intervention. Three appendices list additional minority asthma intervention projects, other resources, and instruments and forms used by the five projects. (Contains approximately 40 references.) (Author/DB)

The involvement of African American youth in urban violence (nondomestic violence in an urban setting) was studied through a review of literature in the field of psychology. Articles that dealt with African American children and adolescents who have been exposed to or who have experienced this type of violence were selected from journals published by the American Psychological Association (APA) and others. Thirty-seven journals published by the APA were reviewed. Of these, 12 journals had published articles on violence or aggression in the period from 1989 through 1994, with 7 articles specifically addressing African American youth and their involvement in urban violence and 23 articles addressed urban violence in general. A similar search of psychological journals not published by the APA reviewed 148 articles related to African American youth violence, of which 53 were empirical studies. The bulk of studies focused on the individual and were concerned with victims of violence. Relatively few studies moved beyond a focus on the individual. Psychologists must explore (or at least incorporate into their analyses) a study of the environmental conditions and sociopolitical factors that contribute to the problem of youth violence. A bibliography lists the 148 articles reviewed. (Contains 5 tables and 12 references.) (SLD)

Noting that the inherent stressors associated with single parenting and the practical advantages of having another parent share the decision-making and emotional responsibility for children are supported by considerable research, this paper examines the effects of single parenthood on children's social and cognitive development and family functioning, focusing on children in low-income, female-headed households. Topics discussed in the paper are: (1) cultural context, social need, and family functioning; (2) the nature of social need in young, female-headed households; (3) effects of father absence on family adjustment; (4) economic effects and stress; (5) poverty and single-parent homes; (6) developmental and social issues; (7) self-esteem, emotional development, and academic achievement; and (8) social development. The paper advocates the implementation of public policies built upon the premise of "kin" as a comprehensive family form of biological and non-biological supports. The paper asserts that there are competing and inconsistent data on whether children in two-parent families fare better than children in single-parent families. However, poverty is identified as a major obstacle to family functioning in single- and two-parent households. The paper also suggests that the impact of experiencing poverty and observing undue stress may be underestimated for children in poverty and in single-parent, father-absent homes. Finally, the paper asserts that policies are necessary that promote and advance the notion of community responsibilities for children. (Contains 118 references.) (KB)

The purpose of this study was to assess healthy behavior recognition in Head Start, preschool children through picture identification. Participants in the study were 172 children in 7 Head Start centers, in 3 counties in Central Texas. The testing instrument was a booklet containing 30 questions, with 3 pictures per question, of which 1 represented a healthy behavior. Answers were recorded on score sheets by trained observers. Analyses were conducted on differences between gender, ethnicity, and age. Seventy-nine males (46 percent) and 93 females (54 percent) completed the project. The mean correct response for males was 15.9 items, with females averaging 16.2 correct items. Fifty-one 3-year-olds (29.7 percent), 90 4-year-olds (52.3 percent), and 31 5-year-olds (18 percent) participated in the project. The mean correct response for the 3-, 4-, and 5-year-old subjects was 10.9, 17.7, and 19.6 respectively. Twenty-six percent of subjects (n=44) were Caucasian with a mean correct score of 18.7. Hispanic subjects (n=107) represented 62 percent of the population with a mean correct response of 15.1. Twelve percent of the subjects (n=21) were African-American with a mean correct response of 15.5 percent. Analysis of variance indicated significant differences between ethnic groups and age groups. Baseline data from this study can be used to plan and provide health instruction to preschool children, thus expanding the comprehensive school health model to the preschool population. (Contains 16 references.) (Author/ND)

Hip hop rhetoric is a cultural language used by a majority of African Americans, and some European Americans. This type of rhetoric has the ability to change meaning, to eliminate negative messages, and to code language that can only be used by the group who understands its meaning. This style should be of concern to scholars in the field of communication since they study the process of information exchange. The 1990s has made it most intriguing to culturalize music, media, clothing, cuisine, hair styles and literature, but strangely, education has missed the boat. Multiculturalism and issues concerning diversity are not given the attention they should have in educational systems. The differences in language styles need to be recognized along with standard English especially since the color of America's college classrooms is changing. When educators teach their students the fundamentals of public speaking, should they view "competence" from a traditional Eurocentric perspective or should they encourage their students to use those strategies that best articulate their own experience? If hip hop is a form of language used by youth to identify themselves, then the next logical step for communication scholars is to identify the reasons why coded language exists in the first place. Hip hop can and will bridge standard English and the Black vernacular together as a logical step towards multicultural understanding. Contains 29 references. (TB)

In "The Story of Little Black Sambo," initially written for her own children and published in 1898, Helen Bannerman describes the adventures of a young dark-skinned child and four tigers. Because it was smaller and more manageable than most children's books of the time--text and illustrations were positioned on the same page for high child interest--it was quite revolutionary. These early Bannerman stories were meant for European and White American children, and for many of them the stories comfortably continued racist notions and stereotypes. Although Bannerman's Black Sambo was supposed to represent an Indian child, the American Sambo which appeared in subsequent books was clearly African. Some Black adults recall being in white settings and feeling embarrassed and demeaned by the association with "Sambo." In the 1940s and 1950s, Sambo stories appeared on many public school and library approved lists, but, by 1980, the Little Black Sambo series had been relegated to the historical bookshelves. As early as 1949, however, Black parents had appealed to public education boards to discontinue the use of a book which they felt was discriminatory and racist. For a while after Sambo's disappearance, there was no presence of African Americans at all in children's literature. In the past 25 years, however, a body of literature with images that celebrates and elevates African children, family and culture has been created by authors-illustrators such as Eloise Greenfeld, Julius Lester, John Steptoe, Virginia Hamilton, and Leo and Diane Dillon. The role of the classroom teacher includes being an advocate for the development of positive self images for all children through a heightened sense of responsibility in the selection of children's literature. (Contains 6 references.) (CR)

This report examines protective factors and the process of resilience as they apply to Black adolescents. The report reviews risk factors at the individual level and at the community level, and reviews the incidence of health- and life-compromising risk outcomes in Black adolescents. It then discusses protective factors and resilience and their roles in interventions. Individual-level risk factors include personality, sociodemographic factors, and problem behaviors. Community-level risk factors include neighborhood factors, school characteristics, and racial discrimination. Health- and life-compromising risk outcomes in Black adolescents include health, school completion and school-related problems, employability, police involvement, risky sexual behavior, alcohol and drug use, psychological symptoms and suicide. Studies of resilience in Black adolescents are rare, but some attempts have been made to identify protective factors related to delayed childbearing and coping after childbearing, success in academic settings, and development in community settings. Black adolescents have been participants in many major social- and health-oriented programs, and an examination of the content of the various interventions suggests that programs may be defined as means whereby protective mechanisms are provided or set in motion. The report suggests adjustments to interventions that are needed to sustain favorable outcomes. (One figure illustrates the discussion. Contains 106 references.) (Author)

The Baltimore City (Maryland) Public Schools (BCPSs) established the Institute for Middle School Reform at the end of 1991-92 to create an administrative vehicle for systemic middle grades reform. The Institute's mission is to provide each individual middle school community with data-driven planning, implementation, and evaluation tools and technical assistance to deliver holistic, informed, and flexible approaches for improving outcomes for each child in the system. The city context for the Institute includes an environment where many school reform programs and innovative initiatives are already in place, such as private sector participation, state funding in challenge grants to 12 Baltimore middle schools, and local public-private school partnerships. The BCPSs have committed themselves to four specific Efficacy Institute outcomes for all graduating students, a program of staff development and curriculum developed at the Mid-Continent Regional Laboratory. The Institute plans a multi-faceted strategy to involve all schools in improvement efforts while providing attention and resources to 18 schools in greatest need of reform. Tier I will provide a foundation of support for all schools; Tier II will offer a school-based assessment and planning process; and Tier III is the Challenge schools. (Contains 19 notes.) (JB)

A study of legal and illegal drug use rates among working class adolescents in Georgia was conducted in a small city of 16,000 residents. Students at the local high school completed a questionnaire administered by their classroom teacher. Of the 296 female and 283 male participants, 102 were black and 477 were white. The results indicate that black families were more likely to live in poverty, but it could not be confirmed that black youth, more than whites, had a greater exposure to risk of legal and/or illegal drug use. Black youth appeared to have the same school attendance habits and the same self-esteem levels as did whites. The results also suggest that whites more than blacks and boys more than girls use tobacco--but that white girls are more likely to be alcohol users. For illegal drugs, white boys and white girls appear to be at greater risk than black boys and girls. In addition, black boys reported the highest self-esteem and white girls reported the lowest. Self-esteem reports were supported by the results from a question about thoughts of suicide, where black boys reported the lowest and white girls reported the highest frequency of suicidal ideation. Appended are 10 tables, a copy of the parent occupation section of the survey, and 22 references. (Author/JB)