Material Listing

This short article discusses the importance of parents and other caregivers to understand what is "normal" sexual development and behavior in children and teenagers, and which behaviors might signal that a child is a victim of sexual abuse, or acting in a sexually aggressive manner towards others. The article also distinguishes between age appropriate and age inappropriate sexual behaviors.

This article describes how the strongest influence on gender role development occurs within the family setting, suggesting that an androgynous gender role orientation may be more beneficial to children than teaching adaptation to binary gender roles.

This brief article explains the term "gender socialization" as a process of learning cultural roles according to one's sex, and provides examples of ways in which these are incorporated through parental and societal expectations from boys and girls.

This one-page document lists individual rights within a dating relationship.

This handout lists individual rights and responsibilities in dating relationships.

This "contract" includes a list of questions to consider when defining the terms of a healthy dating relationship. Generates discussion about preferences and rights.

Available in English, Spanish, and French, these handouts describe developmental assets for early childhood, middle childhood, and adolescence.

Provides a detailed chart that illustrates the impact of exposure to domestic violence on 5 stages of child development as defined by Erikson. Describes general impact, specific signs/symptoms, and children's perspectives from infancy through adolescence.

Note this caution from the author regarding the implications of the research findings: "As with all research, we must be cautious about overinterpreting the implications of fresh insights about the importance of fathers in the lives of young children. For example, on the basis of some of these data, some would have us rush to force fathers to stay in the lives of their children and supply support, both financial and emotional, regardless of the reasons for the fathers' absence. Yet with so much to learn about male nurture...

This resource list includes national and State organizations with information on brain development to promote healthy growth among young children and publications describing research and its implications for parenting, programming, and policy.