FOLLOW-UP-STUDY OF YOUNG STRESS-AFFECTED AND STRESS-RESILIENT URBAN CHILDREN

Reports follow-up study of 181 young highly stressed urban children, c lassified as stress-resilient (SR) and stress-affected (SA) 11/2-2 yea rs earlier. At follow-up (T-2), children were retested on five initial (T-1) test measures: self-rated adjustment, perceived competence, soc ial problem solving, realistic control attributions, and empathy; pare nts and teachers did new child adjustment ratings, and parents partici pated in a phone interview focusing on the T-1-T-2 interval. Child tes t and adjustment measures and parent interview responses at T-2 sensit ively differentiated children classified as SR and SA at T-1. Test and interview variables used at T-1 and T-2 correlated moderately across time periods. At T-2, four child test indicators (i.e., rule conformit y, global self-worth, social problem solving, and realistic control at tributions) and four parent interview variables (positive future expec tations for the child, absence of predelinquency indicators, good pare nt mental health in the past year. and adaptive parent coping strategi es) sensitively differentiated children classified as SR and SA at T-1 . No relationship was found between family stress experienced in the T -1-T-2 interval and changes in children's adjustment during that perio d.