Normative sexual behavior in children.

A large-scale, community-based survey was done to assess the frequency of a wide variety of sexual behaviors in normal preadolescent children and to measure the relationship of these behaviors to age, gender, and socioeconomic and family variables. A sample of 880 2- through 12-year-old children screened to exclude those with a history of sexual abuse were rated by their mothers using several questionnaire measures. The frequency of different behaviors varied widely, with more aggressive sexual behaviors and behaviors imitative of adults being rare. Older children (both boys and girls) were less sexual than younger children. Sexuality was found to be related to the level of general behavior problems, as measured by the Achenbach Internalizing and Externalizing T scores and to a measure of family nudity. It was not related to socioeconomic variables.

Cognitive abilities and achievement status of children with myelomeningocele: a contemporary sample.

Designed study as a conceptual replication of Shaffer, Friedrich, Shurtleff, and Wolf (1985). Intelligence, school achievement, and perceptual motor skill data from 73 children with uncomplicated myelomeningocele were examined to determine their deviation from test norms. The respective impact of shunting and functional motor level was also assessed. The sample as a whole functioned below WISC-R and VMI norms. On the WRAT, deviation from the norms was evident only for the Arithmetic subtest. Partial replication of the Shunt X Motor level interaction reported by Shaffer et al. (1985) was obtained. Limitations of small-sample studies are discussed.