Young children with Down syndrome (DS) have language delays beginning early in life. Book reading with parents provides a context for capitalizing on language learning opportunities. This study evaluated the quantity and quality of language input among mothers and fathers of young children with DS during book reading interactions and investigated associations with child language. Findings revealed that mothers were more talkative and used more descriptive language, whereas fathers spent more time reading the book text. Moreover, maternal and paternal input were correlated with different measures of child language, suggesting that mothers and fathers may use divergent approaches to support language development.

Childhood onset conduct problems present some of the most significant challenges to mental health and public services today. Parent management training is among the most effective treatments for conduct problems, and yet a significant proportion of families do not benefit from this approach. This may be because key elements of parenting, such as parental cognitions, are not directly addressed in such interventions. This study investigated the role of mothers' interpersonal schemas in the maintenance of conduct problems and their relationship to parenting behaviour. It examined whether mothers of 7 to 11-year-old boys with conduct problems would have more negative child-related interpersonal schemas (Hill and Safran, 1994), and related negative parenting behaviours, observed during two parent-child interaction tasks, than mothers in a comparison group. The findings showed that there was a significant difference between the two groups in both maternal Negativity and Warmth and child-related interpersonal schemas. However, no relationship was found between parenting behaviour and child-related interpersonal schemas. The results suggest that targeting maternal cognitions in addition to negativity and warmth may enhance interventions for childhood onset conduct problems. However, more research needs to be done to ascertain which kinds of cognitions relate most closely to parenting behaviour in stressful situations.

Farmers' markets promote alternative agriculture by allowing farmers to meet the demand for specialized agricultural products and establish new businesses. Farmers sell at farmers' markets for social and personal, as well as economic, reasons. Successful farmers' marketing involves interactions with customers, but little is known about these interactions. This study aimed to determine what happens when a family shops at farmers' markets, specifically how parents and children interact in the market in relation to each other and to the farmers. Systematic observation was used to follow 22 families with young children. A coding sheet was used to categorize sensory, perfunctory, informational interactions, attempts to influence purchases and additional interactions. Results showed information was more likely to be exchanged between farmers and parents or parents and children. Children were more likely to be involved in sensory interactions. Farmers interact with families through perfunctory interactions or informational interactions, rather than encouraging them to buy specific items. Since some important societal benefits of farmers' markets can only be achieved if information is exchanged during interactions, market managers and outreach professionals should encourage and assist farmers with providing information to customers. Further research is needed to understand why farmers favor social over explicitly sales-focused interactions, which interactive strategies may be optimal to achieve the fullest economic and non-economic benefits for both farmers and customers, and what is the economic and non-economic impact of providing information in the farmers' market.