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Given the sensitive topic of drug abuse and the private nature of the family, researchers must overcome a number of methodological obstacles when studying drug abuse and the family. The purpose of this study was to determine whether adolescents would provide honest and accurate answers to drug use questions in the context of their homes with their families participating in the same survey. Although there is no direct objective validation of the self-report measures used in this study, evidence from the analysis of the survey data suggests that adolescent self-reports are, in most cases, reliable and valid, and that the setting in which respondents complete questionnaires does not, in general, result in systematic reporting bias.

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Analyses of the largest 130 U.S. metropolitan statistical areas in 1980 revealed little support for cultural or human capital explanations of occupational sex segregation. Gender differences in occupational distributions arose more from structural characteristics of urban labor markets than from the characteristics of individuals. Although a larger supply of men relative to women in the labor force increased occupational differences, greater employment in service industries had the most pronounced impact on gender occupational placement. The findings suggest that continued job growth in service industries will lead to greater occupational similarity between the sexes as declining employment opportunities in manufacturing compel more men to assume less gender-segregated positions in social and personal services industries. Linkages between industrial structure, occupations, and indices of dissimilarity were also examined.

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Students who failed the Texas mandatory third grade reading test were followed through their sophomore year in high school. Comparisons of reading scores between third grade students who repeated the grade and their socially promoted classmates revealed that the positive effect of retention persisted over time. Retention in third grade benefited low‐performing readers regardless of race. Supplemental analyses found that the results are not likely attributable to selection biases, differential attrition of students from the panel, changes in the special education status of students, and regression to the mean effects. Making students repeat a grade, when supplemented with additional educational assistance, can benefit academically challenged children.

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