In Brief

By Alice Park

RECONCILABLE DIFFERENCES When parents divorce, the breakup is often hardest on the children. Will they ever trust adults again? According to a new Pennsylvania State University study, the answer is usually yes. After studying 646 children over a period of 17 years, researchers found that divorce did not necessarily cause children to mistrust adults later in life. More important for their future interactions with elders was a respectful relationship between the parents after separation. The researchers add one caveat, however. Because mothers traditionally gain custody of kids, many children of divorce continue to distrust Dad well into adulthood.

ACCIDENTS DON'T JUST HAPPEN While Americans have longer and healthier lives, a preventable cause of death is on the rise: accidents in the home and in public places. From 1992 to 1999, the National Safety Council says, the number of deaths caused by falls and drug overdoses surged 21%. One reason: the growing number of elderly who are too frail to recover completely from falls that result in fractures. To protect this fast-growing segment of the population, the council plans to propose new building codes, including nonskid bathroom floors, more handles in housing for the elderly and better warning labels on commonly taken medications.

MATH-TEXT WOES If you've ever tried to help your kid with algebra homework and marveled at the poor quality of her textbook, you're in good company. The American Association for the Advancement of Science evaluated the dozen texts used most widely in U.S. schools and found only seven to be even "adequate." It found that five other texts "lacked potential for student learning." These texts failed to engage students, develop math concepts or encourage students' thinking skills. See the Association's site at project2061.org for a summary and list of the texts evaluated.

--By Alice Park