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Two groups of children are described, some adopted out of their country of origin and some adopted in their own country. Utilizing a family systems model adaptable across countries, the impact of institutionalization on later child behavior is examined. Results will assist practitioners to develop a protocol to assess the family and the child at various ages, regardless of country of origin.

Objective: alcohol availability is one of the strongest predictors of adolescent alcohol use, and subsequent harm. Alcohol outlets near schools are an important indicator of three types of availability related to adolescent alcohol use; physical (number), economic (price), and legal (compliance with age limits). Method: two teams with trained students (16 and 17 years old) visited all 37 schools in a 200,000 inhabitant Romanian city (Pitesti). On the spot all alcohol outlets were visited and data was collected on outlet characteristics and visitors. Also, by conducting mystery shopping purchase attempts by the researchers, compliance on the age limits for alcohol sales was tested. Results: a total of 40 outlets were found within a 250 meter distance around 23 schools. Alcohol turns out to be cheap, and commercial alcohol brand signs are dominantly visible. With respect to compliance with the 18-year-old Romanian age limit for alcohol sales, only eight (20%) outlets refused to sell alcohol to under aged decoy customers. Conclusion: adolescent alcohol availability is high on the physical, economic and legal aspect. Pitesti is the first city in Romania where an international alcohol prevention project has started to reduce alcohol related consequences. This project involves all relevant stakeholders, and the first new legislation on this subject had been implemented.

THE SIXTH POST-WAR NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF THE ROMANIAN COMMUNIST PARTY CAME AT THE END OF A YEAR IN WHICH THE CONDITIONS OF ROMANIAN COMMUNISM HAD WORSENED SUBSTANTIALLY. THE ROMANIAN PEOPLE, WHO POSSESS A MINIMAL REVOLUTIONARY TRADITION AND CONFRONT A HIGHLY REPRESSIVE SYSTEM IN WHICH SECRET POLICE PENETRATION OF ALL ORGANIZATIONS IS WIDELY ASSUMED, HAVE NEVERTHELESS BEGUN TO ACT AGAINST THE CEAUSESCU REGIME. BUT DESPITE THE GRIEVOUS ECONOMIC CONDITION OF THE COUNTRY AFTER EIGHT YEARS OF SEVERE AUSTERITY, NEITHER MASS NOR INTRA-ELITE OPPOSITION TO CEAUSESCU HAS BEEN ABLE TO CRYSTALLIZE; POPULAR UNREST IS MORE FREQUENT, BUT CONTINUES TO BE DISPERSED AND SPORADIC. INTRA-PARTY CRITICISM OF CEAUSESCU IS AUDIBLE, BUT HALTING. THERE IS, SO FAR, NO DISCERNIBLE LEADER OF A MORE MODERATE PATH, ALTHOUGH NAMES SUCH AS THAT OF STEFAN ANDREI (FORMER FOREIGN MINISTER) AND EMIL BOBU ARE PLAUSIBLE CANDIDATES FOR SUCH A ROLE.

Reports on results of the Carpathian Project, which compared patterns of national identity and ethnocentric perspectives of ethnic Rumanian and Hungarian minorities in nine categories and their attitudes toward each other; based on interviews of 717 Rumanian and 1,090 Hungarian individuals; 1997-98.