Examines the relationship between adolescent self-esteem and smoking among a large cohort (n=3,567) of adolescents between the 6th and 10th grades. Findings suggest that self-esteem may be a factor in the smoking behavior of female adolescents in grades six through eight, but not for males in any grade. This suggests that females may have…

Examined prevalence of depression in nonclinical adolescent population (n=2,698) in Canadian city. Administered Beck Depression Inventory to students in three secondary schools. Found significant main effects of age and gender. Found relatively low rates of severe or moderate depression in this population. Contrasted those with no or mild…

Investigated the relationship between ego identity development and obesity in adolescent girls (N=30). Subjects completed the Washington University Sentence Completion Test for ego identity development. Significant differences in scores of ego identity emerged between normal weight subjects and puberty-onset obese subjects and between…

Examined the self-efficacy status of 366 depressed and nondepressed adolescents. Found that self-efficacy was negatively correlated with depression. Three-way interaction of Sex X Age X Level of Depression suggested separate analyses for males and females. Regression analysis revealed age-related changes in the dependence of depression scores on…

Analyzed smoking behavior and peer group patterns among 1,689 eighth graders. Found that peer groups were crucially important in initiation of smoking among young adolescents, particularly females. Patterns of indirect peer influence on girls suggest that girls are less likely to stop smoking once they have begun than are boys. (Author/NB)

Investigated whether female adolescents maintained higher mean scores than males on all depression items discriminating between groups on basis of gender. Findings from 153 high school students revealed that, on both Reynolds Adolescent Depression Scale and Beck Depression Inventory, males had lower mean scores on all interpretable items.…

Examined prevalence of depression in 366 Canadian high school students. Consistent with similar studies in United Kingdom and United States, 31.4 percent of subjects were mildly to clinically depressed as measured by Beck Depression Inventory. Found significant sex differences, suggesting that patterns of sex differences may not be identical for…

Examined condom use among 1,312 male adolescents. Found that subjects had become sexually active, on average, at 13.9 years. Sixty percent reported using condom at first intercourse; its use decreased to one-third when utilization at each intercourse was examined. Condom use was greatest in 14-year olds and decreased in older adolescents, being…

Explored possible gender differences in clothes-shopping behavior among adolescents. Findings from 387 college students revealed that: parents financially assisted sons and daughters equally; there was no gender difference in shopping frequency; mothers more frequently shopped with sons than with daughters; fathers rarely shopped with any…

Examined youth employment and family dynamics. Results indicated that youth unemployment prolonged residence with parents. Found that daughter's summer unemployment was more acceptable than son's; that debts were part of the lifestyle of youth after age 18; that males incurred more debts than did females; and that parents were the major source of…

Used self-ratings to compare 96 shy and nonshy tenth-grade students. The shy group reported significantly more negative self-ratings on loneliness, interference of shyness with academic success and friendships, shyness around the opposite sex, and belief in the noticeability of shyness. There were no significant group differences in self-liking.…

Explored adolescent gender differences in possessions and parental financial assistance. Eight common adolescent possessions were analyzed, as well as expected parental contributions to their children's postsecondary education. Findings from 448 high school students revealed that males were significantly more likely to own stereos and athletic…

Survey of elementary and secondary school students showed an increase in depressive symptoms from the beginning to the end of adolescence. Girls demonstrated a higher level of depression, while boys became less depressed once they entered adolescence. Results demonstrated no fluctuation in global scores on irrationality as a function of age or…

Studied the risk-taking behavior (i.e., smoking, intemperate drinking, and failure to fasten seat belts) of 4,539 Canadian adolescents. Results showed adolescents who lived in intact families engaged in less health-risk behavior than adolescents from separated or divorced families. Results from widowed families were mixed. (JAC)

Analyzed smoking intentions and peer group influences among 1,689 eighth grade students to ascertain possible gender-specific correlates in adolescent smoking intentions. Peer environment was found to be crucial factor in adolescent smoking behavior. Particularly striking for adolescent girls was firmness of their expressed intentions to continue…