Tested methodology (based on Dervin's sense-making theory) used to identify how adolescents approach nutrition concerns and questions. Used time-line interview technique with adolescents (N=305) aged 14 to 16. Identified 4 groups, 2 of which described action-oriented approaches to dealing with nutrition situations and differing in terms of how…

Recorded adolescents (N=36) in spontaneous conversational settings and in formal interviews. Found analysis of recordings led to postulation of three basic categories: emotive, connotative, and socially coded language programing. (Author/ABL)

Investigated teenagers' use of the shopping mall as a "hangout" through interviews with 51 adolescents using the mall, and 10 hours of behavioral observations. Results indicated that many teenagers visit the shopping center regularly to watch members of the opposite sex, play video games, see friends, shop, and people-watch. (Author/NRB)

Investigated differences between what people believe is proper premarital sexual behavior, what they do and what they think others are doing at five stages of dating. Results indicated persons are more restrictive in beliefs, more permissive in behavior, and most permissive in perceptions of others. During the early stages of dating, males and…

Explored the relationship between youthful subculture attitudes toward hedonism, immediate gratification, and drug use in a longitudinal study of California youths (N=23 and N=72). Specific attitude measures indicated no relationship between degree of drug use and youth subculture attitudes. (JAC)

Examined Orten and Soll's typology and Homer's conceptualization of runaways as "running from" or "running to" something; expanded context to include interactions with family and professionals. Used case study and survey of nine adolescent runaways from residential setting to explore hypotheses. Found majority ran away from…

Studied relationship between gender and delinquency among inner-city adolescents (n=64) in court diversion program. Males were more likely to be referred for violations of law, to have been arrested, and to have engaged in aggressive offenses/selling drugs. Females were more likely to be referred because of status offenses. Gang membership had…

Young adolescents (N=163) were administered a 23-item self-report inventory measuring antisocial behaviors. Results showed antisocial behavior to be multidimensional and to have different factor structures for males and females. The three factors accounting for the majority of variance in antisocial behavior are discussed in terms of…

Examined the interrelationships among coping statements, a self-report measure of anxiety, and maladaptive overt behavior in a dental situation. Subjects were 23 adolescents. Found that as disruptive "in-chair" overt behavior increased, so did the percentage of coping statements; as self-report levels of anxiety increased, the percentage of coping…

Assessed sexual maturation and sociosexual behaviors in 101 nine- to 11-year-old low and middle income Black children. Data confirmed that girls were more advanced in sexual maturation than boys. Results of a self-report behavior scale indicated sexual behavior was related to physical development in boys but not girls. (JAC)

This paper develops some ideas in Matza's Neutralization Theory into a continuum containing four categories ranging from extreme goodness to rebellion. It was hypothesized that involvement in delinquency would increase progressively across these four categories. (Author/KC)

Investigated personality styles, concerns, and behaviors of depressed adolescents using Millon Adolescent Personality Inventory (MAPI). Data from 332 high school students on Beck Depression Inventory and MAPI were reduced to 2 factors accounting for 65.1 percent of total variance, the first suggesting socially withdrawn, overtly recognizable…

Administered questionnaire on television and drinking practices to 394 high school males to determine the extent to which adolescents classified as light, moderate, or heavy television viewers differed regarding alcohol use. Results indicated that heavy television viewers consumed alcohol significantly more often than did light and moderate…

Examined relationship between peer interactions and similarity in drug use among friends. Findings from large sample of secondary school students (n=113,289) indicated that youth who used specific drugs in last 30 days almost invariably had friends who used same drugs but was considerably less likely to have friends who used other drugs or no…

Studied whether or not masculine and feminine traits relate to self-reported delinquencies of males and females. Assessed the relationship between gender traits and delinquency when opportunity and social control variables were controlled. Data suggested a lack of relationship between gender traits and delinquency as measured by frequency and…