Assessed developmental trends in competency to stand trial in a study of incarcerated and nonincarcerated adolescents (N=52) and adults (N=19). Results indicated that competency to stand trial does increase through the adolescent years, but even older adolescents received lower scores on a competency measure than did adults. (JAC)

Assessed efficacy of rational emotive education (REE) as mental health program for adolescents. High school juniors and seniors (N=109) were divided into experimental and control groups. Experimental subjects received 12 biweekly sessions of REE. Results from pre- and posttesting revealed significant positive changes in use of more adaptive…

Eighty adolescents, grades 7-9, were assessed on empathy development and perceived competencies. Females proved more empathic than males, but no developmental trends in empathy development were observed. Social competence was positively associated with empathic skills, but cognitive and physical competencies showed a negative association,…

Investigated the relationship between the development of formal operations and the formation of ego identity in adolescence. Obtained significant positive correlations between combinatorial ability and degree of identity, suggesting that high identity may facilitate the application of combinatorial operations. Found some gender differences in task…

Discusses the concept of egocentrism and its relation to cognitive development. Describes the major stages of egocentrism: sensori-motor, preoperational, concrete operational, and adolescent egocentrism. Focuses on research support for the theory of adolescent egocentrism. Discusses educational implications. (RC)