The goal of this study was to examine initial levels and rates of change in the intensity and breadth of participation in organized activities during the adolescent years, and how these participation practices were related to youth outcomes in later adolescence. The main objectives were (a) to examine growth curves of intensity and breadth of…

The "stepping-stone" theory of progression into drug use is examined, based on the alcohol and other drug use of over 27,000 seventh- through eighth-grade students in New York State. The data show that students do not use illicit drugs unless they also use alcohol. (Author/LMO)

The Adolescent Attachment Questionnaire, an assessment of attachment characteristics in adolescents, was developed and validated with a normative sample of 691 adolescents and 133 adolescents in psychiatric treatment. Internal reliability and agreement for the 91 sample members who completed the scale twice were adequate. (SLD)

Parental reports of disagreements and serious disagreements about rules were examined. A questionnaire was developed and sent to 200 families with seventh-grade boys and girls. No gender differences were found. Disagreements were significantly correlated (positively) with parental reports of child oppositionalism and (negatively) with parents'…

Research on adolescent behavior described in this paper departs from traditional research by including friend reports of friend behavior so that results based on the different sources for measuring friend behavior can be compared. Findings are discussed in the context of theoretical and methodological considerations of peer influence and…

A questionnaire developed to measure barriers to help-seeking behavior in adolescents was tested with 280 high school students following a pilot study. The instrument, Barriers to Adolescents Seeking Help, was found to have good test-retest reliability and adequate validity. Its use in identifying adolescents amenable to or resistant to therapy is…

One hundred forty-six young adolescents and 166 young adults completed questionnaires assessing the appraisal of efforts to cope with 3 common stressful events--conflicts with mother and friend and failure. Significant correlations were found between appraisal and coping, and results suggest that coping is multiply determined. (SLD)

Surveys of 70 male and 80 female community college students about their attitudes toward abortion, sexual behavior, and life problems support abortion rights. Antiabortion students were more religious, less sexually active, and less likely to know someone who had an abortion. Many students currently experienced serious problems. (SLD)