Eighty adolescents and their same-sex friends rated the quality of their friendship, ranked their preference for this friendship, and participated in a videotaped discussion. Compared to boys, girls rated their friendship quality more positively and less negatively and showed more positive and less negative behavior in interaction with their…

Reviews volume on the role of values in adolescent development, mental health, and psychopathology. Describes and critically evaluates the book's three approaches (theory, science, and social commentary) to data from the longitudinal study "Children in the Community Project." Concludes that regardless of how findings are interpreted, the…

Examined the endorsement of interpersonal conflict resolution tactics and links to personality and teacher-related school adjustment. Subjects were 162 African, Mexican, and European American sixth through eighth graders. Across all three ethnic groups and both sexes, negotiation was consistently rated the best choice for dealing with…

Investigated moral judgment delay in adolescent delinquents based on sex differences and specific moral value areas. Found that delinquents of both sexes were, on average, developmentally delayed in moral judgment, particularly on values related to the law. However, they rated values such as promise keeping, helping others, and saving life as…

Used hypothetical vignettes to examine 384 preadolescents' understanding of gossip in varying circumstances. Found that children correctly labeled talk about nonpresent others as gossip and considered it inappropriate. Skepticism was higher for gossip than for firsthand information and was greatest with cues suggesting that speakers were…

This study explored gender differences in social and physical aggression experienced by adolescents. Personal reports and self-perception profiles revealed that the most common social aggression was gossip. Both genders reported equal frequencies of social aggression, but girls were more distressed by it than boys. Frequency of social aggression…

Examined whether gender discrepancy in late adolescents' antisocial behavior may be attributed to gender differences in other moral cognitive variables. Found that mature moral judgment and higher moral self-relevance were associated with lower self-serving cognitive distortion, partially mediating the relationship between those variables and…

Examined perceptions of interparental conflict, parent-child relations, and adjustment among 169 sixth and seventh graders, focusing on the role of parent and child gender in these associations. Found that perceptions of interparental conflict were more strongly associated with negative mother-son relationships compared to same-gender dyads. (MDM)

Examined whether peer-rejected preadolescents differ from nonrejected groups (average, popular, neglected) in their explanations for peer-social events and their perceived control of outcomes. Found that rejected children were inclined to forego credit for acceptance, to ascribe rejection to persistent factors, and to perceive lower control of…

Studied role of nonshared parent and peer influences on siblings as predictors of adolescent cigarette smoking onset. Found peer influences were predictors of smoking onset when shared influences were controlled. Nonshared peer influences on siblings were stronger in educated families. Findings highlight utility of controlling for shared…

Explored the role of relationship orientations, gender-related characteristics, and perceptions of friendship quality during preadolescence and adolescence. Results indicated that grade and sex differences are evident in the early adolescent years and are linked to perceptions of friendship quality. Preliminary evidence showed that relationship…

Attempted to identify behavioral precursors of conflict outcomes and to isolate unique characteristics of important conflicts. Results suggest that conflict components were interrelated. Resolutions were associated with outcomes and affective intensity, and affective intensity was linked to lessons learned. Apparently, the salience of an…

Tested hypothesis that primary-influence processes in adolescent friendships are social interactional and that quality of friendship has little to do with development of delinquent behavior. Found that antisocial boys showed poor-quality friendships and low levels of relationship quality. (Author)

Examined the relationship between adolescents' detection of self-discrepancies and internalizing and externalizing problems. Found that self-discrepancy, independent of actual-self positivity, predicted internalizing and externalizing problems. For girls, discrepancy with parental standards predicted functioning, and discrepancy with independent…

Peers are rarely credited as the source of positive behaviors; rather credit is given to the child or the parent for doing a good job. This introduction provides an overview of some of the methodological complications involved in studying peer influence, and discusses a new model for conceptualizing peer influence. (Author/SD)