The mismatch between financial objective and subjective knowledge that occurs in youth and adolescents has been understudied in the literature. Based on objective and subjective financial literacy scores, this study categorizes financial literacy into four types: financial literacy overconfidence, underconfidence, competence, and naïvete in a…

Although adolescents' sexual health is generally better when parents and adolescents communicate about sex and sexuality, researchers have found parents can be reluctant to engage adolescents in conversations about those topics. To better understand why, we reviewed prior literature and identified four types of parent-based barriers to…

Previous studies with adults have shown that age has an important influence on laypeople's wisdom theories. However, children's and adolescents' understanding of the concept of wisdom has hardly been investigated. In the current study, 80 children and adolescents completed a questionnaire concerning an event where they had been wise and an event…

Assessed general knowledge of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), beliefs about preventing AIDS, and sexual behavior among 60 sexually delinquent and 57 nondelinquent runaway adolescent males. Sexually delinquent youths scored significantly lower than nondelinquent youths in general knowledge of AIDS and were not able to discriminate safer…

Anabolic-androgenic steroids ("steroids") are synthetic derivatives of the natural male hormone testosterone. They were first used non-medically by elite athletes seeking to improve performance. More recently, however, steroid use has filtered down to high school and junior high school levels. The purpose of this study was to describe…

Assessed the risk, protective, alcohol and other drug (AOD) knowledge and attitudes, and AOD behavior of 1,797 high-risk youth ages 12 to 19. Results from the survey suggest that the more protective the behavior, the greater the AOD knowledge and positive attitude, and the lower the risk of AOD behavior. (SLD)

Examines sexual behaviors, drug use, and knowledge of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) among 108 runaways in Cleveland (Ohio). Results indicate variable rates of risk behavior, AIDS knowledge, and minimal drug use. Results suggest that it should not be assumed that all runaways engage in health-compromising sexual behaviors. (SLD)

The rate of sexual activity among adolescents has been rising steadily in the last 10 years, and adolescents are initiating sexual activity at younger ages. It has been widely assumed that parents can have an effect on their adolescent's sexual behavior and attitudes. This study was designed to investigate how parent-adolescent communication…

This study identified differences and similarities among the perceptions of adult and adolescent community members regarding drug use patterns and practices. A written questionnaire was administered to 5,128 adolescents from grades 7 through 12 in the rural inland northwest, and a similar questionnaire was administered to over 900 adults in the…

Sexual behavior, knowledge of sexually transmitted disease and condoms, and condom use was studied among 116 African American and white incarcerated adolescents in Seattle (Washington). Results indicate that these adolescents are at high risk and suggest that programs designed solely to increase knowledge are unlikely to effect behavior change.…

Knowledge and attitudes about Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) were compared for 167 public high school students, 166 incarcerated adolescents, and 151 emotionally disturbed adolescents. AIDS knowledge was moderately high for all, but misunderstandings about transmission and high-risk behaviors were noted. Teenagers with emotional…

Describes the evaluation of a training program in the Netherlands to enhance the professional competence of residential child-care workers in dealing with difficult situations involving adolescents. Pretest and posttest data from 35 adult subjects and 20 controls indicate a significant increase in knowledge and behavior after the program. (SLD)

This report describes the dieting practices of 796 Nebraskans in grades 8 and 10. The results presented in this report are based on questions from the 1989 National Adolescent Health Survey administered to a total of 1,689 adolescents. These topics are covered: (1) incidence of dieting in adolescent males and females; (2) methods used by dieters…

This report presents information from a survey of the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of Nebraska adolescents (N=1,240) in grades 9-12 related to the Human-Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). Schools were selected at random from each of the six classifications of Nebraska schools, and two or three…

The diffusion and adoption of new knowledge is an important outcome of education. This study used the results of two annual cross sectional surveys in a largely rural state, Nebraska, one of school administrators and one of students. The purpose of the survey was to identify how widespread Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)/Acquired Immune…