Reviews previous theoretical approaches to understanding adolescent suicide (Durkheim's sociological theory of suicide, social learning theory, psychological theory, and family systems theory), and proposes utilization of human ecological theory. Examines factors associated with adolescent suicide at organism (individual), microsystem, mesosystem,…

Sought to determine if a correlation existed between the incidence of depression among 24 adolescents admitted to a hospital psychiatric service and the incidence of depression among their parents. No correlation between adolescent and paternal depression was found. (Since mothers evidenced no depression, their test results were not correlated…

Reviews past five years of professional literature on adolescent sexuality to determine factors that influence adolescent sexuality. Discusses importance of family and religion on sexual attitudes and behaviors, how sexual activity is related to other age-related behaviors and delinquency, relationship between early coital behaviors and risk of…

Interviewed delinquent adolescents (N=91) with respect to their personal and family drug use and criminal behavior. Found no significant gender differences with respect to drug use, but females committed more crimes against property than did males. Indicates that subjects saw a strong relationship between drug use and subsequent criminal behavior.…

Reviewed literature which suggested nine family factors that influence children's drug use. Conducted one-on-one interviews with 48 students to compare family factors of drug users with those of drug abusers. Results showed drug abusers were from families that had a communication gap and either laissez faire or authoritarian discipline. (BH)

Correlates of stealing behavior were investigated in non-delinquent 10 to 15 year-olds (N=167). Stealing was related to youths' attitudes toward parents and school, as well as reasons for stealing. It was most frequent among older males. Attitude toward school was most consistently related to stealing behavior, though perceptions of family's…

Examines sociodemographic, family, and health factors associated with repeat pregnancy in a clinical sample of urban, first-time mothers. Results indicate that postpartum contraceptive method was associated with repeat pregnancy at year one; contraceptive use, maternal age, history of miscarriages, and postpartum contraceptive method were…

Examined relationship between adolescent school achievement and family factors which may mediate negative influence of divorce. Findings from 71 early adolescents and their recently divorced mothers revealed that adolescents with high grade point averages had mothers with lower depression, higher education, less conflict with ex-spouse, and less…

Examines the literature on identity development of homosexual youth, and parental and familial influences on the coming out process. Research indicates that homosexual adolescents who have a close relationship with their parents and families tend to come out at a younger age and experience more positive identities than those who have a poor…

Explores gender differences in the degree to which parent-child dyads and family system variables are associated with relationship quality in late adolescence and early adulthood (N=98). Results indicate that the relationship of family factors to the intimate relationships of young adults was similar for males and females. (MKA)

The purpose of this paper is to explore the role of various attributes of the family in the structure and process of social influence during adolescence. (Author)

Investigated whether family interaction influences the acting-out behavior of hospitalized adolescent psychiatric patients. Found families did contribute to acting out in the hospital but that the majority of acting out was not directly related to family contact. Recommends that the hospital engage the family in treatment and consider family…

A questionnaire was administered to measure the religious beliefs, religious practices, religiosity, and definition of religion held by members of a conservative Jewish youth group. Independent variables included Hebrew School attendance, sex, and parental practices. Only parental practices significantly accounted for any of the variance in the…

Research determined females with unwanted sexual experiences were likely to be victims of violence, to have run away, to be substance abusers, and have family members with drug/alcohol problems. Four factors explained 39% of variance in age of first pregnancy: family member with drinking problem, age first hit by family member, age first got…