Risky sexual behaviors among U.S. adolescents have resulted in epidemic rates of sexually transmitted infections, HIV, and unintended pregnancy. This article describes a community-developed pilot program for parents in a large South Florida county aimed at increasing parent comfort in discussing sexuality with their children to improve adolescent…

This dissertation discusses the development and assessment of a parent intervention and training program. Out of concern for the sexual health of adolescents in the United States, both parents and researchers have called for programs assisting parents in the sexual education of their children. Encouraging sexual communication and increasing the…

Guidelines and resources for a four-part conference and workshop series on parent education for parents of early adolescents (ages 10-15) are presented. Each part of the series is intended to be a one-day conference containing a keynote address and three workshops. Workshop topics included in the four parts are: (1) Living with 10- to 15-Year…

This parameter presents overarching principles and practices for child and adolescent mental health care in community systems of care. Community systems of care are defined broadly as comprising the wide array of child-serving agencies, programs, and practitioners (both public and private), in addition to natural community supports such as…

Although most American adolescents are psychologically, socially, and physically healthy, adolescence remains a time of considerable change and risk. To examine what works to promote well-being among America's adolescents, Child Trends reviewed contributing influences and programs that lead to positive behavior in seven areas: mental health,…

This document is the second volume of a six-volume report on sexuality education. This volume provides suggestions for developing and implementing effective educational and clinic-based approaches to sexuality education. It discusses the reasons for and nature of responsible sexuality education and describes approaches to building a…

This paper describes how to create a teenage theatre project and explains why such a project is effective in educating teenagers. New Image Teen Theatre is a project which has combined peer education and improvisational theater since 1981 to reach teenagers with accurate family planning information, encourage communication, and promote responsible…

In an exploration of the challenges of creating a collaborative approach to parent involvement, the beliefs of 19 African American adolescent mothers about learning and literacy were determined through peer group discussions. Data revealed a continuum of perspectives and a great deal of intergroup variability, as well as some shared goals. (SLD)

Reported were the development and testing of a therapy program for stutterers which aimed at involving parents in the treatment process. The experimental therapy program was developed and applied to a group of 13 parent child dyads whose interaction patterns were analyzed in an attempt to identify factors pertinent to the child's stuttering.…

This program assessment package is for those providing after-school services for young adolescents. Introductory material discusses why the focus is on 10- to 15-year-olds, the need for program evaluation, and assessment criteria. The package includes the following items: (1) "3:00 to 6:00 P.M.; Programs for Young Adolescents," by Joan…

This report asserts that given the importance of families to a variety of positive youth outcomes and the emphasis placed on family involvement in federal law, young people should not be treated as "islands" by school and youth programs, separate from the context of their families. The report is the result of an analysis of over 100 evaluations of…

Teasing is an attempt to look better at the expense of someone else. This abuse may be as mild as verbal bantering or as severe as group violence against others. The chronically oppressed student may conclude that school is a frightening and unfriendly place. Teasing has recently become the focus of psychological research and this paper provides a…

This paper describes strategies for developing drug abuse prevention programs in rural communities, based on available evidence about factors contributing to drug abuse. Comprehensive interventions to prevent drug abuse and other youth problems are needed because drug abuse is entwined with other problem behaviors and stems from a complex set of…

This guideline summarizes state-of-the-art approaches and interventions designed to strengthen the role of families in substance abuse prevention. Topics discussed are: (1) "Why Use Family-Centered Approaches? Aren't Our School and Community Efforts Sufficient?"; (2) "How Big a Problem Is Substance Abuse Among Youth?"; (3)…

Intended for use on national, state, and local levels, the ideas and data in this reference are organized by means of the Prevention Enhancement Protocols System (PEPS). This is a systematic process for evaluating evidence from prevention research and practice, which can then be developed into recommendations for practice. Chapter topics are: (1)…