To reach responsible independence, young people must become invested in setting their life course. A rich history of research and practice shows that democratic group climates foster autonomy and prosocial behavior. This article explores principles and practices for creating positive peer cultures to develop strengths and help youth meet their…

Claims that African American female adolescents have unique identity issues that structure developmental tasks. Uses data from a longitudinal study to explicate a three-dimensional model of the identity developmental process. Describes adolescents' development of skillful, unique, expressionistic, and assertive styles of dealing with perceived…