Recent publications in the "Journal of Youth and Adolescence" present a variety of topics exploring adolescents' mental functioning in the twenty first century. Conceptually, many of the articles address the intriguing, though rarely explicit, question of developmental continuities and change from adolescence to adulthood. Such…

A sample of 679 (341 women) emerging adults (M = 18.90 years; SD = 1.11; range = 18.00-22.92) participated in a study on the utility of forms (i.e., physical and relational) and functions (i.e., proactive and reactive) of aggression. We examined the link between these four subtypes of aggression and personality pathology (i.e., psychopathic…

Personality disorder symptoms were investigated in a community sample of young people (n = 714) to assess their relationship over time with well-being during adolescence and the emergence of intimacy in early adulthood. Drawing on Erikson's theory of psychosocial development, changes in adolescent well-being were conceptualized as indirect…

This study examined the construct validity of antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) diagnosed in adolescence. Boys and girls were grouped by history of DSM-III-R conduct disorder (CD) and ASPD: Controls (n = 340) had neither diagnosis; CD Only (n = 77) had CD by age 17 but no ASPD through age 20; Adolescent ASPD (n = 64) had ASPD by age 17. The…

A Norwegian nation-wide sample of 1087 former adolescent psychiatric in-patients, 584 males and 503 females, were followed up 15-33 years after first hospitalization. On the basis of detailed hospital records from index hospitalization all were rediagnosed according to DSM-IV. The patient list was linked to the national criminal register and the…

Conducted a prospective longitudinal study to investigate whether anxiety, depressive, personality, or substance abuse disorders increase risk for onset of bulimia nervosa (BN) or binge eating disorder (BED) during adolescence. Findings for 201 adolescents suggest that adolescents with chronic depressive symptoms may be at elevated risk for the…

The utility of Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory personality disorder scales was studied with 217 male adolescent psychiatric inpatients. Analyses of variance found patterns consistent with research on adult samples in spite of differences in factor structure. These similarities suggest that adolescent assessment may provide information…

Trends and patterns of adolescent drug use were examined through consideration of over 125 psychosocial correlates with drug use and nonuse. A sample of over 480 Philadelphia high school students was given personal interviews and a survey questionnaire that included several psychological scales and test batteries. (Author/LMO)

Dimensions of Type A behavior were studied in 990 healthy Finnish adolescents; and conceptualization was clarified in terms of achievement striving, self-concept, and sense of control. The two independent dimensions identified are discussed in terms of healthy adjustment and social maladjustment. (SLD)

Adolescent girls, identified as either educable mentally retarded, behaviorally disordered, learning disabled, or nonhandicapped, were rated by their teachers on the Behavior Problem Checklist. Behaviorally disordered students showed a greater degree of maladjustment. Implications for further research and special educational practices are…