During late childhood and early adolescence, there is a dramatic increase in cognitive skills which influences how young people begin to think about their futures. The construct of possible selves has been used to help understanding of adolescents' views of their future plans and goals by exploring their social perceptions to gain insight about…

As American society has become increasingly aware of the plight of sex trafficked American children, attention has shifted from delinquency to victimhood (Mitchell, Finkelhor, & Wolak, 2010) with a corresponding awareness of the trauma that victims endure. This reconceptualization is incomplete without a larger understanding of the…

Social responsibility is a value orientation, rooted in democratic relationships with others and moral principles of care and justice, that motivates certain civic actions. Given its relevance for building stronger relationships and communities, the development of social responsibility within individuals should be a more concerted focus for…

Objective: Based on the data obtained through Child Protective Services (CPS) case records abstraction, this study aimed to explore patterns of overlapping types of child maltreatment in a sample of urban, ethnically diverse male and female youth (n= 303) identified as maltreated by a large public child welfare agency. Methods: A cluster analysis…

During late childhood and early adolescence, there is a dramatic increase in cognitive skills (Keating, 1980) which influences how young people begin to think about their futures. The construct of possible selves has been used to help understand adolescents' views of their future plans and goals by exploring their social perceptions to gain…

Transformation is the act of changing in form, nature or character. It is the process in which we learn something new or are so affected by an event or a conversation that our own selves are no longer the same. Many experiences can cause this transformation: a loss, a tragedy, or an interaction with a friend, loved one or stranger. Transformation…

Three studies involving eighth through twelfth graders examined the role of relativistic thinking in the cognitive, social, and emotional lives of adolescents. Findings indicate that adolescents appreciate the relativistic character of the knowing process and that there is a close relationship between epistemic attitude and identity status. (SH)

Eighty-five adolescent boys studying at an Israeli school for the academically talented and 27 adolescent boys studying at a regular school filled out ego identity questionnaires and cognitive complexity questionnaires. Talented boys scored higher on cognitive complexity and on two dimensions of ego identity: (1) meaningfulness versus alienation…

Examines the relationship between adolescent egocentrism and postformal thinking in 163 college undergraduates. Uses the Imaginary Audience Scale and the Social Paradigm Belief Inventory to evaluate participants. Results indicate that females have higher levels of adolescent egocentrism than do males. (Author/GCP)

Emphasizes necessity of reconsideration of adolescent development, for these reasons: the view of childhood has changed; females have not been systematically studied; theories of cognitive development favor mathematical and scientific thinking over the humanities; and because the psychology of adolescence is anchored in separation and independence…

Perry's scheme of intellectual and ethical development was examined for sex differences with respect to three areas of identity concern: occupational choice, interpersonal relationships, and sexual identity. Regression analyses revealed patterns in which male personality processes focused upon occupational issues while female processes focused…

The process of self-disclosure among adolescents and parents may change as a result of adolescent development, specifically, changes in cognitive and physical development and self-concept. Implications of changes in self-disclosure are discussed in relation to parent-adolescent interaction. (Author/EGS)

The Rational Thinking Group experience, based on cognitive restructuring exercises, significantly increased the self-concept of adolescent participants. In addition, the experience was effective in increasing scores on the behavior, anxiety, and happiness, and satisfaction scales. (Author)

One of a series of papers which focus on 10- to 15-year-old adolescents, this publication describes these young people as they work through developmental tasks in environments (families, communities, peer groups, and schools) that are part of their daily lives. This description is used as a basis to accomplish the following: (1) a further…

A theoretical model was examined linking early adolescent interpersonal relatedness and self-definition, autonomous and controlled regulation, and negative and positive life events. Findings indicated that self-criticism predicted less positive events, whereas efficacy predicted more positive events. Effects were fully mediated by absence and…