People desire to have positive self-esteem. Research by Crocker, Luhtanen, Cooper, & Bouvrette (2003) has demonstrated that late adolescents buttress their sense of self-worth through at least seven different means. Focusing primarily on two such contingencies (seeking to support self-esteem through virtuous behavior and through competitive…

Psychological well-being and distress are critical components of college adjustment that are intricately entwined with student retention and success during and after college. This 5-wave longitudinal study used growth mixture modeling to explore heterogeneous trajectories of psychological well-being (self-esteem) and distress (depression, anxiety,…

Self-determination and fulfillment are central components of personal development in both developing and developed societies. These terms are used frequently by many researchers, especially in the work by Maslow, who particularly emphasized this concept. This article presents a roadmap of sorts that describes the factors that can leverage and…

Although becoming a grandmother represents an important transition in a woman's life, it has received scant research attention. This study used the model of growth developed by Schaefer and Moos in an attempt to identify personal and environmental resources that may contribute to a first-time maternal grandmother's mental health and her…

It is commonly believed that participation in structured sport programs leads to positive experiences and beneficial developmental outcomes for children and adolescents. For instance, proponents of organized sport cite that participation can help build self-esteem, promote sportspersonship, encourage a valuing of physical activity, and provide a…

This current study investigated Janis and Mann's (1977) Conflict Model of Decision Making. Specifically, Janis and Mann's model was tested to examine decision-making styles (coping patterns) and students who either have already decided or who have yet to decide on their college major. Furthermore, the current study is aimed to expand Janis and…

This study examined antecedents to early patterned alcohol and tobacco use and marijuana experimentation between ages 11 and 16 for an at-risk male sample. Findings suggested that family, peer, and child characteristics were inextricably connected within an ecology of development. A structural equation prediction model suggested a higher order…