Analyzes treasured possessions and their meanings in adolescence, including their relation to those treasured during early life and their relation to self-identity. Subjects were 14- to 18-year-old high school students (n=249). Results showed that males' most treasured possessions embodied enjoyment and instrumental meanings, whereas females'…

Examined age differences in 9- to 15-year-olds' experiences with families and friends, and by themselves. Amount of time spent with family decreased with age. Affect with family became less positive through seventh grade; affect with friends became more favorable with age; affect when alone did not vary. (BC)

Examined the relationship between empathy and moral reasoning, age and gender differences in expression of emotional empathy, and flexibility of moral reasoning in 330 adolescents, ages 12 to 20. Moral reasoning, assessed by Flexibility of Moral Judgement Index, and empathy were found to be unrelated. (Author/DST)

Questionnaires and interviews completed by 60 gifted adolescents indicated that both sexes were highly sensitive to societal pressures. Females accepted their body image, social image, and inner emotions better than the males who perceived themselves as having poorer peer relationships and less leadership potential. Case studies illustrate…

Reviews research on how gender affects adolescent development. Discusses various conceptualizations of adolescence, the crisis of self-esteem for adolescent girls, the ways in which schools reinforce traditional gender roles, differences between boys' and girls' achievement patterns, and the intersections of gender with ethnicity and social class.…

Reports on a study of 120 (60 boys, 60 girls) middle school students in Bophuthatswana on the relation of academic achievement to self-concept and locus of control. Finds that measures of extraversion, neuroticism, and psychoticism are related negatively to school achievement. (CFR)

Examines development of the concept of commitment in relation to adolescents' choice of a career and romantic partner. Subjects were 163 male and female ninth graders, twelfth graders, and college juniors from public and private schools. Findings support the proposition that the concept of commitment is affected by grade, gender, and type of…

As part of a longitudinal study of psychosocial development, 148 girls and 130 boys were administered a questionnaire about a close friend in their eighth grade school year. The subjects began the study in the sixth grade. Findings on intimacy and emotional closeness are discussed concerning gender socialization and friendship. (SLD)

Drawing upon extensive theoretical knowledge and decades of empirical research, this book traces changes in the structure and content of self-representations from early childhood through late adolescence. Chapter 1 includes a discussion of the self as subject (I-self) and object (Me-self) and describes the historical roots of contemporary issues…

Despite the apparent universality of loneliness and its link to psychosocial maladjustment, research on loneliness has emerged rather recently in the history of psychology. This book brings together varied theories and lines of research on loneliness among children and adolescents to provide a source for future research. The chapters are: (1)…

Examined influence of perceived self-efficacy for affect regulation with older adolescents. Found that self-efficacy to regulate affect related to high efficacy to manage academic development, resist social pressures for antisocial activities, and engage with empathy in others' emotional experiences. Perceived self-efficacy for affect regulation…

Defining coping as the cognitive and behavioral strategies used to deal with the demands of everyday living, this book explores the research on how young people manage a range of life problems. Following an introduction discussing the particular aspects of adolescent coping behavior, motivation, and attitudes, the book is divided into eleven…