This study reflects the findings of previous studies as reported in the literature. This paper establishes a signi6931nt 496f5r5nce between males and females as to reasons for smoking. Males start because their parents smoke or their siblings smoke. That which most effectively deters them is a concern for health. Females are more open to…

This followup study used data from a previous study to examine gender differences in risk factors that increase the probability of suicidal behavior among 3,461 students in grades 7 through 12. There were significant gender differences in that more aggressive behaviors increased the likelihood of males reporting suicidal behavior. (SLD)

This report describes a range of adolescent behaviors related to their safety and the safety of others. The behaviors reported here range from ordinary safety precautions such as only swimming in supervised areas and wearing helmets when riding a motorcycle to less talked about behaviors such as using condoms during sexual intercourse and carrying…

This report on adolescent tobacco use in Nebraska focuses on grades 8 and 10. The results presented are based on over time; (2) the changing nature of tobacco use from smoking to use as a chew or snuff; (3) the viewing of smoking and chewing as one health issue of tobacco exposure; (4) definition of a smoker for purposes of this study; (5) data…

This report describes the dieting practices of 796 Nebraskans in grades 8 and 10. The results presented in this report are based on questions from the 1989 National Adolescent Health Survey administered to a total of 1,689 adolescents. These topics are covered: (1) incidence of dieting in adolescent males and females; (2) methods used by dieters…

This report presents information from a survey of the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of Nebraska adolescents (N=1,240) in grades 9-12 related to the Human-Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). Schools were selected at random from each of the six classifications of Nebraska schools, and two or three…

This study surveyed students in grades 7-12 in eight Alaskan school districts. The study was designed to obtain information on the use or nonuse of a broad spectrum of chemical substances, ranging from legal, socially sanctioned drugs for those of legal age such as alcohol and tobacco, to illegal and unsanctioned drugs taken for nonmedical…

Whether there are themes underlying adolescent drug use, and whether these themes are related to age, sex, or type of drug use was studied with 2,637 6th through 12th graders in Oklahoma. Age, gender, and user differences were identified as reasons adolescents use drugs. (SLD)

Inconsistencies in adolescents' self-reports of sexual behavior were studied for 758 rural adolescents (eighth-grade students in rural Maryland) who completed surveys over 3 years. Consistency rates fluctuate depending on the measure of sexual behavior, the racial/gender subgroup, age, and prior sexual experience, but the majority present…

A study to produce a reliable, methodological precise measure of generalized locus of control of reinforcement, which can be group administered to a wide range of children, is reported. The measure produced, the Nowicki-Strickland Locus of Control Scale, is a paper and pencil instrument of 40 questions which are marked either yes or no. The scale…

This report describes selected eating and exercise patterns among a sample of 2,237 Nebraska youth in grades 9-12 selected from a random sample of 24 junior and senior high schools. The eating patterns reported cover food selection, body image, weight management, and weight loss methods. The exercise patterns relate to the frequency of…