While both positive and negative peer interactions have long been a focus of scientific interest, much less attention has been given to children who tend to refrain from interacting with peers. This volume brings together leading authorities to review progress in understanding the development, causes, and consequences of shyness and social…

Strategies for teaching social skills to students from diverse cultural groups are described. Teaching social skills accepted by the majority culture empowers students to function successfully in inclusive society. It is a proactive approach to managing behavior for culturally diverse adolescents with behavior deficits. To teach these skills…

Examines important behaviors and changes through which adolescents establish their autonomy. Concludes that high school students' drive for autonomy incorporates: (1) growth in behavioral autonomy from parents; (2) increased emotional autonomy from friends; and (3) the development of "grown up" identity through commission of status offenses that…

The theoretical perspective of Sullivan proposes that during preadolescence, a "chum" relationship increases a child's sense of self-worth. Subjects were 60 male sixth graders, with an equal number in the chumship and non-chumship groups. Self-concept was measured with the Piers-Harris Children's Self-Concept Scale. The results show that…

This report reviews evidence concerned with age-related aspects of social perception processes and their effects on overt behavior. Focus is on the variability among children in comprehension and evaluation of action, motives, and consequences of modeled behavior. Findings indicated that comprehension of acts in terms of motives and correctness of…

Role of self-efficacy beliefs as a mediator and moderator of the relation between the home environment and well-being was examined for both European American and African American adolescents. Found that self-efficacy beliefs sometimes mediate the relation between experiences in the home environment and measures of adolescent development. Effects…

The Adlerian concept of behavior being purposeful and socially embedded offers a contextual backdrop for understanding teens. This article offers an overview of the Dreikurs scheme, its applicability to understanding teen behavior, and, through a case study, the method to be used to speculate about the goal and purpose that undergrid a teenager's…

A review of research regarding the self-concept, locus of control, temperament, problem behavior, and social status of learning-disabled (LD) adolescents reveals a general lack of information, conflicting results, and methodological pitfalls inherent in the study of LD adolescent personality and behavioral development. (CB)