Using a socio-ecological perspective, examines the influences of adolescents' social networks, personal resources, and environmental risks on adolescents' behavior problems across three samples of youth (N=155). Findings show that social support can operate as a protective agent or as a risk factor, depending on other characteristics of subsystems…

Explores the relationship between antisocial behavior and social resources in a two-year longitudinal study of 100 high-risk adolescents (N=146) in a residential foster care facility. Risk factors and protective functions of variables are discussed, along with theoretical implications and methodological problems. (EMK)

A study examined the predictive power of selected social and academic variables regarding the arrest frequency for 11th-grade boys who seven years earlier had been judged to be at risk of developing antisocial behavior patterns. Antisocial measures on which participants scored higher were associated with more frequent arrests. (Author/CR)

A community-based social-learning program that combined behavior modification with cognitive intervention was used to help an adult male with a history of aggressive, antisocial behavior develop self-management skills. Results showed a significant decline in physical and nonphysical aggression, allowing the man to maintain competitive employment…

The number of felony-murder convictions of adolescents on death row in the United States is arguably a warning beacon about the serious nature of juvenile homicide. Reviews the research on adolescent homicide and highlights significant family variables. The contribution of a family studies perspective for understanding adolescent homicide is…

Studies beliefs about dating violence in a sample of 298 undergraduate and graduate students. After reading 15 vignettes, respondents were asked to rate how violent and abusive a depicted incident was, what they thought was likely to happen to the relationship in the future, and what should happen following the incident. Incidents varied along…

For boys at risk for delinquency, assessed their parents' dyadic aggression and unskilled parenting beginning when the boys were in grade four and assessed the boys' aggression to a female partner in young adulthood. Found a relation between the parents' poor parenting practices and the boys' aggression to a partner, mediated by the boys'…

In a longitudinal study of a cohort of boys, compared the characteristics of those who became adolescent fathers with those who did not, and of their children with other children. The adolescent fathers had more arrests and substance abuse problems than the other adolescents. Their children had more health problems than a group of normal control…

Principals should consider redirecting school counselors' responsibilities to include directing safe-school teams; establishing networks to identify at-risk students and violent behavior signs; developing conflict-resolution activities; assessing and counseling misbehaving students; devising crisis- management plans; and helping staff predict and…

Evaluates the effectiveness of a family-school-community intervention model in an off-campus disciplinary alternative school. Finds positive changes in students' self-esteem and life skills and significant improvement in their attendance and grades while in the program. All except two students were still in school 1 year after leaving the program.…

A study evaluated the effect of academic self-concept (ASC) on the development of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and antisocial behaviors in early adolescents (n=445). Results indicated that ASC is an important construct that directly contributes to the development of antisocial behaviors rather than to symptoms of ADHD. (Contains…

Assessed young children's perceptions about what misconduct behaviors peers are likely to commit at school and the grocery store. Found more moral than conventional misbehaviors were generated; moral acts were expected more often at school whereas conventional misbehaviors were expected in both contexts; and expectations of peers' misbehaviors…

Investigated relations between interest in violent fantasy at age 4 years and children's social understanding, behavior, and interactions with friends 2 years later. Found that "hard-to-manage" children showed higher rates of violent fantasy. Across both groups, violent fantasy was related to later poor executive control and language…

Used new longitudinal clustering technique to identify and compare groups of children with distinct longitudinal profiles of peer social preference during elementary school. Identified a stable popular group, stable average group, and unpopular group, all with decreasing social preference. Groups showed overlap over time with closest corresponding…

We tested a hypothetical model linking maternal education and maternal coping behavior with parent-child relationship quality, and in turn, children's self-regulatory behavior and mental health difficulties. Consistent with predictions, mothers' use of active coping behaviors predicted more positive parent-child relationship quality, greater child…