The present investigation examines mediated pathways from pubertal development to changes in depressive affect and aggression. Participants were 100 white girls who were between the ages of 10 and 14 (M=12.13, SD=0.80); girls were from well-educated, middle-to upper-middle class families, and attended private schools in a major northeastern urban…

Peer relationships play an important role in socialization during childhood and young adolescence. Negative relationships may pose multiple difficulties for children related to their development that can have lifelong influences. Research indicates that the quality of peer relationships is associated with a variety of outcomes, such as social…

This paper explores the process of identity formation as related to adolescents' level of moral development, race, sex, and family configuration. Ego identity was operationalized into four identity statuses based on an adolescent's reported degree of exploration and goal commitment in the areas of occupation, religion, politics, and philosophy…

This document focuses on adolescent depression, described as a major, pervasive, and perhaps increasing problem. A brief introduction to depression in adolescence, with case examples, is followed by a discussion of what constitutes adolescent depression. Depressed mood, depressive syndromes, and clinical depression are three approaches taken in…

Noting that parents raising adolescents need to know when to be quiet and when to act, as well as what to do when something needs to be done, this guide for parents offers guidelines for handling the complex situations and dilemmas that teenagers often present. Topics covered include managing teenage risk-taking, the relationship between…

In the summer of 1991, 24 students, members of an I Have a Dream (IHAD) program, took part in a pilot program to introduce them to the work force through internships augmented by a training program. The Coro Foundation was contacted by IHAD to run the training program, which was adapted to the needs of disadvantaged students entering 10th grade.…

This monograph about counseling in the middle schools is an update from the first edition, which was published in 1980. The first section discusses the rationale for a middle level counseling program. It stresses the importance of a guidance program based on a thorough understanding of what is normal growth and development for youngsters at this…

A study examined sentence production errors and syntactic complexity in students' writing in two modes of discourse and at three grade levels. Subjects, average and high developmental students enrolled in seventh, ninth, and eleventh grade classes, each wrote two compositions, one in the descriptive the other in the persuasive mode. Data analysis…

This document presents the third of five newsletters on sex education for parents. The newsletters were designed to help parents increase their ability to communicate with their adolescents about sexual issues. They explore the origins of the parents' feelings about sex; teach the importance of a healthy self-concept and how to build it in the…

Although the stepfamily has become a significant family system in the United States, the amount of empirical research on stepfamily living is limited. The definitions of a stepfamily as any family in which at least one adult is a stepparent is a simple one, yet the issues and dynamics involved in stepfamilies are complex. The structures, roles,…

Using two cases as the basis of exploration, this article discusses (1) the impact of pregnancy during adolescence on the development of the young girl and her offspring and (2) the influences of her extended family. It also explores the concept of adolescent/infant development as a means of providing comprehensive services to pregnant…

This document presents a selected bibliography of recent books and journal articles relating to adolescent sexuality and reproductive health. The compilation of annotated references is divided into sections which focus on the issues of: (1) Sexuality Education; (2) Contraception; (3) Parenthood; (4) Communication with Parents; (5) Reproductive…

The widespread popularity of the young adult novels of Judy Blume makes them important factors in the socialization process. Almost all of the characters in her books are members of the middle or upper-middle class, and with the exception of some of the characters in 4 of her 15 novels, all are white. Thus, Blume is teaching youth how to be…

A review of the literature supports the notion that adolescent literature offers vast opportunities for application to educational settings. Efforts to legitimize the genre by making it more realistic have succeeded in winning approval from professional organizations, educators, and the general public. With its only recently improved status,…

This factsheet considers the psychological task of adolescence, explains the adolescent's separation from his/her parents, and gives child and parent checklists for evaluating family functioning. Patterns of family development are discussed, including midlife parental development and the influence of previous generations. The role of non-family…