Explored the ability of 269 students in grades 8, 10, and 12, to estimate their scores on psychometric instruments measuring self-awareness. No sex or age differences were found, but Black students were less accurate in their self-assessments than whites. Results suggest career counselors should consider means of increasing self-awareness. (JAC)

The uniqueness of this book lies in the multiple perspectives drawn from youth, their parents, and their teachers. These perspectives provide a range of lenses through which a student or beginning teacher may view child and adolescent development. The complex processes of development occur within a social context, and therefore a professional…

Applying the research-based developmental assets list of 40 positive relationships, experiences, and values as a framework for positive youth development provides communities with a set of factors associated with increased healthy behaviors and fewer high-risk behaviors. Beginning with a question regarding the applicability of this model for youth…

This report by the National Institute on Out-of- School Time (NIOST) in association with The Forum for Youth (FYI) investigates how after-school programs in Boston can most effectively promote positive youth development as a support to academic achievement. The positive youth development approach addresses the broader developmental needs of youth,…

This issue provides information on recent publications and resources on outcomes for teenagers in families receiving or transitioning off the welfare rolls and in innovative youth development programs for those and other at-risk youth. Thirteen publications are listed for additional information. A list of 17 Web sites for more information is…

Most researchers continue to assume that one's self-concept is primarily governed by environmental determinants despite abundant evidence of the strong influence of genetic heritability. Ways in which the self-concept is developmental in the organism, particularly how adolescents' perceptions of personal, relational, and academic self-identity…

Recent research has begun to examine heterosexual male behavior and the early experiences of masculinity. This pilot research project used naturalistic inquiry methodologies to investigate the experience and education of boys/young men in relation to matters of sexual health and masculinity and to develop an understanding of the relationship among…

Dance education provides an opportunity for aerobic exercise and conditioning that is especially appealing to many girls. Dance may act as an outlet for girls and give them confidence, but, at the same time, it may create risks associated with perceived body-image. The benefits of taking dance classes were examined for girls, ages 13-20, enrolled…

This study investigated the potential effects of welfare reform on children in late childhood through adolescence, examining how poverty status and family welfare receipt interacted with current poverty status and welfare receipt during adolescence to influence various outcomes. The study examined how 1998 outcomes varied for adolescents based on…

Depression in adolescence typically has a debilitating toll in terms of academic and social functioning, and it predicts a variety of negative outcomes later. Previous research points out that once on a depressed trajectory in development, an individual becomes more likely to stay on this course because of the tendency to both alienate and…

In June 1999, nearly 40 researchers and specialists in youth development gathered to participate in a conference entitled "Creating Citizenship: Youth Development for a Free and Democratic Society." This executive summary identifies a number of qualities and capacities of young people that are essential for achieving the goals of…

This book serves as both a scholarly and practical guide for teachers, school psychologists, and parents on helping boys and adolescent males grow up. It provides practitioners with a comprehensive handbook on understanding and responding to the developmental, cultural, and special concerns of boys and adolescent males. It attempts to provide…

National standards call for increased focus on meaningful teaching and learning that is developmentally appropriate and helps all students reach proficiency not only in basic skills but also in higher order thinking skills and real-world application of skills. Among recommendations for including real-world experiences into students' education is…

Presenting the idea that girls need the ability to approach passages of text with a critical, resistant eye that sees what values, social codes, or political agendas the passages communicate, a literacy club for at-risk girls within the school setting can enable girls to read and write their ways into richer selves by exploring and generating…

This study examined the degree to which religion is perceived as a source of stress and as a coping resource among Jewish students. Subjects, 75 sixth- through eighth-grade students in a Midwestern city, completed a survey in Sunday school. Twenty of the students also responded to a structured interview about their stressors and coping strategies.…