Counters Donald Barr's assertion that works such as J. D. Salinger's "Catcher in the Rye" and William Golding's "Lord of the Flies" are unfit reading material for adolescents ("Should Holden Caufield Read These Books?""New York Times Book Review," May 4, 1986). Shows how these works address adolescents'…

Analyzed longitudinal survey data for relationship between adolescent sexuality and adolescents' religious affiliation and participation among Detroit area families (N=916). Confirmed previous findings which showed strong correlation between religious involvement and adolescent sexual attitudes and behavior, i.e., religious adolescents had least…

Contrasts motives for adolescent suicide around the turn of the century with motivations for suicide in the 1980s. Concludes that suicide motivations changed from fear of punishment to those involving identity crises. Uses case studies to discuss relationship of causative factors and to illustrate appropriate pedagogical action. (KO)

Discusses teenage girls' life experiences as a way to identify sources of conflict emerging from their cultural perspectives. Considers some theoretical issues relevant to the development of a critical pedagogy and the empowerment of teenage girls. Offers a starting point for thinking about appropriate ways for feminist educators to work with…

Examined individual differences in friendship characteristics and their cross-sectional and longitudinal interrelations with adolescent problems. Assessed four salient friendship characteristics: reciprocity of relations, overt hostility, covert hostility, and self-disclosure. Suggests that adolescent problem behaviors have a more potent…

Develops the thesis of the interrelationships of conceptions of adolescents with curricula and school organization by examining the Carnegie Council (1989) reform report on middle schools, "Turning Points: Preparing American Youth for the 21st Century." The article discusses economic and social contexts of the report, historical…

High school students completed achievement, psychosocial competence, behavior problems, and internalized stress. Results showed that the level of parent authoritativeness in adolescents' peer network benefits adolescents above and beyond the positive impact of parenting in their home. (ET)

Examines from an existential view the development of abstract thought in adolescents and the conflicts arising from its process. Proposes an existential model that views various types of adolescent behavior as the manifestation of the adolescent's defense mechanisms developed in response to existential conflict; presents specific examples of…

Examined quantitative evidence of an intellectual growth spurt during early adolescence by combining modern psychometric modeling, computerized testing with the Raven progressive matrices, and longitudinal socioeconomic and educational backgrounds. Found that gender difference was not significant. Notes the impact of this evidence on educational…

This literature review addresses determinants of low behavior control in parenting adolescents at risk. The Barber and Belsky models are used to discuss parent developmental history, parent maturity, parent mental health, socioeconomic status, sources of stress (parent involvement, marital conflict, and job satisfaction), and child…

Discusses the variation in developmental effects of childhood sexual abuse across individuals and within individuals over time, and the timing of the impact of the abuse on the victim's psychosocial development, with special attention given to adolescent development. Implications for treatment are considered. (JPS)

Provides an abstract of the book, "Developmentally Appropriate Middle Schools," which examines young adolescents' physical, psychosocial, and cognitive characteristics, and suggests developmentally appropriate educational experiences. The book includes the idea that young adolescents' individual development should be the basis for curricular,…

Summarizes literature on identity formation in individuals from socially devalued racial and ethnic groups in U.S. Discusses implications for adolescents in foster care or residential group homes, many of whom are African American or Latino. Postulates that social maladaptation is reflective of identity disturbances created by negative images of…

This interview with Angela Goethals, a 14-year-old professional actress and academically gifted high school student, looks at her early acting experiences, her attitudes about acting, how she combines academic and acting responsibilities, and necessary sacrifices. (DB)

To evaluate the part that nascent skeptical doubt plays in shaping adolescent social-cognitive development, 61 high school students clearly classified as in concrete or formal operational stages of cognitive development completed a measure of epistemic stances. A relationship was found between cognitive and epistemic development. (SLD)