Discusses the intertwined emotional and intellectual needs of early adolescents, characteristics of developmentally responsive middle schools, family and school factors that increase the likelihood of dropping out, problems of delinquency and school discipline, protective factors related to student resilience, and school and community…

Evaluated the longitudinal implications of age-18 dysphoric mood in 23-year olds using a multidata, multi informant design. Findings indicated that adolescent dysphoric mood was an important predictor of psychological distress in young adults, especially in young adult women, for whom the prospective correlations of adolescent dysphoria were more…

Examined three peer approval and self-worth relationship orientations among young adolescents. Focused on participants who based their self-worth on peer approval. Found such students were more likely to be distracted from schoolwork, to perceive fluctuations in classmate approval and self-worth, and to report lower levels of classmate approval…

Examined the influence of environmental factors on adolescent adjustment in a sample of 667 adoptive families. Found that correlations between parental ratings of family functioning and offspring ratings of psychological adjustment were generally higher for the birth than the adoptive offspring sample, and that the correlation in the adjustment…

Examined both concurrently and longitudinally the influence of pubertal development, perceptions of pubertal timing, and experience with parents on the development of eating problems in normal adolescent girls. Found that adolescent girls' positive relationships with both parents were related to healthier eating. Results suggest that the…

Maintains that a significant positive relationship exists between perceived teacher support, interest, and encouragement and adolescents' self-concept in Africa. Utilized the Self-Description Inventory (SDI) to reveal that specific dimensions of adolescents' self-concepts were positively affected by specific teacher behaviors. (MJP)

In recent years, there has been increased policy interest in the way young people spend their time out of school, and in promoting the availability of opportunities for them to spend this time in productive and developmentally supportive ways. Out-of-school opportunities (such as arts and music programs, sports teams, community service, youth …

"The Link" is a periodical published by the Child Welfare League. The Child Welfare League of America is the nation's oldest and largest membership-based child welfare organization. They are committed to engaging people everywhere in promoting the well-being of children, youth, and their families and protecting every child from harm. This issue of…

Keeping high school students in school and helping them gain competence and confidence in skills so that they can be successful in the world of work and/or college is an enormous challenge. The results of one study clearly demonstrated a direct correlation between one's self-esteem and academic competence. The more competent one feels, the better…

This article explores uses for strengths-based assessment of gay, lesbian and bisexual youth in residential care. Gay, lesbian and bisexual (GLB) youth face unique challenges such as stigma management and disclosure. In addition, GLB youth are also at increased risk for drug use, suicide and unprotected sex. Consequently, the needs of GLB youth…

Twenty-two key professionals were invited to submit written comments and to attend a 1-day consultation designed to identify strategies for expanding the availability and quality of training for youth workers. Participants responded in writing in advance of the meeting to three sets of questions: type of people involved in youth work and…

This Digest reviews some ideas and suggestions about parental involvement in middle school education, focusing on the language arts. The Digest reviews the research on how to increase parental involvement in middle schools and presents several programs already in use at various middle schools. The diverse programs outlined in the Digest feature…

In plain language, these six ready-to-copy briefs state what researchers and practitioners have learned about various ways parents can help their children do well in school. "Calculating the Risks: When Should Parents Add or Subtract?" discusses the normal risks of life, the intensification of risk by poverty, and how parents can keep…

Each year in the United States, approximately one million adolescents become pregnant. This guide, the seventh in a series of resource guides for human service professionals, features a collection of articles that explores and explains the different facets of teenage pregnancy, while offering strategies for intervention. The volume begins with an…

This article is the final report on a study of adolescent girls which explored the relationship between physical activity and self-esteem. Two earlier phases of the study collected data on girls aged 9 to 12 years (n=76) and aged 12 to 17 years (n=67). A questionnaire explored: (1) confidence and perceived competence; (2) sports and activity…