In Louisiana, 7,383 high school students who had taken home economics were asked who had influenced their career decisions and what they had been encouraged to do after graduation. Analysis showed that family members and friends had the most influence and that most felt encouraged to attend college. (Author/CH)

Two researchers present their views on effective strategies for ability grouping, pointing out how grouping both low- and high-ability students together can help both to achieve better when they are grouped heterogeneously. (CB)

This model of rehabilitation through community incorporates components of the Kibbutz Resocialization Program, in which hard-core criminals have been successfully rehabilitated. This program also shows how laypersons committed to serving their community could become agents of change while serving as the offenders' companions, as adoptive parents,…

Examined homophilic mechanisms by which adolescents affect, and are affected by, levels of internalized distress within their immediate peer groups. Found that adolescents tend to associate with peers who report similar levels of internalized distress and that internalizers are no less successful than others at establishing friendships. Selection,…

Previously collected data on "incoherent" episodes of pupil-pupil discussion are examined in a study of mathematical learning. They raise general points about mathematics classroom discourse and indicate the importance of understanding children's ostensibly incoherent exchanges. (28 references) (Author/LB)

Questions the practice of impelling or coercing secondary students in New Zealand to participate in a residential outdoor education week. Suggests methods for decreasing elements of compulsion and increasing student choice (empowerment) to bring about more positive results from outdoor education experiences. (KS)

Studies five peer-response groups in a freshman composition class before and after a semester of reading and responding to literature. Examines how the reading of literature affects the quality of responses to student written texts. Demonstrates the potential that the reading of and responding to literary texts holds for peer response. (MG)

Puerto Ricans are among the poorest and least well educated of Hispanic Americans and continue to drop out of school at a high rate. Recommends peer counseling programs, because there are few Puerto Rican teachers or other professionals to serve as role models. (DM)

A school-based survey administered to 7,611 adolescents in New York State indicates a decline in illicit drug use during the period 1983-88. The decline may be explained by a corresponding decline in the ratio of youths to adults, changes in peer influence, and differences between high and low drug use areas. (CJS)

Responses to a questionnaire completed by 800 male and female high school students in southern California supported the hypothesis that increased family size contributes to delinquent behavior, especially for females. Parental influence in large families is often diluted. Children of large families are more influenced by peers. (DM)

Participants were college fraternity men (N=155) who were in either a pretested and posttested rape-prevention program, a posttested rape-prevention program, or an untreated control group. Significant declines in rape myth acceptance and behavioral intent to rape were shown among program participants regardless of whether they were pretested.…

Focus group discussions with Native-American adolescents aged 11 to 17 in Oklahoma examined why teen smokers started smoking, family and peer influences on smoking, reasons for continuing to smoke, reasons not to smoke, effectiveness of strategies to prevent adolescents from smoking, and awareness of the health risks of smoking. (SV)

Explains the "circle of friends approach" as one strategy aimed at using peer group support to promote the inclusion of children with autism into mainstream schools. It describes use of the approach with six autistic children in years 3 to 10 of British mainstream schools. Evaluation comments by the circle leaders, circle members, and…

Study surveys secondary school students (N=4,773) about five items concerning the circumstances of smoking initiation: age at first cigarette; source of supply; location of first smoke; persons present; and perceived degree of coercion. Although there was a highly significant gender difference on the item concerning age at first cigarette, with…

Drug Strategies' updated guide evaluates the 50 most popular U.S. prevention programs. Project ALERT scored high in overall quality, administrative ease, and rehearsal and role plays. Key components include age appropriateness, identification of social pressures, instruction in refusal skills, interactivity, normative education, family…