Assesses how similar same-sex friends are in their level of moral development. Results indicate significant relationships only for male-female dyads. The functions of different dyadic friendships are discussed, including Piaget's and Kohlberg's ideas that peers have a role in promoting cognitive growth. (Author/BEF)

This study examined the relative impact of parent and peer reference groups on frequency of marijuana use in a nonrandom sample of university students. Ordinal type scales and tau-b provide a statistically strong degree of association between the type of reference group orientation and marijuana use. (Author/SJL)

Described is a group weight control project with severely obese adolescent girls in a medical setting. Behavior modification principles were utilized with peer group interaction. Significant others had separate group meetings. Small amounts of weight loss were recorded. Dropouts continued to have a net gain. (Author/KC)

Examined whether maternal control protected African American adolescents from the negative influence of problem peers in a sample of 95 seventh- and eighth-graders. Found support for the hypothesis of a curvilinear relation between control and adolescent problem behavior, and suggested that high-quality parenting can play a modest but critical…

Examined effects on target children's sociodramatic role play of sociodramatic script training in combination with an intervention package consisting of peer role prompting, a group-oriented reinforcement contingency, and visual feedback. Found support for use, with a minimum of teacher involvement, of the peer-mediated intervention package in…

Examines the relationships of 1,226 low-risk elementary and middle school children across a variety of relationship partners. Presents descriptive data on the profile of the children's patterns of relatedness with others. Looks at the ways that children's interpersonal relationships facilitate their readiness to learn and their active engagement…

Discusses how mentoring in health promotion differs from other key support roles, noting what the underlying rationale is behind mentoring, how a mentoring program should be designed, what the historical and theoretical roots of mentoring are, and what strategies mentors can use to be more effective. A research agenda for the mentoring approach is…

This study examined how children's play varied as function of child's sex, play partner's sex, and whether they played in dyads or groups. Observation data revealed that boys' same-sex play was more active-forceful, farther from presence of adults, and more stereotyped than girls', a pattern exaggerated in groups. Mixed-sex play was more likely…

Two children (ages 7-8) with autism and eight typical peers participated in a study designed to replicate an earlier finding of successful social-skills intervention for children with autism using peer-implemented pivotal response training (PRT). The results of using multiple peer trainers on generalization of treatment effects were assessed.…

Studied the link between authoritative parenting style and early adolescent tobacco use through the self-reports of 156 eighth graders and independent reports on tobacco use from their friends. Results show that high levels of authoritative parenting are associated with lower levels of tobacco use among target adolescents. (SLD)

Investigated adolescents' perceptions of what contributed to their feeling safe at school and their strategies for enhancing a sense of security. High school students from rural and suburban New York State public schools completed focus group and individual interviews. Overall, students depended on peer predictability to feel safe at school when…

Examines the relationship between depressive mood and cigarette smoking among a sample of 123 adolescent males and 82 adolescent females. Finds an independent relation of depressive mood, friends' smoking behavior, and living in a single-parent home. Concludes that depressive mood and stress may contribute to the onset of smoking. (FMW)

School boards are responsible for fostering an environment that promotes teacher professionalism. Successful approaches in the New York City Public Schools included a curriculum guide describing teaching practices reported by teachers; funding of experiments in teaching; and emphasizing reading, writing, and discussion. (MLF)

Understanding the influence of peer culture and developing intervention strategies are essential tasks for student affairs staff concerned with promoting values awareness and development. Recent changes in the norms of collegiate peer culture are described, and strategies for influencing peer culture are delineated. (TE)