Among 24 tenth-grade students in an isolated rural school in Western Australia, all intended to finish twelfth grade although that required leaving home. Students' career decisions were influenced mainly by their mothers, with little influence from schools and teachers. Girls expressed more criticism of rural schooling than did boys. (LP)

Tested model of college drinking behavior which included alcohol expectancies, living environment, peer influence, and gender. Findings from 92 college students revealed that 3 (alcohol expectancies, social assertion, college living arrangement) of the 4 variables of the model were predictive of present alcohol use. Only gender did not…

Examines the use of alcohol by adolescents (N=535) in Dade County Public Schools during 1992. Significant factors that increase the probability of alcohol use are friends who drink, awareness of risks associated with alcohol use, and ease in obtaining alcohol. Family-related variables, smoking, religion, gender, race, academic performance, and…

Tested hypothesis that primary-influence processes in adolescent friendships are social interactional and that quality of friendship has little to do with development of delinquent behavior. Found that antisocial boys showed poor-quality friendships and low levels of relationship quality. (Author)

Examines how peer-group activity and social context affect middle-school girls' mass-media interactions. Shows emergent gender identity was consolidated via constant reference to acceptable sociocultural standards (which differed according to race and class) of femininity and sexuality. Concludes interventions such as media-literacy efforts must…

Addresses the importance and advantages of building a classroom community in which the physical, emotional, and cognitive needs of the learners are considered. Recommends three student-centered activities that enable children to become members of the classroom community by sharing their personal experiences with one another and practicing…

Presents model for major influences on children's gender role socialization: parents, media, school, and peers. Reviews literature on role of peer relationships in development of self concept and perpetuation of gender biases and stereotypes. Concludes that parents should set a positive example of gender fair behavior because children will…

Describes the Posse Foundation program which sends "posses" of 10 carefully chosen graduates from inner-city high schools, en masse, to selective private colleges seeking a more diversified student population. Reports that in the past 10 years, almost 90 percent of Posse students have graduated within five years. Also identifies problems, such as…

Examines the developmental, familial, and peer deterrents that form barriers to adoption placement, based on interviews with 17 teen mothers in a residential facility. Analyzes responses based on an Eriksonian developmental model, and notes the role of family "cutoffs" and "re-admissions" and peer pressure as deterrents to…

A study examined the effects of combining naturalistic teaching and peer-mediated tactics to address the developmental skills of 10 preschoolers with autism. Compared to naturalistic tactics only, the involvement of typical peers resulted in a substantial increase in the duration and rate of skills addressed during each teaching episode.…

A study involving two children (ages 7-8) with autism and eight typical peers investigated the efficacy of Pivotal Response Training implemented by multiple peers in enhancing social competency of children with autism. After treatment, the subjects engaged in high levels of interactions, initiations, varied toy play, and language use. (Author/CR)

Situates three young adolescents in their home, neighborhood, school, and peer cultures and analyzes their uses and interpretations of television contextually. Qualitative differences are found in their everyday learning within television culture as compared with their learning in local culture, although learning about social power across cultures…

The dissolution of sexual restraint has led to premature sexuality in children and youth, which poses not only the risks of pregnancy and disease but also serious emotional damage. Suggests character-based sex education as an alternative to earlier value-neutral models of sex education. Describes principles of and reviews such programs.…

Describes a peer helper program initiated by the University of Iowa Student Health Services to prevent active tuberculosis development among foreign national students. Before instituting the program, compliance with tuberculosis prevention efforts for those students was less than 5%. Since the peer program was instituted, compliance has risen to…

A study assessed social skills development in children aged 8-13 with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder after they attended a residential summer camp. Questionnaires returned by parents of 12 such campers reported increases in age-appropriate behavior, independence, self-esteem, connection with peers, and participation in group activities.…