Notes that rural family is vulnerable to overwhelming crises and that adolescent suicide may result from or add to stress. Identifies and examines specific stressors with which rural adolescent must deal, coping mechanisms used, and how failure of coping strategies can lead to suicidal behavior. Examines therapeutic modalities available and…

All terrain vehicles (ATVs) are a popular form of transportation and recreation for youth. ATVs are also convenient for farm-related activities. However, the impact of the farming environment on ATV-related injuries is not clear. To determine differences in ATV-related behaviors, exposures, risk factors, and injuries between farm youth and their…

Reviews relevant literature on the subject of rural adolescent mental health. Discusses demographics, unique situations, and problems of rural youth. Presents impact of the rural economic crisis. Suggests treatment strategies to deal with mental health problems of rural adolescents: individual therapy, family therapy, and peer group programs. (NEC)

Discusses social belonging as both a health-related goal and an antidote for emotional crises. Examines how social connectedess represents both a content and process variable in Northern Scottish young people's discussion of their health concerns. Analyses reveal both the potency of all these concerns and participants' belief that skills acquired…

Evaluates the impact of 4 career development curricular strategies and emotional/instrumental support in preparing rural adolescents to make successful post-high school transitions. Curriculum strategies and perceived support helped 8th-, 10th-, and 12th-grade students attain critical aspects of career development, enhanced student satisfaction,…

A growing body of empirical data suggests that there may be a true psychological distinction between academic and practical intelligence. If there is, then conventional ability tests used alone may reveal substantially less than we want to know about people's competence in everyday practical situations. Evidence to this effect is reviewed from…

Examines social support and coping in relation to resiliency among a sample of rural, low-income Appalachian African-American and White adolescents. Regression analyses reveal that social support from family and problem-focused, avoidance, and wishful-thinking forms of coping significantly predicted resiliency. Race and gender distinctions were…

This document synthesizes research findings to formulate a theory to guide relaxation training in educational settings, particularly rural schools. Young people experience many intense life events that require coping skills or relaxation. Family-related stress factors include instability in the home, lack of a support system, conflicting values,…

Historically, little has been written or researched about British rural youth. Since the late 1970s, however, largely as a result of initiatives within the Youth Service, rural youth have become identified as a separate, definable area of concern and study. The present trend toward high unemployment is hitting young people particularly hard,…

A review of a medical database examined health risks to children living and working on farms. Numbers of at-risk children and the laws governing child farm work are discussed. Farm youth experienced exposures to potentially harmful chemicals and disproportionately high rates of work-related fatalities. Long-term health effects of chemical exposure…

Little is known about preventing alcohol use by youth in rural America, and almost no rural alcohol prevention program has been evaluated. To address these deficiencies, this paper critically examines the issue of alcohol use by rural youth within a public health framework. The literature is reviewed to identify what is known about the prevalence…

America's substance abuse epidemic has come to rural America. Adults in small metropolitan and rural areas are just as likely as those in urban America to use and abuse illegal drugs, alcohol, and tobacco. Young teens in small metropolitan and rural areas are more likely to abuse substances than those in large metro areas. Based on a wide variety…

Survey of 22 rural Australian youth, aged 12-18 and not attending school or work, found that youth were strongly motivated towards creative, practical, and life skills learning. Describes a model of the phenomenon of "street kids" at the intersection of youth unemployment, homelessness, and truancy. Recommends establishment of pilot…

This document reviews problems related to sexual activity among rural U.S. teenagers, successes and failures of teen sex education programs, and problems and needs specific to rural areas. In a recent poll, 89% of adults favored sex education in the schools and 73% supported making birth control information and contraceptives available in school…

The economic, social and educational needs of rural youth in England and Wales are not being met. Rural youth are defined as all young people between the ages of 10 and 25 living in areas more than 30 miles from towns of 250,000 inhabitants, or 20 miles from towns whose population is between 50,000 and 250,000. The rapid decrease in the…