Purpose is a concept receiving increasing attention in the developmental sciences. Making sense of your place in the world and finding meaning--a process fundamental to purpose--support positive development in adolescence and beyond. Using traditional ethnographic strategies, this article examines the development of purpose among a small group of…

The inadequacy of experimental activities (or lack of equipment) in science courses in rural parts of Turkey negatively effects students' acquisition of scientific thinking and inquiry skills. The fact that success rates are notably low in international assessments demonstrates the necessity to adopt "different" approaches apart from the…

College Readiness for Rural Youth is an innovative, postsecondary education bridge program that gives youth the opportunity to explore college attainability, admissions, financial aid, and application processes. The initiative aims to support academic success and transition to college for rural youth.

Substance use among youth is a significant health concern in the rural United States, particularly among at-risk students. While evidence-based programs are available, literature suggests that an underdeveloped rural health prevention workforce often limits the adoption of such programs. Additionally, population-size restrictions of national…

The purpose of this study was to explore the postsecondary educational and occupational expectations of work-bound rural youth. Three groups of work-bound youth were identified (work-bound, work-bound with future educational plans, and work-bound but unsure/undecided about postsecondary education), and each group was compared to college-bound…

The adolescent years are often turbulent, for they signal a very important developmental period recognized across all known societies as one of transition or a rite of passage--a period that signals changes in status, responsibilities, and rights. In addition, this era is often marked by "biological, cognitive, and socioemotional…

What kind of impact have the last decade's radical changes in types of economic systems, property ownership, and opportunities for employment had on the rural youth of Russia? This paper examines this topic by presenting a survey of upper-grade students in rural schools in a region of Saratov Oblast in 1994, 1997, and 2004, using the same…

Sampled 49 students in a structured telephone interview to ascertain factors that are most instrumental to high school seniors when selecting postsecondary institutions. Found some differences between urban and rural students' influencing factors. (EV)

A survey of 124 African-American high school juniors and seniors in the rural South investigated factors related to interest in teaching as a career. Approximately one-third of participants indicated an interest in teaching; 75% of the rest were interested in health care professions or owning their own business. Nine data tables summarize results.…

The Short Acculturation Scale for Hispanic Youth (SASH-Y) was used to assess acculturation among 137 fourth- and fifth-grade children in rural southern Colorado, including 11 Mexican, 33 Mexican American, and 93 Euro-American children. The SASH-Y, especially questions related to language use, was found to be robust with a young, rural Latino…

A survey of 177 secondary students in rural Victoria (Australia) examined attitudes towards primary health care delivery. Most students valued general practitioners, felt their doctor was an empathetic listener who used language they could understand, and felt they had reasonable access to health care. Confidentiality issues were important,…

A survey of 163 senior medical students attending a South Australian medical school found that rural students were more likely than urban students to experience stress; be concerned about getting a provider number (license); feel that consultants had little time for them; have made the decision to study medicine without pressure from others; and…

A shortened and revised Student Aspirations Survey was administered to 1,160 students in rural middle schools and high schools. Evidence of construct validity was considerable for student responses to the aspirations scales and very limited for student responses to the school climate scales. Suggestions for improvement of score interpretation are…

A survey of 150 poor rural students in grades 4-8 revealed that age is relevant in choosing role models, that there are major gender differences in the types of glamour figures selected as role models and as simple figures of success, and that age and gender appear to affect youth's perceptions of success and their occupational choice. (LP)

Surveys of 158 West Virginia Governor's Honors Academy (GHA) students and 644 seniors in rural West Virginia high schools suggest that, compared to the latter, GHA students are less alienated; are not more eager to leave their community; exhibit stronger modern dispositions, but not weaker rustic dispositions; and are equally satisfied with their…