Sex equity issues which are emphasized in this article include: (a) how boys and girls negotiate reproductive transitions; (b) how male and female sexual maturity is treated differently by parents, educators, and society; and (c) how the consequences of puberty and sexual behavior may differ for boys and girls. (IAH)

The Growing Up FAST program involves working with adolescents and their parents and includes rites of passage, multicultural issues, and a solution-focused perspective. Discusses the program's development and theoretical background, as well as its specific goals, current valuative efforts, and implementation strategies. (RJM)

Performance on measures of phonology, reading, and spelling was evaluated for subjects (including 20 preschoolers, 23 grade school children, 17 adolescents, and 17 adults). Subjects had a history of a preschool phonology disorder. Although relative performance improved across age groups, at each age group subjects performed more poorly than…

Addresses event-related factors and cognitive-related factors as identifiers of the end of adolescence and the onset of adulthood. Adolescents were surveyed to determine what they believed were the most important attributes for becoming adults, and at what age their adulthood began. The majority of the sample identified cognitive factors as…

Background: The frequently reported decline in the "overall" frequency and intensity of fears during late childhood and adolescence may mask different developmental patterns for two broad subclasses of fears: fears concerning physical danger and fears concerning social evaluation. It was investigated if physical fears decrease between…

Advanced Placement allows a student to apply credits he has acquired in high school to waive basic academic college requirements. It has broad appeal, and by 2003 a million American students were participating. William Casement argues that, despite its popularity, the decreasing selectivity of the program, the immaturity of the high school…

As increasing numbers of mature students enter schools of social work, it is a challenge and an obligation for field instructors to discover ways to recruit and sustain them in the educational endeavor. Building upon three theoretical perspectives--Freire's pedagogy of the oppressed, Knowles's andragogy, and Schon's reflective learning and…

In this article the author looks at the image of journey and its archeform, quest, and finds two spiritual concepts: that of movement to the center followed by a return, and the concomitant understanding that all that has arisen and reached maturity must return to renew itself. Four journeys, the shamanic journey of soul, the hero's journey of…

Explores forces of tradition and community and pressures to find work and succeed in "modern" world on lives of rural youth. Examines data on 46 youth (aged 17-24) from Sawyer, Maine. Suggests lessons for social service professionals as they help youth, their families, and their communities build constructive future lives. (NEC)

Found peer-counseling training for Black students in a predominantly White university to be significant in furthering psychological growth. There was movement in the areas of moral reasoning and ego development as measured by the Defining Issues Test and the Sentence Completion Test. Advocates providing programs aimed at improving psychological…

Reports two cross-sectional studies assessing the influence of age on the use of 28 coping mechanisms. Results showed older people coped similiarly to younger people, and where they employed different mechanisms it was because of different types of stress. Middle-aged and older people used less hostile and escapist reactions. (Author/RC)

Parent and self advocacy for the disabled is discussed, particularly in relation to issues where parents and children frequently have conflicts. Four major areas of conflict are identified: independence, peer group identification, sexuality, and goal setting for adult life. (SB)

The results of a study designed to determine the relationship between time students on preceptorships spend in the emergency room and their self-judged anxiety while working there is reported. As a result of this study, program administrators have encouraged preceptors to expand emergency room experience. (Author/MLW)

Investigated relationships between career maturity and Holland's (1985a) constructs of congruence, consistency, and differentiation among individuals with (N=76) and without learning disabilities (N=106). Also examined the relationship between Holland's Investigative personality type and career maturity in individuals with and without learning…

Investigates Israeli students' comprehension and opinions of democracy. Explores the extent to which their level of comprehension is related to maturation, socioeconomic background, political partisanship, and schooling. Results indicate that most have a positive opinion of democracy but have trouble characterizing it and applying democratic…