Study investigated the relationships between dissociative experiences, anger proneness, and attachment styles in a nonclinical sample of late adolescent females. Found a connection between anger proneness and dissociation. Insecurely attached females showed more anger proneness. Results confirm the importance of psychological intervention for…

Evaluates risk factors in African American adolescent suicide attempters (n=51) and nonsuicidal (n=124) adolescents. Results show that threat of separation from a parental figure, insomnia, neglect, substance abuse, suicidal ideation, and failing grades were the strongest predictors of suicide attempt. Unexpected findings include high levels of…

Examines the effect of parental attachment and supervision on fear of crime among adolescent males. The results indicate that boys who are most attached to their parents are less fearful of criminal victimization and feel safer in their environment. Additionally, those boys whose parents supervise them closely are more fearful of criminal…

Changes in the parental bond and the well-being of adolescents and young adults were investigated in this longitudinal study among Dutch adolescents. General results reveal that adolescents and young adults maintain a rather good and reasonably stable relationship with their parents. Parents prove to be of lasting importance for the well-being of…

Compared infant-mother attachment and mastery motivation in babies born to adolescent and adult mothers. Found more, although not significantly so, securely attached infants among those born to adult than to adolescent mothers. Infants of adolescent mothers were significantly more persistent than infants of adult mothers, although they were…

Analyzes treasured possessions and their meanings in adolescence, including their relation to those treasured during early life and their relation to self-identity. Subjects were 14- to 18-year-old high school students (n=249). Results showed that males' most treasured possessions embodied enjoyment and instrumental meanings, whereas females'…

Examines the relationship between family characteristics and adolescent deviant behaviors, such as delinquency and drug use. Results indicate a significant direct relationship between family attachment and each of the deviant behaviors, whereas family structure was not significantly related to deviant behavior. Family attachment had a direct…

Examines older adolescents (N=167) perceived levels of attachment to parents and peers, along with their self-image. Results indicate that attachment to parents continues to remain strong into late adolescence for both males and females. Females had stronger attachment to peers whereas males had higher levels of self-image. (RJM)

Four interrelated yet distinct variables, economic independence, separate residence, personal control, and emotional attachment to parents, were highly significant predictors of both ego identity and college adjustment. The results confirm earlier preliminary investigations and support a broader definition of leaving home than those typically…

Examined adolescents' perceived levels of intimacy as a function of demographic, family and school, and psychological variables. Students with same-sex friends and greater interest in school reported greater intimacy with mother. Students with higher self-esteem, lower depression, and lower risk-taking scores revealed greater intimacy with both…

The hypothesis studied was derived from the work of control theorists: that self-esteem would be higher for offenders "removed" from conventional ties, lower for those maintaining conventional attachments. Family background and self-esteem scores of 75 male delinquents strongly supported this hypothesis. Implications for incarceration are drawn.…

Randomly selected college juniors and seniors (N=101) completed questionnaires concerning marital conflict, parental attachment, and attitudes about love and sex. Results indicated that intimacy was negatively correlated with parental conflict and divorce. Divorce and higher levels of conflict were associated with lower levels of intimacy in…

Based on Aristotelian ethics, an "Adolescent Ethical Behavior in Leisure Scale" (AEBLS) was developed. Data from high- and low-risk adolescents were used to examine correlations between AEBLS scores and measures of substance use, school bonding, and dispositional leisure boredom. Results support the use of AEBLS scores to discriminate…

In Study 1, the relationships between parental attachment, academic achievement, and distress were tested with a sample of academically successful inner-city high school students (N=100). Affective quality of maternal attachment was positively associated with grade point average. In Study 2, case examples provided an examination of sources of…

Examines the relationship between parental bonding and mental health in healthy adolescents. Results, based on 847 Israeli high school students, show that those who reported high care and low control (optimal bonding) reported less distress, better general well-being, and better social support than did all other groups. (RJM)