ABSTRACT In New Zealand schools, the focus continues to be on improving the reading achievement of all students situated across a range of socio-economic groups. This is particularly so for our young adolescent students, where research investigations have indicated some concerning trends which influence reading development for this age group. This…

Developed a measurement model for use in coping research in early adolescence. Results from 359 fifth and sixth graders provided support for measures of children's coping, and a four-factor measurement model incorporating coping efficacy, family support, and the two higher-order factors of productive and nonproductive coping was established. (SLD)

The Hazards of Tobacco (C) program, which focuses on smoking prevention among youth, was completed by 259 suburban sixth graders (199 controls) and 166 urban fifth through seventh graders. Participation significantly changed understanding of the role of tobacco advertising and the intention to smoke in both samples. (Contains 49 references.) (SK)

The intervention potential of physical activity programs for intermediate schools (grades 7-9), could be enhanced by an understanding of how students engage with and disengage from physical activity. This study provides an interpretation of how adolescents, parents, teachers, and principals perceive students' involvement in physical activity…

This report details the results of a project that sought to understand the relationship between cross-gender friendships in early adolescence and substance use expectancies and behaviors. The data for this investigation came from a longitudinal investigation known as the Teen Attitude Survey which began in the fall of 1997 and tracked a sample of…

Investigates young adolescents' perceptions of their peers' prosocial behaviors. Results suggest that traditional research has not addressed the diversity of prosocial behaviors that youth enact, nor emphasized behaviors that are salient to young adolescents. Such behaviors included standing up for others, encouraging others, helping others…

The current study is an examination of how support from siblings relates to academic competence in early adolescence, with a focus on the compensatory effects of sibling support. Participants were 694 African-American, European-American, and Hispanic-American students, ranging in age from 11 to 15. Participants were interviewed in school regarding…

Investigates the interplay of puberty, gender, weight, and age in regard to body image and disordered eating behaviors and attitudes in a sample of early adolescents. Results reveal that after menarche, females had increased personal expectations and were dissatisfied with weight/shape changes. Young males at puberty desired to build up their…

Examines the effects and interactions of gender, pubertal status, and body weight on the self-concept of young adolescent Australian students. The mean self-concept score was significantly related to students' standard body weight, and there was an interaction between gender and puberty, with postpubertal males having the highest and…

Studied reasons for tardiness given by students in private middle school for girls. Found that some sort of transportation problem was the most common reason, followed by health-related causes, sleeping habits, family-related excuses, no reason given, and miscellaneous excuses. (KB)

Examines the hypothesis that early adolescent girls (N=175) with more negative weight-related body images would report higher levels of depressive symptoms. Results indicate that the more subjective and personal measures of weight-related body image discontent (weight dissatisfaction and weight concerns) were associated with increased depressive…

Examined the effects of mothers' negative junior high school experiences on their childrens' junior high school experiences. Mothers first tested in 1971 were subsequently interviewed in the 1990s, along with their children. Results revealed a significant relationship between mothers' negative school experiences and those of their children, which…

Interviews adolescent boys and girls about their experiences of silencing or loss of voice, their aspirations for the future, and their values regarding gender. Challenges counselors to reframe the problematic and stereotypical values and beliefs that adolescents internalize and openly address the vulnerability that both genders face in creating a…

Explored sixth graders' sexual behavior and behavior intentions, analyzing health-related risk behaviors and constructs from social support and social cognitive theories based on race and gender regarding their predictive value for students having sexual intercourse. Survey data indicated that very few students had sexual intercourse or other high…

Goal theory of achievement motivation provided the framework for an investigation of the relationship among young adolescents' motivational orientation, perceptions of the educational environment, and psychological well-being. One hundred sixty-eight sixth graders' reports of personal achievement goals and perceptions of the school as stressing…