Places concept of developmental tasks within cultural context, discussing role of "cultural-developmental" tasks in development and modification of adolescent's social-cognitive functioning and the respective roles of both individual and contextual-environmental factors in production of competencies. Outlines theory including individual's activity…

Surveyed over 700 12-year-olds and their parents concerning their attitudes toward the ensuing teenage years. Their reponses support in large measure the developmental tasks expounded by Robert Havighurst: the need to achieve independence, their concern with social relationships, and the acceptance of physical appearance. Parents' concerns about…

Delineates specific psychosocial developmental demands placed upon middle schoolers and links these demands to the self-concept disturbance they typically feel. Offers a number of general recommendations useful to educators who are interested in considering the relationship between educational experiences and self-concept disturbance among early…

Presents three psychological perspectives on youth deviance. Two traditional theoretical approaches to understanding and intervening in delinquent behavior are explained. A third perspective, a youth advocacy approach, is described in the light of cognitive developmental theory. Youth's developmental needs and their opportunity to complete…