Broken free of any semblance of family control or community restraints, thousands of American youth roamed entirely at will throughout the cities of 19th-century America and supported themselves alternately from the legitimate street trades and from outright thievery. The invention of modern adolescence was partially a response to this neglected…

Examines urban female teenagers' (N=185) best and worst encounters with physicians. Results show a preference for physicians who comfort, use humor, are understanding, and explain procedures. Physicians who rush, behave rudely, or are "too personal" were viewed negatively. Concludes that relational communication skill development must be a…

Examines sociodemographic, family, and health factors associated with repeat pregnancy in a clinical sample of urban, first-time mothers. Results indicate that postpartum contraceptive method was associated with repeat pregnancy at year one; contraceptive use, maternal age, history of miscarriages, and postpartum contraceptive method were…

Developed pilot instrument to examine differences between adolescents who have attempted suicide and others. An 86-item questionnaire was administered to 25 suicide attempters and 57 nonsuicide attempters. Found significant differences for each of 3 domains (family environment, social environment, self-perceptions) and for 55 questions. Used…

Explored adolescent seat belt use and psychosocial risk factors in urban minority population (n=541). Found seat belt use reported by 49 percent of respondents. Those reporting no or intermittent seat belt use were significantly more likely than seat belt users to feel down, have decreased home support, have problems with school and the law, and…

Adolescent girls from an urban-based clinic participated in a longitudinal study about psychosexual development and risk of STD acquisition. The girls were asked about their perceptions of loci of control (parents, internal control) as it relates to STD acquisition. Responses to locus of control correlated over time but variations were not found…

One factor leading to the "invention" of modern adolescence was what the reformers saw as the corruption of youth by the city. The plight of youth set the stage for a child-saving movement during the last century, taking youth off the streets, putting them in schools, and stretching out the home-leaving age from 14 to 18. (Author/KS)

Examined self-reported depressive symptoms of inner-city adolescents (n=966) coming to health center for routine care. Thirty-eight percent indicated never being depressed. Of 573 who reported some depression, 78% reported infrequent symptoms, and 22% reported symptoms at least weekly. Explored relationships between frequently feeling depressed…

Oberle's (1974) research examined the role model preferences of black and white youth and found that young blacks had different role models from white students; however, he did not examine whether place of residence was related to role model preference. This study extends Oberle's research by analyzing the relationship between place of residence…

Attempts to identify the psychological characteristics that predispose certain children to run away and to survive, often for long periods, on the streets of South Africa. Examines vulnerability and resilience as well as social conditions that mediate the psychological predisposition to become a street child. (Author/GCP)

Investigates variables associated with posttraumatic stress disorder in adolescents in a metropolitan area. Comparisons were made with regard to gender, ethnicity, family constellation, self-reported exposure to violence, self-reported exposure to trauma, and incidence of violent crime in the vicinity of school attendance. Revealed minority males…

Research has shown that no treatment program designed for street children can succeed unless the community is prepared to respect, protect, and provide opportunities for them. Investigates why the general public, and those charged with enforcing the law, often treat street children with scorn and hostility. (Author/GCP)

The police, court officials, social workers, and the public in general perceive street children negatively: their behavior is deemed deviant. This paper examines the concept of deviance as a label placed on the powerless by those in positions of power. (Author)