Administered questionnaires to 272 preadolescents to assess their degree of parent-peer compliance. Results revealed that, on most items, youths were clearly parent compliant. There was, however, a significant age trend in the direction of peer compliance, with males demonstrating the greatest degree of change. (Author/NRB)

Explored early socialization of beliefs and attitudes toward menarche in 258 adolescents, aged 11 to 14 years, male and female pre- and postmenarcheal, from southern Italy. Results showed a consistent lack of accurate information by a high percentage of subjects, both male and female; negative beliefs were held only by girls, boys tended to ignore…

Assessed sexual maturation and sociosexual behaviors in 101 nine- to 11-year-old low and middle income Black children. Data confirmed that girls were more advanced in sexual maturation than boys. Results of a self-report behavior scale indicated sexual behavior was related to physical development in boys but not girls. (JAC)

Examines recurrent psychosomatic symptoms and symptom clusters among Israeli school children (n=259). Results of a questionnaire that asked about the frequency of 8 psychosomatic and 8 organic complaints indicated that girls had a higher prevalence than boys for 8 of the symptoms, and that abdominal pain and headache were each reported as an…

Examined how younger and older adolescents differed in their value judgments of historically important events. Subjects (n=154) between the ages of 11 and 27 listed 10 most important events to United States since 1900. Three most frequently cited events were World Wars I and II and Vietnam. Age was much better predictor of value judgments than…

Investigated inhibition in a mixed-sex spelling bee, using a sample of 36 middle-class Black and 32 Hopi Indian preadolescents. Spelling scores indicated that high-skill girls in both cultures performed below their established levels of capability when opposing low-skill boys. In general boys were more eager to compete. (JAC)

Investigated the influence of the feminist movement on preadolescents' conceptions of sex role behaviors in a sample of 321 students in grades five through eight. Results showed that, while significant sex differences existed, boys who felt positively about Womens Liberation tended to have lower male stereotype scores. (JAC)

Youths (N=334) evaluated their families on Personal Attribute Inventory for Children. Results revealed no significant main effects for birth order or gender. Males from divorced remarried families and females from divorced nonremarried families evaluated their respective families significantly more negatively than did counterparts from other…

White, Mexican-American, and Black preadolescents (N=157) completed Tuckman-Lorge Old People Scale and contact questionnaire to examine preadolescent attitudes toward elderly through analysis of race, gender, and contact variables. Found only one variable studied, race, was significantly related to attitudes toward elderly. White preadolescents…

Interviewed elementary school children in 1969 and conducted a follow-up interview in 1978 using the same children, who were now out of high school, to determine the stability of self-concept over a decade. Used sex, race, and residence as independent variables. Results showed youth undergo minimal changes in self-concept during this age span. (BH)

Youths (n=648) evaluated themselves and parents using Personal Attribute Inventory for Children. Self-concept was higher for those from intact families than for those from divorced remarried families. Mothers from intact and divorced nonremarried families received higher evaluations that did mothers from divorced remarried families. Fathers from…

Explored adolescent age and gender differences in patterns of emotional self-disclosure to parents and friends among 174 junior high school students. Found that girls exhibited greater emotional self-disclosure to parents and peers than did males, and that emotional self-disclosure to friends was greatest among older adolescents. (Author/NB)