This study investigates changing family relationships during adolescence using a dialectical view of the family. Fifty-one families responded to an assessment battery that measured affective relations between parents and their adolescent children. Measures included the Transition into Adolescence Survey; the Interactive Behavior Questionnaire; the…

Discusses various aspects of stress: benefits, adverse effects, how individuals respond to stress, management of stress, how normal development and family living produce stress in adolescents, and skills needed to cope with stress. (CT)

The family, school, and community share responsibility for sex education, prevention of teen pregnancy, and support of unwed mothers. (JD)

Examines the concept and history of adolescence in America, and the development and philosophy of the juvenile justice system since the 1900s. Discusses the effect of psychological understanding of adolescent development--particularly of the concepts of maturity, judgment and competence--on juvenile justice. (JPB)

Focused on subjective meanings of maturity in younger (6th grade) and older (9th grade) adolescents. Qualitative analysis revealed five images of maturity portrayed by adolescents: balanced maturity; privileges; responsibility; power and status; and physical development. There were some gender and age differences in frequencies of these images.…

SOCIAL MATURITY IN THE AMERICAN ADOLESCENT IS DEFINED AS THAT PERIOD SOMEWHERE BETWEEN CHILDHOOD AND ADULTHOOD WHEN THE INDIVIDUAL HAS ACHIEVED THE ABILITY TO TOLERATE AND ADJUST TO FRUSTRATION WITHOUT STRESS WHILE ACHIEVING ECONOMIC INDEPENDENCE, A TOLERANT OUTLOOK, AND A SATISFACTORY LIFE PHILOSOPHY. THE MEASURES OF SOCIAL MATURITY OF THE…

The one-parent household forgoes the hierarchy usually maintained in a two-parent household. Thus, children of single parents are given more responsibility, often have closer relationships with their parents than children in two-parent homes, and tend to mature more rapidly. (Author/GC)

Of subjects claiming considerable understanding of their first choice career, only half planned to achieve the amount of education appropriate to enter that occupation. Subjects' perceptions of how well they understood their occupational choices were negligibly related to the compatibility of their vocational interests and career choices. (Author)

Examined eating disorders in 116 adolescent girls drawn from private school students in a metropolitan area and followed over an 8-year period. Over 25% of the sample identified a serious eating problem. Eating problem patterns were associated with earlier pubertal maturation and higher body fat; concurrent psychological disturbances; subsequent…

Tracking the functional development of specific regions of the prefrontal cortex in children using event-related potentials (ERPs) is challenging for both technical and conceptual reasons. In this paper we outline our strategy for studying frontal lobe development and present preliminary results from children aged 7-17 years and young adults using…

Essentially, communication style flows naturally from personality, just like behavior style and teaching/learning style. One can break down personality distinctions into four significant patterns or groups: commanders, cheerleaders, caregivers, and contemplators. In this article, the author describes each of these groups and discusses how to…

The authors use a developmental perspective to examine questions about the criminal culpability of juveniles and the juvenile death penalty. Under principles of criminal law, culpability is mitigated when the actor's decision-making capacity is diminished, when the criminal act was coerced, or when the act was out of character. The authors argue…

Adolescents (N=36) categorized as nonobese, obese in a weight control program, and obese who rejected a weight control program were given opportunities to snack and were administered three personality tests. Results indicated the highest level of maturity for nonobese adolescents. Other results are also reported. (Author)

Examines the early maturity of children in single-parent households: its evolution, its forms, and some of its short- and long-term effects. (Author/CM)

Describes a group experience program developed as an alternative to the long-term hospitalization of physically handicapped children. The program emphasizes emotional growth through participation in meetings designed to counteract dependency. (CM)