This study reports the self-reported out-of-school physical activity of 229 male and 593 female adolescents in three rural middle schools. Over one-third reported participation in vigorous physical activity less than twice a week, and almost half of females reported levels of activity below nationally recommended guidelines. (SLD)

A survey and interviews with 372 youth aged 9-16 in rural Northhamptonshire (England) explored children's experiences of rural life. Challenging the image of the idyllic rural childhood, many youth, especially the least affluent and teenagers, felt detached from village life, powerless, and unable to find autonomous social space away from adult…

Problem: Various demographic and familial risk factors have been linked to runaway behavior. To date, there has not been a systematic investigation of the impact of size of community on runaway behavior. This study will compare runaways from smaller cities and rural areas to their urban counterparts. Methods: A convenience sample of 602…

One of the largest problems facing rural school counselors is that of confronting the low career expectations that many rural students have by the time they reach high school. The relationship among the fear of success (FOS), self-concept, and career decision making of adolescents was examined in this study. Special attention was given to whether…

Panel studies examined changes in the educational and occupational aspirations of 191 rural Ohio youth. The 1988 survey questions were similar to those asked in a study conducted 3 years earlier when subjects were 10th and 12th graders. Major findings were: (1) the influence of school personnel on student career and curriculum choices was less…

This document synthesizes research findings to formulate a theory to guide relaxation training in educational settings, particularly rural schools. Young people experience many intense life events that require coping skills or relaxation. Family-related stress factors include instability in the home, lack of a support system, conflicting values,…

Historically, little has been written or researched about British rural youth. Since the late 1970s, however, largely as a result of initiatives within the Youth Service, rural youth have become identified as a separate, definable area of concern and study. The present trend toward high unemployment is hitting young people particularly hard,…

To evaluate the extent of acceptable responses, 58 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) social studies exercises were administered in 1975 to a random sample of 13 year olds attending schools in north Mississippi communities no larger than 3,500 persons. A multiple matrix sampling technique was used for both the 390 students from…

The 3 main objectives of this study, the fourth and final phase of an investigation to determine the information and services obtained and desired by rural parents during 4 stages of child rearing, were to determine: (1) the sources from which parents of adolescents received information and services regarding child care and development; (2) the…

This paper reports the results of a survey of 1349 secondary school students in a rural county in North Carolina. Data are presented on psychological and social problems, self-concept, locus of control orientation, utilization of professional and nonprofessional counseling resources, and the family relationships of the respondents. (Author)

Compared substance use perceptions and behavior using a sample of 3,009 African American youth. Overall, substance abuse is perceived as a serious problem at school. Early substance use and peer influence are major determinants of later substance use, although important differences exist in the prediction of alcohol and marijuana use. (RJM)

A review of a medical database examined health risks to children living and working on farms. Numbers of at-risk children and the laws governing child farm work are discussed. Farm youth experienced exposures to potentially harmful chemicals and disproportionately high rates of work-related fatalities. Long-term health effects of chemical exposure…

Examines data collected from the 1981-82 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). Compares various groups of extreme rural males, females, Whites, and Blacks regarding achievement in social studies. Concludes that findings from the study should be used to improve weak areas of social studies curricula and recommends skills that should…

Surveyed 13,454 rural Native American adolescents. Found 2 percent reported poor physical health and high rates of health-compromising behaviors, which were significantly correlated with physical or sexual abuse, suicide attempts, substance abuse, poor school performance, and poor nutrition. Academic risk was strongly associated with physical,…

Social capital may be particularly important for the well-being and future opportunities of African American adolescents living in low income families. In this study, linkages between interpersonal identity formation and adolescents' perceptions of social capital quality were examined in a cross-sectional study of 374 low income, rural, African…