This chapter provides an international perspective on the promotion of positive development and the prevention of risky behavior among youth. We discuss some of the specific challenges that youth face in low- and middle-income countries and identify six key evidence-based policies and programs that aim to promote positive youth development and…

This study questions commonly held Greek social policy assumptions that families are the best and only providers of support to children and adolescents with impaired mobility. This is because the experiences of family life by Greek adolescents with such impairments can be characterized by a cycle of over-protection, dependency and social…

Boyd et al.'s survey of 309 4-H Club members indicates participation is positively related to leadership life skill development. Groff's evaluation of 4-H Teens Reaching Youth found this peer helper program developed leadership skills in teen volunteers who taught younger youth. (SK)

This article reviews the prevalence of suicide and suicidal ideation among American Indian adolescents. Unique risk and protective factors, and historical trauma and associated symptoms, are explored in the context of American Indian adolescent suicide. The need for culturally-sensitive interventions are necessary, and an example of a…

Two studies examined how adolescents with low vision perceive their ability to drive. The results of both studies indicated similarities in the participants' responses with respect to knowledge of visual impairment, information about options for driving with low vision, frustrations and obstacles imposed by not being able to drive, and independent…

Life Skills are problem-solving behaviors appropriately and responsibly used in the management of one's life. This manual consists of a set of learning experiences designed to help adolescents (between the ages of 15 and 19 years) learn the Life Skills that they may find useful in coping with daily situations. The materials in this manual are…

Transition from secondary education to adulthood represents a period during which adolescents with disabilities face multiple responsibilities and changing roles that include establishing independence, attending postsecondary education or training, developing social networks, choosing a career, participating in their communities, and managing…

This study was designed to investigate the Saturday time use patterns of parents of school-aged physically disabled children and to compare that with general population patterns. Effects of age, ability to perform daily tasks, and continence condition were postulated to be variables of child care time. Findings are discussed. (Author/MT)

A home intervention approach focused on helping parents teach mentally handicapped 15- to 21-year-olds to develop such self-help skills as grooming, independent travel, and supermarket shopping. (CL)

Suggestions for teaching selected life skills to adult and juvenile offenders are presented in this document. The general purpose of life skills programming is to help persons live more successfully and to function better in their multiple roles as members of a family, community, and workforce. Life skills training is treated as an educational…

Results indicated that severely/profoundly handicapped group residents who received training in the natural environment and at times when they would normally practice the skills acquired skills more readily than did those who received training in the artificial environment and at times when they would not normally practice the skills. (Author/CL)

The investigation sought to teach a sequence of arrival behaviors to a severely mentally retarded 12-year-old child living in an institution. Withdrawal and reintroduction of the pacing prompts established that increases in independent arrival behavior were attributed to the pacing prompts. (Author/SB)

The real issues of importance to teenagers are managing their lives more effectively and learning practical social survival skills. (JD)

Three severely handicapped school aged students (21, 18, and 17 years old) were trained to cross the street. Results of the multiple baseline design indicated that instructional feedback was sufficient in training the approach and walk behaviors, but selective repeated practice was required to establish the look responses. (Author)

Presents a variety of living arrangement options for foster adolescents, many of which are designed to promote self-sufficiency and independent functioning. Describes existing options beginning with the most structured and restrictive environments and moving toward options that require lesser amounts of adult supervision. (RJC)