A study involving 254 children (ages 3 to 17) investigated how children referred to the East Baltimore Mental Health Partnership (EBMHP) from a traditional mental health center differed from children referred by non-mental health agencies. Children differed in terms of their sociodemographic characteristics and psychosocial adjustment depending on…

Studied interrelationships between dating patterns and trajectories of psychosocial functioning over a year in middle adolescents. Found that increasing casual dating was associated with rising problem behaviors and improved close friendship quality; pathways culminating in steady relationships were accompanied by increasing friendship discord,…

Discusses five areas concerning Heatherington et al.'s study: nature and nurture issues; deviance versus normative behavior in stepfamilies; context and meaning in different types of families; intersecting developmental trajectories; and gender differences. (JPB)

Examined the relationship between quality of adjustment in adolescents and a set of psychiatric diagnoses, personality traits, parental bonding, and social support variables. Through the use of various questionnaires it was found that several variables (e.g. Conduct Disorder and Social Conformity) had a significant role in classifying adolescents…

The author addresses the mental health needs of ethnic minority children and young people in the United Kingdom and the services that are provided to support them. The author discusses the complex and distinctive pattern of ethnic minority distribution in the United Kingdom, along with a consideration of what is known about the mental health of…

Explored sociometric status group differences in psychosocial adjustment and academic performance among Greek elementary and secondary school students. Findings extended previous descriptions of rejected, neglected, and controversial groups. Gender and age differences were found in profiles of rejected and controversial groups, which were…

A study of 25 individuals with serious traumatic brain injury showed that major adjustment problems at 13 months post-injury were psychosocial and family-oriented. Return to work/school was dependent upon individuals' ability to engage in socially appropriate interactions. The Portland Adaptability Inventory served as a reliable measure of problem…

Examines the cross-dimensional and cross-situational consistency of the aggressive, assertive, and submissive behavior of male adolescents observed in a variety of naturally occurring school activities. Behavior was found to vary as a function of sex role orientation and the class of behavior investigated. (LS)

Studied patterns of boys' social development by examining data from two longitudinal studies: a Finnish study of eight year olds begun in 1968; and a French Canadian study of six year olds begun in 1984. Patterns were identified using variables of aggression, hyperactivity, inattentiveness, anxiety, and lack of prosocial behavior. (LB)

Design, nationwide standardization, and validation of the Adjustment Scales for Children and Adolescents are presented, using a norm sample of 1,400 5- through 17-year-olds, with an additional 1,418 in supplementary samples. Eight reliable and distinct syndromes are recognized, six of which are generalizable across age, gender, and ethnicity. (SLD)

Comprehension and Picture Arrangement Wechsler subtest scores were correlated with clinician ratings of social competence and hostility for 82 children at risk for psychopathology and 62 healthy children and 124 at-risk and 113 healthy adolescents. Results do not suggest that either subtest is sensitive to social functioning. (SLD)

Examines the historical and conceptual foundations of friendship research. Areas addressed include functions of friendship, study of peer relations and peer systems, associated methodological and measurement challenges, and the study of friendship today. The discussion is framed around the "Harry Potter" (by J. K. Rowling) phenomena. (SD)

Examined the relations among single mothers' awareness of their adolescents' stressors, mother-adolescent communication, maternal monitoring, and adolescent adjustment. Findings suggest that when adolescent stress increases and family communication and monitoring change, monitoring by single mothers may increase awareness of adolescent stress and…

Objective: The objective of this study was to document the psychosocial adjustment of young refugees during their adolescence and its association with the war-related trauma experienced by their family before migration. Method: Data were collected on 57 young Khmer resettled in Montreal and followed from early to late adolescence. The associations…

This study examined how different modes of acculturation and perceived social support are related to adolescent refugee psychosocial adjustment, as measured by global self-worth and peer social acceptance. The 83 participants, aged between 12 and 19 and now resident in Australia, were from the former Republic of Yugoslavia. Those who had the most…