Fundamental issues about human nature, such as the origin of sex differences, can only be answered through cross-cultural investigations. Children and adolescents (N=5400) in eight countries (Brazil, England, Italy, Mexico, Yugoslavia, West Germany, and the United States) were studied to determine aptitude, achievement, and several coping and…

This article discusses trends in the occurrence of out-of-wedlock births and factors which contribute to or are associated with illegitimate pregnancies. Specifically discussed are the rates of increase of such births, particularly among unmarried teenage mothers, and the ethnic, social, and psychological characteristics of unwed mothers. It is…

Subjective culture is a cultural group's characteristic way of perceiving its social environment. An important aspect of a social environment are the jobs available for the consideration of an individual. The present study is an exploratory study directed at the examination of job perceptions among a group of white and black adolescents and the…

R. L. Selman, in his model of friendship conceptions (1984) distinguished 5 stages of these conceptions, relating to qualitative changes in sociocognitive development. In his model, specific differentiations relating to sociodemographic, gender-specific, and cultural factors are not foreseen. To investigate the significance of social and cultural…

Claims that African American female adolescents have unique identity issues that structure developmental tasks. Uses data from a longitudinal study to explicate a three-dimensional model of the identity developmental process. Describes adolescents' development of skillful, unique, expressionistic, and assertive styles of dealing with perceived…

Investigates the modes of acculturation and response tendencies of 133 adolescents from biethnic families in Athens (Greece) compared to 113 homoethnic Greek adolescents in Athens and 80 homoethnic Greek adolescents living in Germany and The Netherlands. Patterns of acculturation of values differ for adolescents from biethnic and homoethnic…

This study examined secondary school students' attitudes toward physical education (PE) and sport from a multicultural perspective. Surveys indicated students considered PE important to their overall education. Students liked PE for fun and enjoyment. Many students had negative attitudes toward fitness. Some cultural differences surfaced, but they…

Examines biopsychosocial effects of acculturation on the high suicide rate among young Ojibwa males in relation to "pimadaziwin" (health, well-being, and longevity for self and family attained through cultural compliance) and "nissitise" (face-saving suicide following loss of "pimadaziwin"). Case study illustrates how…

Examined relations between U.S., Korean, and Chinese adolescents' misconduct and their perceptions of others' behavior and attitudes toward youth misconduct. Found that U.S. youths engaged in more misconduct than other groups. Perceived behavior and sanctions of close friends were strongest predictors of misconduct in all cultures. Found unique…

Discusses the complexities of teaching and learning multiple literacies at the middle and high school levels, examining the roles of and interactions between learners, texts, and contexts. The paper presents data from three case studies of secondary and adolescent learners' literacies in and out of school and in a variety of content areas. (SM)

This prospective study examined whether interdependent self-construal (collectivism), independent self-construal (individualism), family cohesion, and social support would predict levels of self-esteem among Vietnamese American adolescents. Standardized self-report measures of family cohesion, social support, and self-esteem, as well as a measure…

A differentiated model of acculturation was used to assess the relationship of acculturative styles to school adaptation among a group of 110 refugee adolescents from the former Soviet Union. Acculturation was assessed with respect to both American and Russian cultures and, within each culture, distinguished among language competence, behavior,…

This study explored youths' and parents' perceptions of family interaction processes as well as the broader social and cultural factors that influence family functioning in a multiethnic sample of inner-city families with delinquent youth. In-depth interviews were conducted with 61 male youths and 33 parents predominantly from minority families.…

Recent research in cultural diversity has concentrated on the complexity of ethnic and racial identity. This study measures the bicultural and global-human identities among first- and second-generation, Mexican-American adolescents. The participants, (84 male, 93 female) from Los Angeles high schools, had both parents of Mexican descent (60 of the…

This booklet shows parents and other adults how to use entertainment television to spark discussions with children and adolescents about sexuality, values, responsibility, communication, and other sensitive subjects (personal relationships, race and culture, drug use). First published in 1989, this booklet has been updated annually. Discussion…