This study examines high school expectancies in a sample of at-risk, rural youth, and how these expectancies relate to 8th grade functioning, 9th grade functioning, and 9th grade experiences of high school. A total of 76 eighth-graders and their parents, drawn from a larger study of the transition to high school, participated in interviews the…

Today's high school students encounter a diversity of complex issues affecting both their family and school relationships. It is necessary for parents, school personnel, and students to understand each other's perspectives. In recent years there has been a change in family patterns, societal expectations, and lifestyles. These changes have had a…

The author of this article adopted a geographers' methodology for mapping "perception surfaces," the images which a group of people have of geographic space. The purpose of the study was to find an explanation for the widespread migration of young people from rural to urban areas. (Author/GC)

Focus groups conducted with urban and rural middle school students showed that they had typical stereotypes about agriculture and farmers and found farm careers unattractive. Results suggested that agriculture be tied to youth interests and addressed before middle school. The project also elicited information about using focus groups with youth.…

The suicidal cognitions of 455 rural high school students were assessed as part of a project on risk perception. Over half reported some risk, whereas 12% reported their subjective risk to be quite likely. Findings are discussed in the context of the proposition that religion deters self-destructive impulses. (SLD)

Richards, Gaver, and Golicz (1984) found that, in contrast to peers whose grades were accurately predicted from performance on aptitude tests, both extremely underachieving and extremely overachieving fourth-graders had negative academic attitudes. The present study aimed to replicate and extend these findings. Subjects in the replication study…

Reports a study that examined the value hierarchies of adolescent groups categorized by tobacco use (nonusers, experimenters, and heavy users). Surveys of rural 7th-12th graders indicated significant differences among the 3 groups' value priorities in areas including health, family security, and a world at peace. (SM)

Values are a central concept in understanding and predicting human behavior. Value priority differences have been shown to predict important political, social, and economic attitudes and behaviors. The purpose of this study was to identify differences and similarities among the value hierarchies of adolescents who have never tried alcohol,…

To understand the limitations and effects of the environment on gifted and rural youth, both delinquent prone and nondelinquent prone, a study was designed to measure 95 gifted sixth graders' perceptions of their environmental support and environmental availability (availability of activities in which students were interested). To investigate the…

The unique characteristics of South Dakota rural youth represent a fit between behavior and environment -- physical, social, and cultural. The major exception to this fit is the formal education planned for them. Efforts must be directed toward revitalizing and making the educational opportunities of rural youth relevant. (Author/CM)

Urban (n=51) and rural (n=43) high school seniors completed measures of career maturity and career decision-making self-efficacy (CDMSE). Career development attitude was the most significant predictor of CDMSE. Rural seniors scored significantly higher on career development knowledge. (SK)

Explores the value orientations of the rural school students of Uzbekistan by asking the students a variety of indirect questions, such as what their favorite motto in life is. Finds that these students were concerned mostly with social, moral, and spiritual values. (CMK)

Alcohol use among urban youth has been regularly surveyed, but assessment of rural residents is rare. Information about factors associated with attitudes toward drinking could be especially useful to school counselors. This study used questionnaires to investigate the association of attitudes toward alcohol and alcohol use with the following…

Changes in marriage and procreation aspirations of South Carolina high school students between 1966 and 1973 are examined. Data were collected as part of a regional project in several Southern states. During the 1966-67 school year, all 10th grade students were interviewed in 42 randomly-selected high schools stratified by students' racial…

Examined patterns of rural adolescent alcohol use and factors associated with such use. Found gender and grade in school to be significant predictors of alcohol use for age at first drink, frequency of drinking, amount of drinking, and a composite heavy drinking index. Time spent in social acitivities was also significant. (Author/ABB)