Friendships of early adolescence are generally accepted as having special significance for psychological development. This study was conducted to examine the sources of conflict between friends during early adolescence; to assess the social-cognitive developmental level of early adolescents; and to explore the relationships among sources of…

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,…

Since 1983 the Health Education Authority Schools Education Unit has been providing a survey service to schools throughout the United Kingdom. The service enables a school to survey the health behavior of boys and girls at different ages. The purpose is to make the planning of programs in Health and Social Education in the schools more realistic.…

This paper reviews social support programs designed to have a preventive impact on young adolescents. A review of supportive programs for reducing adolescents' risks of educational failure and poor health has identified a number of innovative school- and community-based support programs. School-based support programs are aimed at enhanced…

Being older rather than younger than most of one's classmates is presumed to provide benefits to students throughout elementary and secondary school. The present study investigated this age status hypothesis among students before and after the transition to middle school in sixth grade with respect to school strain, self-esteem, and grade point…

Based on data gathered and analyzed for the Home Information Technology Study (HITS), which was jointly sponsored by the Center for Education Statistics in the U.S. Department of Education and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting to study informal, nonschool learning in households, this report focuses on the use of computers in home study. The…

This paper reviews some literature on the emergence of formal reasoning and reports a study of reasoning performance of 213 middle grade students in relationship to grade level and chronological age. While a number of large-scale studies have indicated that formal reasoning emerges in a regular progression across age ranges and grade levels, few…

Designed as a guide for adults who wish to lead a group of 10- to 13-year-olds through a series of discoveries about preschoolers and how they grow, activity materials are presented concerning physical, intellectual, and social development (Section 1); and children's feelings (Section 2). Specifically, Section 1 discuss children's developing…

Fifteen boys and 15 girls were interviewed during their seventh, ninth, and twelfth years about a friendship dilemma in which the protagonist had to decide whether to keep a promise given to a friend or to accept an invitation from a third child. Interviews assessed descriptive and prescriptive aspects of the differentiation and coordination of…

This booklet reviews research on the middle school environment, the characteristics of the middle school student, and the factors involved in teaching effectively at the middle school level, and then proposes a method that middle school teachers can use for analyzing their own classroom behavior and their instructional options. The booklet's first…

Middle level schools have special needs because of the characteristics of the age group served. Staff development is crucial for middle schools. Its purposes and major planning components are presented in this paper. Most mid-level educators were prepared for elementary or high school teaching and have a limited knowledge of early adolescent…

This is a resource directory for professionals who work with young adolescents (10- to 15-year-olds). It is a multidisciplinary list of organizations, publications, and readings to help professionals in their research and practice. Although the directory is not meant to be all-inclusive, an attempt has been made to include the major networks,…

This experiment explored how incorporating the importance of task strategy use and positive achievement beliefs into cognitive modeling affected self-efficacy and skill acquisition. Students deficient in division skills received cognitive modeling of division solution strategies and practice opportunities. For one group of students the cognitive…

This formative evaluation of the Atlantic Street Center's Pre-Teen Bridge Program (P-T Bridge) focused on the academic support and prosocial skill development components of the program. The academic component included one-on-one tutoring, and the prosocial skill component included activities and materials designed to improve social and…

"Skills for Adolescence" is a drug prevention program designed specifically for young adolescents (ages 10 to 14) which features a course for grades 6-8 that can be offered in conjunction with classes in language arts, social studies, health, and related content areas, providing opportunities for students to use the skills of reading, writing,…