A model for developmental transitions in defense use in adolescence based on an integration of psychoanalytic views of adolescence and J. Loevinger's theory of ego development was tested with 31 male and 35 female adolescents. Results support some hypothesized developmental transitions and not others. Implications of findings are discussed. (SLD)

Examined whether adolescents identify with the crowd to which they are assigned by their peers or with higher status crowds, and whether they are more likely to select the normal crowd or their peer-assigned crowd as their social-reference group. Found that specific crowds' status changes over time, and that there are age differences in…

Examined relation of possible selves to smoking and drinking for 1,606 sixth through ninth graders. Found that smoking and drinking were related negatively to number of positive expected selves and balance between expected selves and feared selves. When both possible-selves were entered in model simultaneously, only the number of positive expected…

Recent research findings show that experiences alter the anatomical structure of the brain, that the effects of experience on the brain differ at different ages and between males and females, and that brain development is not complete until about age 18. (SV)

Explored the extent to which variations in social initiative relate to adolescents' history of interpersonal relationships. Found that positive aspects of the parent- adolescent relationship predicted adolescent social initiative 2 years later directly or indirectly. Differences in variance accounted for in two age cohorts suggested that the…

Several writers have suggested that changes in temporal perspective during adolescence are largely a consequence of the cognitive acquisitions held to characterize the period (i.e., emergence of formal operations reasoning). To replicate earlier research, which found little association between adolescents' formal operations reasoning and future…

Surveyed 396 sexually experienced college students. Results indicated that, compared to early coital initiators, late coital initiators were more effective contraceptors during initial coitus, had more committed relationships with initial sex partners, engaged in more contraceptive use discussion and planning, and used more authoritative and…

Hypothesized that a too early first birth has negative psychological consequences for the mother through a lowered sense of personal efficacy. Results indicated that having a first birth before age 19 reduces personal efficacy, regardless of original differences in personal efficacy, age, education, or parental socioeconomic status. (Author/RC)

College students who took the Defining Issues Test (DIT) were instructed to simulate the responses of 11-, 15-, and 19-year-old adolescents; other college students selected moral issues which they believed should be presented to adolescents in those age groups who were faced with the moral dilemmas in the DIT. (Author/DB)

Examined the association between identity status and self-monitoring behavior, including age and gender differences, among adolescents in Turkey. Found significant increases in identity achievement and moratorium with age, and no gender differences in identity status. Males were significantly higher than females in self-monitoring. (Author/SD)

Reviews major theories of the adolescent crime rate peak; presents the integrated theory (which attempts to explain why most people in modern, industrialized societies increase their levels of offending during adolescence); and discusses the extent to which individual, group, and temporal factors influence the applicability of the theory.…

Examines peer group perceptions of 312 students in grades 5-12. Early and middle adolescents placed more value on being in a popular group; perceived more conformity, antagonism, and leadership in their groups; and reported more antagonistic interactions with those outside their groups than did preadolescents and late adolescents. (RJC)

Secondary school students (N=12,988) completed Extended Objective Measure of Ego Identity Status and questionnaire assessing experience with cigarettes, inhalants, alcohol, marijuana, and cocaine. Discriminant analyses of substance use, across achievement, moratorium, foreclosure, and diffusion identity statuses, yielded significant functions for…

Examined changes with age in ethnic identity and self-esteem. Assessed 18 adolescents from 3 ethnic groups (Asian American, African American, Hispanic) at ages 16 and 19. Found significant change to higher stages of ethnic identity over three-year period. Self-esteem and ethnic identity were significantly related to each other at each time period…

Reviewed 25 studies, involving total of 4,024 adolescents from 9 states, which used Adolescent Life Change Event Questionnaire. Findings included gender and age differences in number of events experienced and perceived stressfulness, and relationship between events experienced and suicidal ideation. (Author/NB)