In its diverse forms, authentic writing carries the potential to connect literacy practice to an author's 'real world'. While contemporary approaches to authentic writing instruction--advocating writer-centred, intertextual and culturally relevant productions--are most often explored in formal learning contexts like classrooms, this paper seeks to…

Experiences of and exposures to violence impact older adolescents and young adults in a myriad of ways. While typically conceptualized as interpersonal, other forms of violence, namely structural and symbolic, can be harmful to development for this population. This study utilized qualitative methodologies, including ethnographic field notes and…

Early childhood has long been known to be a formative time in a child's development-- a time when the brain produces more than 1 million neural connections every second during the first few years of a child's life. However, there are factors at the individual and community levels that impact the development process. In communities across America,…

This study examines the longitudinal effects of childhood community contexts on young adult outcomes. The study uses a sample of 14,000 adolescents (52% female) derived from the 1990 US Census and the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Addhealth). The study examines whether community and family environments exert separate and/or…

This brief explores the link between rural youths' identification with their community, their self-esteem, and their future plans. The panel study of New Hampshire's Coos County youth offers a snapshot into the dynamics of a population that is developing its identity in a region that is undergoing an identity transformation of its own. Place…

Many academic and public policies promote rapid immigrant assimilation. Yet, researchers have recently identified an emerging pattern, known as the "immigrant paradox," in which assimilated children of immigrants experience diminishing developmental outcomes and educational achievements. This volume examines these controversial findings by asking…

African American adolescents (132 males and 128 females; age M=14.8 years, SD=0.92) enrolled in an urban community social skills development program participated in a study assessing the relationship among perceptions of family and community social support, fear of calamitous events, depression, and anger expression. Expressing fear of calamitous…

In this article, we argue that policymakers in America should reference a coherent, comprehensive, and child-centered framework for children. That is, based on an extensive review of the empirical literature on the first two decades of life, we conclude that policies should address the needs of young people throughout the first two decades of…

This directory lists 24 locations for various "rite of passage" programs. These programs are designed to empower youth at a time of life transition, especially during the middle school years, when children feel most vulnerable and are most "at-risk." The directory gives a brief description of each program and provides the names…

One of a series of papers which focus on 10- to 15-year-old adolescents, this publication describes these young people as they work through developmental tasks in environments (families, communities, peer groups, and schools) that are part of their daily lives. This description is used as a basis to accomplish the following: (1) a further…

A study examined the influences that family, community, and work exert on the youth-to-adulthood transition as well as the dynamics of their interaction. Similarities and differences among the youth-to-adulthood transition as it occurs in the United States, Japan, and West Germany were identified. It was concluded that the links among family,…

A growing number of cultural, educational, and social service programs around the United States report success in reducing teenage school drop-out rates, unemployment, substance abuse, and pregnancy. Facilitators of these programs claim that long-lasting impact requires not only informing young persons about the real dangers of such behavior, but…

Investigated whether three types of family decision making on adolescent adjustment were moderated by ethnicity and/or community. Found that, for joint and unilateral youth decision making, community context interacted with ethnicity in three patterns of influence, refuting the notion that ethnic differences in the influence of parental strictness…

The "rush to adulthood" is defined by precocious events that place excessive demands on youth who are not adequately prepared for the responsibilities of adulthood. This study investigates the influence of community disadvantage, family, and race on adolescent precocious life events and depressive symptoms in the transition to adulthood. The…

The articles of this special edition on education and development in adolescence share some common themes, raise points for debate, and offer new research ideas. Common themes emphasize the following: (1) diversity among adolescents; (2) simultaneity of multiple forms of development; and (3) multiple environmental influences on adolescents. (SLD)