Adolescence is a period of growing focus on social interactions and relationships. The peer context is one of the most significant developmental contexts in this transitional period and positive peer experiences contribute positively to adolescent well-being. Although negative peer influence on antisocial behaviour has received much attention, we…

Millions of high school student-athletes in North America practice sport, and national federations communicate through their mission statements that this fosters student-athletes' positive development. The purpose of the current study was to review the recent literature to examine whether the educational claims made for youth development in the…

Amid growing recognition that strong academic skills alone are not enough for young people to become successful adults, this comprehensive report offers wide-ranging evidence to show what young people need to develop from preschool to young adulthood to succeed in college and career, have healthy relationships, be engaged citizens, and make wise…

Chronic illnesses and disabilities may impair the attainment of age-typical developmental tasks, such as forming relationships with peers and gaining autonomy. Based on a systematic search in electronic databases and cross-referencing, 447 quantitative empirical studies were included which compared the attainment of developmental tasks of…

Equipping students with ASD for a good life after high school is the overarching goal of secondary special education services and supports. In this paper, we review important elements of effective transition education for adolescents with ASD. First, we review recent findings related to the post-school employment, education, and independent living…

Equipping students with ASD for a good life after high school is the overarching goal of secondary special education services and supports. In this paper, we review important elements of effective transition education for adolescents with ASD. First,we review recent findings related to the post-school employment, education, and independent living…

"Interpersonal" rejection and "intergroup" exclusion in childhood reflect different, but complementary, aspects of child development. Interpersonal rejection focuses on individual differences in personality traits, such as wariness and being fearful, to explain bully-victim relationships. In contrast, intergroup exclusion focuses on how in-group…

Although identity researchers now believe that identity formation occurs not only by separation from others but also in relational contexts, few empirical studies of this concept have been conducted. This paper has three aims: (1) to reconceptualize identity formation to take relational aspects into account, focusing particularly on identity…

Notes fairly common inability among college-age males to successfully form intimate relationships with same-age females, sometimes resulting in young males developing fear of being sexually abnormal, perhaps even homosexual. Reviews literature on sexual developmental issues of adolescent male as backdrop for this problem. Explores specific…

This investigation reports the development of a measure of adolescent connectedness and estimates of its psychometric properties. A measure was developed to assess the ecological and developmental dimensions of adolescent connectedness, defined as adolescents' caring for and involvement in specific relationships and contexts within their social…

Presents a conceptual and empirical framework for examining the developmental changes that romantic relationships undergo over the course of adolescence. Describes several empirical studies that have examined age differences and delineates an agenda for subsequent developmental work. (JPB)

Attachment theory is used as the theoretical base to understand the impact that rejection of relationship connections can have on the development of gay and lesbian adolescents. Developmental challenges for gay and lesbian youth are addressed as are the frequent failure of families and schools to provide continuity of secure caregiving to these…

Interviews young people about their first sexual intercourse. Main findings show communication plays a central role mediating between the degree of anticipation and the degree to which first intercourse is wanted, protected, and enjoyed. First intercourse tends to be silent. Where young people are ambivalent, verbal and non-verbal communication…

Argues for a view of adolescence as deriving from the nature of the interaction of adolescent thought and action in a social setting. Suggests the necessity for rethinking current definitions of adult as well as adolescent development and calls for a change in ways both groups are educated. (RC)

As adolescents mature, their social skills are called upon to form and maintain relationships. Noting that the quality of those relationships has important consequences for adolescent development, this research brief presents information on social competency in adolescence. More than 360 research studies were reviewed to examine the factors that…