Delayed trajectories into traditional adult roles have led researchers to reconsider the nature of development, giving way to emerging adulthood (Arnett, 2000a). Although largely embraced by many contemporary scholars, questions remain about the universality of emerging adulthood. The current study explored factors that predict the degree to which…

Changes in their brains, combined with a greater awareness of peers and events around them, make adolescence a key time for students to figure out who they are, what they aspire to be, and what they want to do in the world. This Alliance for Excellent Education report explores how human identity and self-regulation develop during adolescence and…

The present study examined the defining features of emerging adulthood, subjects' conceptions of the transition to adulthood, and the perceived adult status in Austria. The sample consisted of 775 subjects (226 adolescents, 317 emerging adults, 232 adults). Results showed that most Austrian emerging adults feel themselves to be between adolescence…

Results did not support the hypothesis that adjustment to widowhood transpires through successive stages. Widowhood continues to be stressful long after the death of the spouse. Service providers to widowed persons should abandon the myth that only the recently widowed need assistance. (Author)

Delinquency intervention and research have undergone changes in recent years. One new line of research has been aimed at mapping out juvenile criminal careers. Findings from this research suggest that involvement in technically delinquent activity may be a transitory, developmental phenomenon related to adolescence. Youth appear to be increasingly…

Examined grandparenthood as a role relationship. Grandmothers, in describing transition to grandparenthood, tended to emphasize emotional/symbolic investment in grandchildren rather than instrumental/interactional dimensions of relationships. The data suggest that grandparental role conceptions are modified by family network variable: Ambiguity in…

Couples (N=336) were interviewed for their perceptions of the fairness of their own and their spouses's efforts in the family roles of cooking, housekeeping, provider, companion, and parent. Perceived equity in family roles tended to increase over the life cycle for both husbands and wives, but some differences existed. (Author)

Focuses on the proper place of interlanguage pragmatics in the realm of second-language acquisition (SLA). This introductory essay describes the thematic issue of the ensuing articles as an endeavor to move interlanguage pragmatics more closely toward the center of SLA. The research suggests that many aspects of pragmatic competence can be…

Presents an exercise based on six life stages discussed in "Passages" relative to four common training and development roles. Reviews the exercise and explores three roles: internal trainer, internal consultant, and training/development manager. Actions and questions consonant with the role at each life stage are suggested. (CSS)

The study explored the effect on kindergarten children of four different presentations of an opportunity to help an adult with a simple task. (Editor/MP)

A five-stage process of the professional development of college teachers is proposed. Stages reflect teachers' primary concern with their role in the classroom; their understanding of subject matter; student ability to absorb content; helping students put knowledge to use; and promoting independent learning. (Author/MSE)

A conceptual framework for adult development is proposed, based on a synthesis of the literature on role theory and various age-related adult developmental theories. It is proposed that adult development may not be as linear, uniform, and age-related as has been suggested. An individual adult could be in varying developmental stages across the…

A scale of gender understanding and a measure of sex-role preference were administered to three- to nine-year-old children from four traditional communities in Belize, Kenya, Nepal, and American Samoa. Overall, findings reflected the strong contribution of cognitive development to the growth of gender understanding. (Author/AS)

As more women pursue professional careers, studies that examine the role of work in the development of women's identity are needed. To explore the developmental issues of women administrators in higher education, selected data were examined from a comprehensive study of 270 women in educational administration. Interviews related to career…

This study was designed to further explore the relationship between sex role identity and social competence in a developmental context. Two specific questions were of concern: Do levels of masculinity, femininity and social competence vary by age, and does the relationship of masculinity and femininity remain constant and positive in non-college…