Carefully reviewed Merton's writings on anomie theory to construct a more complete and rigorous test of the theory for respondents in early, middle, and late adolescence. Concluded that misspecified models of strain theory have underestimated the predictive power of strain theory in general and of anomie theory in particular. (JBJ)

Examined drug use, involvement in problem behavior, and family and peer predictors of these behaviors among Indian and white adolescents in a Canadian urban community. Found the groups had a similar rate for alcohol use; however, Indian adolescents showed higher rates and more frequent use of cigarettes, marijuana, solvents, and greater…

The middle school movement is not about being better able to meet the learning needs of preadolescents; middle schools are attractive mostly for administrative, not pedagogical reasons. Middle school advocates overlook the cultural context of rural schools and the violence done to communitarian precepts when middle school construction results in…

Presents results of a study developing an informal social skills teacher rating scale for use with early adolescents. Reports that the scale includes skill identification and situational analysis. Provides information on identifying and ranking responses and checking a content validity and reliability. Concludes that the matrix can generate…

Describes a study of nine year olds in Ireland, Australia, the United States, and Norway that investigated their attitudes to television advertising and the connection to buying patterns in their families. Highlights include enjoyment of television ads, parallels between television programs and ads, and perceived influence of ads on parents.…

This article describes the language abilities of 20 boys aged 10 to 13.5 years who were admitted to residential treatment because of their significant and persistent antisocial behavior. Primary diagnoses included oppositional/defiant disorder and conduct disorder. Eighty percent carried the additional diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity…

Examined 9-13 year olds' relationships with parents; teachers; siblings; close friends; other friends; and other peers. Used a social rules questionnaire to formulate a checklist of social rule themes. Found that themes that had previously been associated with one class of social relationships had much wider application. (MDM)

Examined the influence of school and classroom environmental factors, such as teacher discipline practices and teacher-student relations, on middle school students' motivation. Found that, compared to sixth-grade math teachers, middle school math teachers controlled students more, provided students with fewer decision-making opportunities, and…

Assessed differences in masculinity, femininity, and sex role attitudes in adolescent girls and boys, and the relation of pubertal timing to intensification of those attitudes. Found that sex differences in masculinity and sex role attitudes increased with age. Pubertal timing was unrelated to masculinity, femininity, and sex role attitudes. (BC)

Uses a hierarchical linear model to test the effect of birthdate on science ability in British schoolchildren, ages 11, 13, and 15. Reports that summer-born children scored lower than autumn-born children on science survey tests. Urges teachers to consider these artificial performance differences when grouping pupils according to ability for…

Reviews changes in biopsychosocial development during adolescence. Addresses aspects of individual change during the adolescent decade as well as effects of context on normal development and responses to challenges. Predispositions or vulnerabilities present prior to a developmental transition may be exacerbated. Provides advice on encouraging a…

Describes an action research project that explored whether internally negotiated group control was possible among preadolescents in school settings. Presents John Dewey's thoughts on social control. Discusses study of students' perspectives and actions concerning authority issues and social control. Describes a social studies curriculum used to…

Case study of second language acquisition presents a Chinese mother's observations of her daughter over a 5-month period following immigration to Hawaii. Language minority parents' positive attitudes toward both first and second languages and cultures, and supportive interactions with their children at home are important to the children's…

Discusses reading with pre-teens Francine Pascal's "Sweet Valley Twins: Best Friends," one of a series of pre-romance novels featuring identical twin sisters. Interviews six girls using the Symbolic Representation Interview (SRI) about the good girl/bad girl dichotomy in novels and other media. Provides comments by Tom Romano and Diana Mitchell.…

There has been limited research examining the additive and interactive effects of multiple factors on the development of anxiety symptoms and anxiety disorders in youths. This study was an attempt to examine the reciprocal connections among temperament, attachment, and rearing style, and their unique and interactive relations to anxiety symptoms.…