The Group-Oriented Adapted Levels System teaches students with behavior disorders the skills needed for being members of a successfully functioning peer group, while providing the classroom teacher with an effective classroom management approach. Student behaviors are mediated by peers; students work toward a common goal; and opportunities are…

Among children ranging in age from 5.5 to 7.5 years, there was no evidence that social conflict engineered in dyads composed of a conserver and a nonconserver stimulated cognitive change. It is concluded that the ineffectiveness of symmetrical social conflict is consistent with Piaget's conception of nonconservers. (RH)

Investigated smoking and tobacco-chewing habits of sixth and seventh graders (n=433). Students reported own tobacco use, perceptions of use among peers and friends, parental socioeconomic status, and other variables. Results indicated one-third of respondents had used some form of tobacco at least once. Norm perceptions and best friend's habits…

Investigates factors influencing the decision of secondary school students to continue or discontinue the study of French beyond the compulsory years in an Australian college. Results indicate that gender, perceived ability in French, encouragement from parents and teachers, peer group preference, and beliefs about the career relevance of French…

A peer mediation program in a suburban elementary school was studied to determine the types of conflicts, the strategies used in conflict resolution, and the types of resolutions at school and at home. Comparisons of 144 program students with 83 untrained students revealed significant impact of peer mediation. (SLD)

Reports a study that surveyed college students to identify individuals to whom peers turned as sources of information about AIDS, emphasizing risk behavior, perceptions of condom use, knowledge, and perceptions of sexually transmitted diseases. Results indicated the dynamics of AIDS opinion leadership differed between the sexes. (SM)

Randomly assigned outpatients to one of three treatments: brief broad-spectrum (BBS), extended relationship enhancement (ERE), or extended cognitive-behavioral (ECB). Results suggest that the intensity of focus on relationship enhancement should be calibrated to the anticipated difficulty in dealing with problems in the patient's relationship to…

Sequential analyses of dyadic interactions examined effects of input by 32 normally developing adolescents on responses of 7 male subjects with moderate-to-severe mental retardation. Prompts in the form of questions and comments were more likely to produce responses than directive prompts, and subjects were more likely to respond to male peers…

Adolescents (n=650) rated 10 activities involving drug and alcohol use, unprotected sexual intercourse, and driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol in 6 domains concerning risk to self or others, pleasure, control, peer approval, and parental disapproval. A factor analysis of the items revealed three second-order factors: inherent danger,…

This article introduces three papers about research projects of the Early Childhood Research Institute of the University of Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania). The papers address peer-mediated strategies to promote communicative interaction, social behavior in preschoolers with special needs, and the importance of parents as intervention agents. (JDD)

Compared early adolescent involvement with antisocial peers and boys' experiences at age 10. Poor parental discipline and monitoring, peer rejection, and academic failure at age 10 predicted involvement with antisocial peers at age 12. Continuity between boys' antisocial behavior and peer contact at ages 10 and 12 was found. (BC)

This study compared how alcohol effect expectancies and reaction expectancies related to one another and to male and female college students' drinking behavior. Analyses indicated that different types and patterns of expectancies were gender specific. Discusses results in terms of the nature of gender/expectancy/drinking relationships. (RJM)

Alcohol plays a role for women in seeming to facilitate friendships and self-medicating when relationships are poor. Theories about women's psychological development can be applied to designing prevention programs. The article describes an interactive college program that seeks to engage the audience emotionally and stresses peer participation…

Analyzes survey data from over 400 junior high school students in grades 7 and 8 to determine the relations among family drug use factors; peer drug use factors; school problems; psychosocial concerns; alcohol, marijuana, and other drug use; and abstinence. (SLD)

Researchers examined early adolescents' perceptions of the influence of social agents on their decisions to not join or cease participation in organized activities. Survey results found parents were the strongest influence in the decision to not join activities. Perceptions about significant other adults were most influential in decisions to cease…