A former youth at risk who is now an expert on youth development introduces the reader to the concept of Family Privilege. Individuals who grow up with this unearned advantage may fail to recognize the degree to which stable families set the stage for their success in life. (Author)

Examined friendship among 160 African American, Latino, and Asian American ninth graders from low-income families. Found significant gender and racial/ethnic differences in the characteristics and quality of close and general friendships. Correlates of friendship quality varied across the type of friendship and across gender. (Author/KB)

Close relationships among children and adolescents are ordinarily considered to encompass friendliness and fun. Recent studies, however, reveal that many friendships have dark sides consisting of competitiveness, hostility, and conflict. Relationships based on aversion and antipathy may turn out to have major developmental implications, but more…

This "Call to Action" serves as a reminder that underage drinking has serious social costs and tragic consequences, demonstrating the importance of prevention. Underage alcohol use is not inevitable, and schools, parents, and other adults are not powerless to stop it. The latest research demonstrates a compelling need to address alcohol use early,…

The direct and mediated effects of socioenvironmental risk on internalizing and externalizing problems among Latino youth aged 10-14 were examined using prospective analyses. Participants in this study were 464 Latino mother and child dyads surveyed as part of the "Welfare, Children & Families: A Three City Study." It was hypothesized that…

This study investigated the degree of agreement between adolescents' and parents' perceptions of the adolescent-parent relationship, and the links between these perceptions and adolescents' school achievement and personal autonomy. Questionnaires were completed by 353 adolescents attending an all-male, inner city, Catholic high school, and by…

Adolescence is a multiplicity of events, experiences, behavior, people, and cultural meanings. This book attempts to provide detailed and in-depth analysis of the central issues related to adolescent psychology, while taking this multiplicity into account. A comprehensive representation of the topic is provided through integration of historical,…

This guide is aimed at easing the transition from childhood to and through adolescence for both children and their parents. Supplementing the topics covered in the work are data gathered from a questionnaire study of 100 adolescents on their opinions of the areas studied in the guide. Part one of the book, "Milestones of Adolescence,"…

This book traces the histories of two Chicano gangs in East Los Angeles since the early 1940s, when common gang stereotypes were created by the media and law enforcement agencies. In an unusual collaborative effort, researchers worked with former gang members to make contact with and interview members of various "cliques" (cohorts) of…

Born in the aftermath of social upheaval in 1970, Servol (Service Volunteered for All) is a grassroots community development organization working with preschoolers and adolescents in the Caribbean nations of Trinidad and Tobago. This booklet describes the efforts and successes of this program, founded through the intervention of a Catholic priest…

A 1-day conference and a study weekend brought together adventure and youth social work practitioners from the United Kingdom, United States, Australia, and Canada. Workshops and presentations focused on five themes: (1) integration of adventure-based interventions with the work of other youth agencies and the needs of communities; (2) program…

A common concern raised by teachers from secondary schools and junior colleges in Singapore is the apparent inability or reluctance of adolescents to think critically and originally. Adolescent thought processes are probably shaped by the change in intellectual pace and quality between the primary and secondary school curriculum. This study of…

This newsletter, created for teachers, parents, and others interested in current educational themes, addresses the issue of mentoring, what it is, how it works, and why it is needed; and provides some examples of current mentoring programs. It explains that there are two types of mentoring: natural, such as through friends, relatives, and…

Family Life Education is a unit which teaches facts and encourages the development of skills and attitudes that contribute to self-understanding, healthy interpersonal relationships, and successful family life. It promotes the development of physical, emotional, social, and intellectual well-being of young people. This brochure is designed to…

This paper discusses the characteristics of middle school students and teachers, and provides suggestions for the development of cultural awareness at the middle school level. Between the ages of 10 and 14 years, adolescents experience rapid physical growth, changes in social relationships and in emotions, and changes in intellectual development…