Heavy metal music and reckless behavior among adolescents

Adolescents who liked heavy metal music were compared to those who did not on a variety of outcome variables, particularly focusing on reckless behavior. Boys who liked heavy metal music reported a higher rate of a wide range of reckless behavior, including driving behavior, sexual behavior, and drug use. They were also less satisfied with their family relationships. Girls who liked heavy metal music were more reckless in the areas of shoplifting, vandalism, sexual behavior, and drug use, and reported lower self-esteem. Both boys and girls who liked heavy metal music were higher in sensation seeking and more self-assured with regard to sexuality and dating. In regression analyses, the relation between reckless behavior and liking heavy metal music was sustained for five out of twelve variables concerning reckless behavior, including three of four among girls, when sensation seeking and family relationships were entered into the equation before liking or not liking heavy metal music.Received Ph.D. from University of Virginia. Research interests include adolescent musical preferences, reckless behavior, and socialization.     

Prevalence and patterns of substance use among early adolescents

Prevalence and patterns of substance use are described for a sample of 105 San Francisco East Bay adolescents (age 14). Data are compared with national statistics on substance use among high school seniors. While alcohol use appeared comparable to the national statistics, tobacco use was less prevalent among this younger western sample. Despite the differences in ages, use of marijuana, cocaine, and hallucinogens was similar to national high school prevalence; use of other harder drugs was more extensive among the older, national sample. Contrary to typical findings, males and females were not found to differ in frequency or extent of substance use; females appeared somewhat more involved in substance use at this early age. Initiation of substance use occurred at early grade levels, suggesting that intervention efforts should begin prior to junior high, perhaps as early as fourth or fifth grade.This study was supported by National Institute of Mental Health Grant MH 16080 to Jack Block and Jeanne H. Block.Received her Ph.D. from Harvard University. Main interest is cognitive development and development in adolescence.Received his Ph.D. from Stanford University. Main interest is personality development.     

Risk factors related to suicidal behavior among male and female adolescents

This study examined gender differences in self-reported suicidal behavior in relation to the risk factors of tobacco use, alcohol use, drug use, school misconduct, academic difficulties, home environment, sexual activity, and violence among seventh-through twelfth grade students (N=3461)in a northern Midwest school district. Data were gathered from the Survey Instrument of Attitude/Behavior administered in the school district during the spring of 1993. The dependent variables were suicidal activity and suicidal tendency. Stepwise forward regression ordered the independent factors in predicting suicidal activity and suicidal tendency for the male and female samples. The comparison of regression results revealed the following: (1) the independent factors accounted for more variance in male suicidal activity and tendency than in female suicidal activity and tendency; (2) as the level of suicidality increased, so did the frequency of violent behaviors among both genders; (3) leading predictors for suicidal activity were similar between gender; and (4) gender differences were displayed in predictors of suicidal tendency.Major interests include risk taking behaviors, youth suicide, and educator use of research.     

Imaginary audience behavior and perceptions of parents among delinquent and nondelinquent adolescents

Imaginary audience behavior and perceptions of parents among a group of male delinquents and nondelinquent male and female adolescents were assessed. Each subject was administered the Imaginary Audience Scale and an author-designed inventory which measured perceived parental support. The results showed that the delinquents, compared to the nondelinquent males, expressed greater concern about the imaginary audience and had more negative perceptions of their fathers. Stronger concerns about the imaginary audience were positively correlated and negatively correlated with perceptions of low parental support among the delinquents and the male nondelinquents, respectively. The male nondelinquents also expressed greater concern than the female nondelinquents for the imaginary audience. Implications relating imaginary audience behavior and family relations to adolescent development are discussed.Presented as a paper at the annual meeting of the Eastern Psychological Association, New York, April 1981.Received his Ph.D. from Ohio State University. Current interests are adolescent-oriented family therapy, developmental correlates of juvenile delinquency, and adult development.     

Relationships among family characteristics and violent behavior by black and white male adolescents

Understanding why violence occurs disproportionately among black male adolescents has become a public health research priority due to recent increases in the rates of homicide and other violent crime in this population. This study examined independent, mediating, and moderating effects of family structure, attachment to parents, and family stress and conflict on self-reported fighting behavior. Subjects were black (n=163) and white (n=397) male 7th and 8th graders. Compared to white males, blacks were exposed to an excess of risk factors for violent behavior, including living in a single-parent household and higher levels of family stress and conflict. Although both groups reported similar levels of past-year fighting, black youth were more likely than whites to report attacking someone or being attacked by someone at school during the prior month. Controlling for age, area of residence, and other family characteristics, logistic regression analyses indicated that living in a nonintact family was a significant risk factor for violent behavior among black male youth, while attachment to parents was a significant protective factor for white males. Family stress and conflict was a risk factor for violent behavior cimmon to both groups of adolescents.This research was supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse Grant No. R01 DA07037.Received Ph.D. from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Health and Social Policy Research Division, P. O. Box 12194, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709-2194. Research interests are in adolescent health promotion and disease/injury prevention. To whom correspondence should be addressed.Received Ph.D. from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Research interests are in adolescent health promotion and disease/injury prevention.Received Ph.D. from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Research interests are in adolescent health promotion and disease/injury prevention.     

A cross-cultural comparison of sociopsychological factors in alcohol use among adolescents in Israel,France, and the United States

The correlates of alcohol use by adolescents are compared in three cultures with different prevalences of alcohol use: France, with high prevalence; Israel, with low prevalence; and the United States, in the middle. In all three countries, significant others, parents and peers, are more powerful predictors of alcohol use than are the adolescent's personal attributes, such as attitudes, behaviors, and demographic characteristics. Cross-cultural differences appear in the relative importance of parents and peers and in the structure of influence of parents and peers as role models. Parents are more important role models in Israel than in the other two cultures, while peers are more important in the United States than in France or in Israel.This research was partially supported by Research Grants DA01902, DA00064, and Research Scientist Grant K05-DA00081 from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, and by the Center for SocioCultural Research on Drug Use, Columbia University.Received Ph.D. from Stanford University. Main interests are mathematical sociology, social stratification, and adolescent substance use.Received Ph.D. from Columbia University. Main interests are adolescent socialization, substance use, and psychiatric epidemiology.     

Effects of self-monitoring and perceived approval on delinquent behavior among Hong Kong adolescents

It has been established that perceived approval from relevant others is related to delinquent behavior. The aim of the present study was to investigate how this relationship was mediated by self- monitoring. Eight hundred twenty-eight students from Grade 7 to Grade 9 were asked to respond to a questionnaire that measured their self-monitoring, the frequency they committed delinquent acts, and the perceived approval of committing these acts from their parents, teachers, and friends. Regression analyses indicated that self- monitoring wax an interacting factor between perceived approval and delinquency. On further path analyses, it was found that self- monitoring acted as a mediating factor, and that the relationship between delinquent behavior and perceived approval was more apparent among high self- monitoring individuals. The present study was based on data collected in the delinquency project by S. Lau and Kwok Leung.Received M.Phil. from University of Hong Kong and M.A. in education from Chinese University of Hong Kong. Research interests include self-monitoring, problem solving, and learning environments.Received Ph.D. from Purdue University. Research interests include values, self-concept, family processes, and the psychology of adolescence.     

Peer vs. parental influence in substance use among hispanic and Anglo children and adolescents

The relative influence of peer and parental influence on youths' use of alcohol and other drugs is explored among 446 Anglo and Hispanic youths, ages 9–17. Current users and abstainers are similar in age and gender. Among both groups, parental influence is more profound than that of peers. However, substance users, compared to abstainers, are more influenced by peers. Level of marijuana use by youths' friends is the most reliable predictor of drug use. Youths having viable relationships with parents are less involved with drugs and less influenced by drug-oriented peers.Funded by a grant (A-003-2) from the California Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs, R. H. Coombs, principal investigator.Research interests include comparative socialization patterns of adolescents and young adults in substance abuse vs. conventional careers.Research interests include domestic violence, child abuse, and substance abuse.Research interests include family interaction patterns, cross-cultural differences, and substance abuse prevention and treatment.     

Drinking behavior,drinking attitudes,and attachment relationship of adolescents

In this article the connection between the drinking behavior and drinking attitudes of adolescents in relation to their attachment relationship with their parents is examined. The Family Episode Rating Task (FERT) was used, which was developed to measure the attachment relationship; it measures four patterns of parent-adolescent attachment. An Alcohol Questionnaire was used to measure the quantity and frequency of alcohol use, the amount of problem drinking, and the drinking attitudes of adolescents. It was hypothesized that anxiously attached adolescents have a greater risk of developing damaging drinking habits. One hundred sixty-one adolescents participated, all of them students in Grades 7, 9, and 11 of a high school. By means of an analysis of variance it was demonstrated that the Attitude scale's drinking to facilitate social contact was significantly related to the quality of the attachment relationship with the parents: this reason for drinking was mentioned most frequently among adolescents who were anxiously attached.Received Ph.D. at the same university. Currently studying psychological aspects of excessive alcohol intake.Received Ph.D. at the Catholic University, Nijmegen. Currently involved in stress management training.     

Hostility,depression, and self-esteem among troubled and homeless adolescents in crisis

This study provides empirical evidence on feelings of hostility and depression as related to the self-esteem of troubled, abused, neglected, and homeless adolescents in crisis. Over the space of ten weeks, 27 adolescents accepted to the Emergency Shelter of the Youth Emergency Shelter (YES) of St. Louis were tested using the Buss Durkee Hostility Inventory, the Beck Depression Inventory, and the Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory. This heuristic study found evidence that suggests that the hostility, depression, and self-esteem of adolescents in crisis are unique. This study found that the adolescents in this sample have greater hostility, greater depression, and lower self-esteem, as well as significant differences in ethnicity and gender than those in other comparative studies of all three measures.He received his master's in behavioral development from the University of Missouri—St. Louis in 1987. His research interests include individual differences, multicultural counseling, and adolescent development.     

Healthy and maladjusted Type A behavior in adolescents

The dimensions of Type A behavior were studied in 990 randomly selected adolescents and their conceptualization was clarified in terms of achievement striving, self-concept, and sense of control. The methods used were the AFMS to evaluate Type A behavior, the Nowicki-Strickland Locus of Control Scale, and Coopersmith's Self-Esteem Inventory. Achievement striving was assessed using the questionnaire designed for this study. It was revealed that Type A consisted of two independent dimensions, both adding an equal contribution to the total score. One was an impatient, aggressive competitiveness related to a low self-esteem, low self-set achievement standards, and external locus of control. The other Type A exhibited competitiveness related to a sense of responsibility, leadership, social activity, high achievement striving, and high self-esteem. These factors may distinguish maladjusted competitiveness from healthy ambition and suggest that it is important to distinguish risk Type A individuals from Type A's who are potential leaders in society.Received Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Helsinki, Finland. Her major research interest is psychosomatic medicine.     

Church attendance,meaningfulness of religion,and depressive symptomatology among adolescents

Self-administered questionnaires were completed by 451 adolescents at a public high school in Texas during the spring semester 1989. The instrument used contained the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and items to determine participants' gender, frequency of church attendance, and meaningfulness of one's religion. Based on social support research and the writings of Carl Jung and Viktor Frankl, it was predicted that those who attended church frequently and those who viewed their religions as providing meaning for their lives would have lower BDI scores than their classmates. The findings supported these predictions. Implications and a discussion of the results are included.Received Ed.D. in educational psychology from University of Illinois. Main research interests are substance abuse in adolescents, drug use prevention strategies, and suicidal ideation in adolescents.Received Ph.D. in general psychology from Boston University. Main research interest is psychology in interdisciplinary perspective, with a specialization in the psychology of religion.Pursuing a M.Ed, in school psychology at Southwest Texas State University. Main research interests are psychological testing and assessment.     

Cognitive development,egocentrism, self-esteem,and adolescent contraceptive knowledge,attitudes, and behavior

The relationship of cognitive development, egocentrism, and self-esteem to adolescent contraceptive knowledge, attitudes, and behavior was investigated in 300 high school and college students (101 males and 199 females) 14-19 years old. There was general support for the study's hypothesis that students with higher levels of cognitive development and self-esteem and lower egocentrism would be more knowledgeable about contraception, be more likely to use birth control, and have more positive attitudes about contraception. Cognitive development was positively associated with all of the knowledge variables and with self-reported condom use. Self-esteem was linked to two of the four knowledge variables, self-reported condom use, and positive attitudes toward contraception. There was an inverse relationship between egocentrism and contraceptive use, but, contrary to expectations, a positive association between egocentrism and knowledge of contraceptive effectiveness. Gender-specific analyses revealed that male students had significantly higher scores than females on the cognitive development and self-esteem measures, while female students scored higher on items measuring knowledge of contraceptive methods and attitudes toward their use. The association of cognitive development with knowledge variables suggests that the ability of adolescents to retain information is related to their capacity to reason and generate alternatives. Overall, these findings suggest a need for attention to the goodness of fit between sex education curricula and the level of cognitive development of the intended audience.     

Disproportionality and Disparities among Sexual Minority Youth in Custody

Research indicates that sexual minority youth are disproportionately criminalized in the U.S. and subjected to abusive treatment while in correctional facilities. However, the scope and extent of disparities based on sexual orientation remains largely overlooked in the juvenile justice literature. This study, based on a nationally representative federal agency survey conducted in 2012 (N?=?8785; 9.9% girls), reveals that 39.4% of girls and 3.2% of boys in juvenile correctional facilities identified as lesbian, gay, or bisexual. These youth, particularly gay and bisexual boys, report higher rates of sexual victimization compared to their heterosexual peers. Sexual minority youth, defined as both lesbian, gay, and bisexual identified youth as well as youth who identified as straight and reported some same-sex attraction, were also 2–3 times more likely than heterosexual youth to report prior episodes of detention lasting a year or more. Implications for future research and public policy are discussed.     

Psychological distress and alcohol use in Hispanic adolescents

Psychological distress has been increasingly implicated as an important risk factor that predisposes adolescents toward alcohol and drug use, particularly for Hispanics and other ethnic minority groups. The scant research on the relation between psychosocial stress and alcohol use has found higher levels of alcohol and drug use among Hispanic adolescents who report higher levels of psychological and emotional distress. In this study, Hispanic adolescents (N=171, with a median age of 14, completed a paper- and-pencil questionnaire, which was designed to assess levels of psychosocial stress, anxiety, and depression. Self-reported patterns of alcohol use were also assessed. In general, males reported higher levels of alcohol use and more friends who drink, compared to females. The study also found generational differences in drinking patterns. A strong association between psychosocial stress, depression, and alcohol use also was found, suggesting that Hispanic adolescents are using alcohol as a way of coping with conflicts in adapting to the norms and expectations of the dominant group and other difficult events and conditions that produce psychological distress.Received Ph.D. in 1988 from the University of California, Los Angeles, specializing in developmental psychology. Research interests include the educational attainment of Hispanic and minority children, alcohol use among adolescents, and social policy.     

Family interaction patterns among families with normal,disturbed, and drug-abusing adolescents

The relationships between family interaction patterns and the symptomatology of the individual family member are central to many therapeutic approaches. This study was designed to determine whether family interaction patterns differ significantly among three groups of families defined according to the adolescent offspring's symptoms. Thirty families were evaluated in a one-hour interview while three observers behind a one-way mirror rated verbal behavior and the quality of interaction between father, mother, and adolescent. Assessed behaviors included the ability to reach a decision, decision time, scapegoating, and double-bind messages. In addition, the quality of the family's interaction was assessed at four different times during the interview. The results established that the three family groups did not differ demographically. A comparison of the two disturbed family groups yielded no significant differences, with the exception of the adolescent's presenting problem and behaviors. The normal group was significantly different from the other two groups in frequency of scapegoating of the adolescent and the ability to reach a decision. Additionally, the normal families displayed clearer communication, more freedom of expression, more cooperation, and greater sensitivity among members. Several variables did not discriminate the normal group from the disturbed family groups.Received her Ph.D. from Bryn Mawr College. Research interests are adolescent psychopathology as it relates to family, group psychotherapy with adolescents, and use of the therapeutic milieu.     

Why do adolescents use drugs? Age,sex, and user differences

This paper makes four points: (1) There is substantial substance use among adolescents in our large rural southwestern sample. (2) Adolescents explain their drug use with five kinds of reasons (i.e., Belonging, Coping, Pleasure, Creativity, and Aggression). (3) Different reasons for using drugs are related to frequency of substance use. (4) There are age, gender, and user differences in the reasons adolescents have for their drug use. After summarizing traditional ways of thinking about drug use, we describe an alternative way for examining such behavior. We use this approach to study relationships between drug use reasons and age, gender, and substance use in 2637 6th–12th-grade students. We then discuss prevention and treatment implications of this research.Received Ph.D. from University of California at Berkeley in personality psychology. Research interests include school dropouts, substance use, delinqueccy, personal commitments, health, and identity.Received Ph.D. from University of California at Berkeley in personality psychology. Research interests include at-risk youth, substance use, delinquency, narcissism, and identity.Received Ph.D. from University of California at Berkeley in personality psychology. Research interests include moral development and personality.     

Teacher Support Moderates Associations among Sexual Orientation Identity Outness,Victimization, and Academic Performance among LGBQ+Youth

Journal of Youth and Adolescence - Lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, and youth with other minority sexual orientations (LGBQ+) who are more out to others about their sexual orientation identity may...     

Suicidal ideation in adolescence: Depression,substance use,and other risk factors

The interrelationships of depression and suicide with adolescent drug use, delinquency, eating disorders, and the risk factors for these different problems were investigated among 597 9th and 11th graders in an urban high school. There is a strong association of drug use with suicidal ideation among girls, and a stronger relationship with attempts among girls and boys. Suicidal youths are ill-adjusted and display a lack of attachment and commitment to family and school. Causal models indicate that poor interpersonal interactions with parents, absence of peer interactions, and life events lead to depression, which in turn leads to suicidal ideation. Depressive symptoms are the strongest predictors of suicidal ideation. Among females, depression predicts drug involvement, and in turn, drug use increases suicidal ideation. Drug use is only one class of problem behaviors that constitutes a risk factor for suicidal behavior in adolescence. Delinquency and eating disorders also have direct effects on suicidal ideation beyond those of depressive affect. As for drug involvement, these problem behaviors are more predictive of suicidal behavior among girls than boys. Similarity and specificity of the predictors for problem behaviors within and between the sexes are discussed. Although young women use drugs to handle feelings of depression, drug use appears ineffective in the long run in relieving these depressive feelings. Understanding the dynamics of suicidal ideation in adolescence has important public health implications, since ideation is a strong predictor of attempts, especially among females.Revised version of a presentation at the Workshop on Adolescent Depression, Princeton, NJ, June 3, 1987.Work on this research has been partially supported by Research Grants DA00064, DA01097, DA03196, and DA02867, and by Research Scientist Award DA00081 from the National Institute on Drug Abuse; and awards from the John D. and Catherine MacArthur Foundation and the Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene, New York State Psychiatric Institute. Partial support for computer costs was provided by Mental Health Clinical Research Center Grant MH30906-07 from NIMH to the New York State Psychiatric Institute.Received Ph.D. in Sociology from Columbia University. Research interests include adolescent psychosocial development, epidemiology and risk factors for drug use, and interpersonal networks.Work on this research was carried out while a Research Associate at the School of Public Health, Columbia University. Received Ph.D. in Sociology from Columbia University. Research interests include personal networks and social support systems in chronic illness, societal factors in mental health, psychosocial consequences of drug use and abuse, panel mortality, and survey methodology.Received M.P.H. from Columbia University. Research interests include reliability and child psychiatry.