Reciprocal Effects between the Perceived Environment and Heterosexual Intercourse Among Adolescents

This study proposes a transactional model for the reciprocal relationship between increased likelihood of adolescent sexual intercourse and decreased connection with the perceived environment. Connection with the perceived environment is operationalized as higher problem-focused interactions with parents, lower religious attendance, and lower school belonging. Relationship with the perceived environment is further hypothesized to explain the increase in depressive symptoms associated with initiating sexual intercourse in adolescence. Data from Waves 1 and 2 of the National Longitudinal Survey of Adolescent Health (one year apart; valid N=10,873) were analyzed using survey-adjusted multiple and logistic regression and path analysis. Hypothesized relationships were confirmed, with an additional finding that relationships with the perceived environment do not improve with the cessation of sexual intercourse. Implications of a possible explanation for this, that this finding indicates sexually active youth earn a stigmatized “non-virgin” label that they cannot easily remove, are discussed.Assistant Professor at the Adelphi University School of Social Work. He received his Ph.D. in 2005 from Cornell University in Human Development and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in the Behavioral Sciences Training in Drug Abuse Research program sponsored by Medical and Health Association of New York City, Inc. (MHRA) and the National Development and Research Institutes (NDRI) with funding from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (5T32 DA07233). His major research interests include psychological and social determinants of adolescent and young adult health and risk behaviors, religion as a context of youth development, positive development of sexuality and avoidance of sexual risk behaviors in youth, and young adults, and sexual minority youths’ issues with religion.     

The Silent Reform of Swiss Federalism: The New Constitutional Articles on Education

This article examines the decision‐making process leading to the new constitutional articles on education in Switzerland. It analyzes how actors from both state levels (Confederation and cantons) could reach consensus in a process that was prone to a “joint‐decision trap”. To that end, we hypothesize which factors may be conducive to a “problem‐solving” style of policy‐making in a compulsory negotiation system. Rich empirical material from various sources supports our theoretical arguments: We show that shared beliefs and a common frame of reference, the procedural separation between constitutional and distributional issues, neutral brokers, and informal structures were all beneficial to the success of the reform project.     

关于云南禁毒对策的思考

云南省特殊的地缘环境 ,决定了其成为中国禁毒斗争的最前沿和主战场。云南禁毒工作成效的好与坏 ,将直接关系到全省乃至全国的社会稳定、经济发展、民族团结 ,周边国家的睦邻友好及国民的生命健康 ;关系到中国禁绝毒品总目标的实现。面对严峻的毒品形势 ,要在禁毒方针的指导下 ,切实树立“大禁毒”观 ,充分动员和发挥全社会的整体力量 ,打一场现代禁毒的人民战争 ,直至彻底根除毒品     

关于遏制外来人口流窜犯罪的思考

随着社会和经济转型带来的全国性人口大流动,外来人口流窜犯罪也逐年上升。由于这种犯罪的动态型特征,使传统的侦察手段和警务运作机制面临严峻的挑战。必须采取系统性策略,才能有效打击此类犯罪。     

对大学生志愿者服务的几点思考

随着大学生志愿者服务体系的不断完善,科学规范管理已经成为志愿者服务队伍发展进程中的关键因素。志愿者服务是提高大学生公益意识的有效途径,是社会弘扬精神文明风尚,树立社会主义荣辱观的有效载体。     

试论马克思主义时代化的路径

马克思主义时代化是马克思主义开放性的内在要求。实现马克思主义时代化的路径在于,培养问题意识,回答时代课题;关注现实生活,吸收时代内容;努力解放思想,实现理论创新;体现中国特色、中国风格、中国气派,促进马克思主义时代化。     

内幕交易罪的司法难题及原因、对策

近年来内幕交易案件频发,无论是"杭萧钢构案"还是"上海组龙内幕交易案"都在司法认定方面引起了理论和实务界的较大争议。这充分表明,在认定内幕交易罪的司法实践中仍然存在很多待解的难题。只有在对这些司法难题进行深入剖析的基础上,重构内幕信息的认定标准、改善内幕交易行为的取证路径、强化内幕交易的执法力度、完善机制设计,才能破解司法难题,维护证券市场的公平公正,保障证券法律法规得以遵守和执行。     

澳门毒品问题与禁毒体系现状

澳门地区在治理毒品方面的经验非常值得研究。澳门治理毒品问题,并没有把一切责任都放在政府机构,尤其是司法力量上,而是采取开明的态度,充分调动各相关政府部门,以至于全社会力量投入到禁止毒品的运动当中。     

印度城市化进程中存在的问题及原因探析

城市化是每个国家在其发展过程中经历的必然阶段,对国家的经济社会发展至关重要。从20世纪30年代开始,随着经济的逐步发展,印度城市人口开始增长,其城市化水平不断提高,但是,在印度城市化发展的过程中,城市化所带来的问题目益突出,究其根源,是由于印度城市化进程中缺乏有效的城市管理机制、城市发展规划等因素。分析印度城市化进程中存在的问题及原因,对推动我国城市化向更高水平发展具有借鉴意义。     

地方人大对政府工作监督存在的问题及原因分析

人民代表大会监督是维护人民民主的有效手段和建设法制国家的根本前提。我国的人民代表大会制度建立以来,不断在实践中发展,对政府的监督制度不断完善,对政府的监督工作日益加强,监督权的行使收到了明显成效。然而,地方人大的监督工作同宪法和法律赋予的职权相比,还是有一定的差距,对政府监督的现状也不能完全达到建设法制国家的要求。其主要原因在于地方人大对政府工作监督的诸多关系不协调,对政府工作监督存在制度缺失,以及在这项工作中自身存在问题等。