Developmentally, puberty is accompanied by major physical and emotional changes that alter a young person's relationships and patterns of interaction with others. The transition into adolescence begins the move toward independence from parents and the need to establish one's own values, personal and sexual identity, and the skills and competencies needed to compete in adult society. Independence requires young people to renegotiate family rules and degree of supervision by parents, a process that can generate conflict and withdrawal from parents. At the same time, social networks expand, and relationships with peers and adults in new social contexts equal or exceed in importance the relationships with parents. The criteria for success and acceptance among peers and adults change. Adapting to all of these changes in relationships, social contexts, status, and performance criteria can generate great stress, feelings of rejection, and anger at perceived or real failure. Young people may be attracted to violent behavior as a way of asserting their independence of the adult world and its rules, as a way of gaining the attention and respect of peers, as a way of compensating for limited personal competencies, or as a response to restricted opportunities for success at school or in the community. Good relationships with parents during childhood will help in a successful transition to adolescence, but they do not guarantee it. This book examines crucial issues in the field.

"This edited volume addresses the pressing need to establish a unified theoretical framework for adolescent online social communication research, specifically, identify the role and function of the Internet in adolescent social communication behavior, dynamic relationships among such things as adolescent social-psychological needs, personality, and social norms in online communication, and theories with practices in adolescent online social communication"--T.p. verso.

The PROSPER study is the premier study of adolescent peer networks in the world, with a scope of over 12,000 youth in 28 school districts, and with 8 annual waves of data collection covering grades 6-12. Research output from the PROSPER study has provided extensive new insights in the areas of adolescent development, risky behaviors, and social networks. Through the lens of the PROSPER study, Teen Friendship Networks, Development, and Risky Behavior describes the many ways that adolescent friendship networks channel and facilitate the spread of adolescent substance use, delinquent behaviors, mental health problems, educational success, romantic relationships, and future development. Introductory chapters explain the theories of adolescent development and the elements of peer network science. The chapters of the main part of the book each focus on a domain of adolescent behavior, providing background on the topic and highlighting the contribution of the PROSPER study to understanding the way teen friendships operate to promote initiation or diffusion of the behavior or attribute. With coverage of major themes such as the ways that teens select friends based on particular characteristics or similarity between them, and the ways that friends, once selected, influence each other, as well as discussion of how friendship and network patterns are linked to the uptake and spread of positive prevention messages, Teen Friendship Networks, Development, and Risky Behavior will appeal to researchers and students across several fields.

This hands-on guide is designed to help school practitioners conduct effective multidimensional assessments of a wide range of emotional and behavioral difficulties. Each chapter focuses on a particular method, describes its applications in the school setting, and offers clear guidelines for implementation, illustrated with realistic case examples. Approaches discussed include direct observation, analogue assessment, child self-reports, teacher and parent interviewing, informant reports, and self-monitoring procedures. Recommendations for working with culturally and linguistically diverse children and adolescents are also provided. The theoretical and empirical underpinnings of the assessment strategies demonstrated here are thoroughly reviewed in the companion volume, Behavioral Assessment in Schools, Second Edition: Theory, Research, and Clinical Foundations (see other side for more information).

The authors trace the history and evolution of school, family, and community approaches to preventing child and adolescent problem behaviour. Empirical evidence pertaining to the prevention of substance abuse, juvenile delinquency, violence, and school dropout is reviewed. Efficacious programme strategies are identified and characteristics of effective programmes are discussed. Programme implementation, fidelity, and adaptation challenges are noted. Practice, policy, and education efforts necessary to advance prevention in school, family, and community settings are delineated.

In the Western World the leading causes of mortality continue to be accidents, homicide, suicide, sexually transmitted infections, eating disorders and teen pregnancy. All are preventable yet they continue to happen. This book is a collaboration among many clinicians and researchers and addressing these issues by having discussions on various aspects of adolescent behaviours, parenting and educating adolescents from different countries and different cultures.

This second volume of Richard Jessor’s influential works applies his groundbreaking theory to illuminating the psychosocial determinants of adolescent health. Focusing on a range of both health-compromising and health-enhancing behaviors, including problem drinking, marijuana use, risky driving, and early sexual experience as well as regular exercise and healthy diet, these writings advance understanding of the role of health behavior in adolescence and adolescent development. Chapters illustrate the relevance of the theory and of its interdisciplinary approach for research on behavioral health in adolescence and for the design of prevention/intervention programs to promote healthy development. In addition, the book’s comparative studies of U.S. and Chinese youth reveal the generality of the theory across societal and national differences. Topics featured in this book include: Alcohol use and problem drinking in adolescent health and development. Psychosocial research on marijuana use. Understanding early initiation of sexual intercourse in adolescence. Smoking behavior in adolescence and young adulthood. Developmental change in risky driving. Healthy eating and regular exercise in adolescent health and development Problem Behavior Theory and Adolescent Health is a must-have resource for researchers, professors, clinicians, and related professionals as well as graduate students in developmental and health psychology, sociology, criminology, criminal justice, public health, and related disciplines.

Developmental and clinical researchers have only just discovered the phenomenon of adolescent romance as a topic of serious scientific inquiry. This discovery may be related to the overwhelming evidence that adult romantic relationships are failing at alarming rates. Dramatic increases in the rates of divorce, out of wedlock childbirth, and relationship violence lead to questions about the developmental precursors of romantic love and commitment. What's wrong with love and can it be fixed? This book brings together a diverse group of experts from various disciplines to address a serious gap in the understanding of adolescent development. Part I focuses on romantic relations and sexual behavior from the perspective of normative adolescent development. Part II centers on high-risk adolescents and Part III explores the practical implications of current theory and research for clinicians, educators, and health administrators. Together the chapters in this integrative and clinically useful book lay a foundation for understanding how adolescents successfully navigate the tumultuous waters of young love.