Subject(s)
Adaptation, Psychological/physiology , Adolescent Behavior/psychology , Self Concept , Adolescent , Adult , Age Factors , Female , Humans , Male , Sex Factors , Stress, Psychological/psychologyABSTRACT
Racial differences in coping strategies and self-esteem were examined for 361 male and female adolescents in Grades 7-12. Coping strategies were assessed with the Adolescent Coping Orientation for Problem Experiences (J. M. Patterson & H. I. McCubbin, 1986). Self-esteem was assessed by the Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory (S. Coopersmith, 1987). Multivariate analysis revealed racial differences in adolescent coping strategies of ventilating feelings, seeking diversions, developing self-reliance, avoiding problems, seeking spiritual support, investing in close friends, engaging in demanding activities, solving family problems, and relaxing. In particular, African American adolescents reported using diversions, self-reliance, spiritual support, close friends, demanding activities, family problems, and relaxation more frequently than Caucasian adolescents did. Implications for professionals and recommendations for future research are discussed.
Subject(s)
Adaptation, Psychological/physiology , Adolescent Behavior/physiology , Black or African American/psychology , Self Concept , White People/psychology , Adolescent , Child , Female , Humans , Interpersonal Relations , Male , Surveys and QuestionnairesSubject(s)
Adolescent Behavior/psychology , Object Attachment , Social Support , Adolescent , Adult , Female , Humans , Male , Psychology, AdolescentABSTRACT
The purpose of this study was to examine the stability of adolescents' career interests using the Strong-Campbell Interest Inventory (SCII). Students at a Midwestern high school were administered the SCII twice over a three-year period, and comparisons were made on Occupational Themes and Basic Interests. Significant differences in mean scores were found by gender and parental occupation, and these differences were relatively stable. The findings are discussed in relation to previous research and Holland's theory, and the implications are addressed.
Subject(s)
Career Choice , Students , Adolescent , Female , Humans , Male , Social ClassABSTRACT
The purpose of this descriptive study is to examine differences in interpersonal engagements between teen-teen dyads and teen-adults dyads in a mall setting. It was expected that behavioral patterns between teen-teen and teen-adult dyads would differ as a function of age, gender, and racial composition. Participants included 865 teen-teen dyads and 190 teen-adult dyads. Observations were conducted in a large mall over four weeks. Observers recorded behavioral activity, physical proximity/position, emotional expression, conversation, and evidence of shopping. Teen-teen dyads differed from teen-adult dyads on two variables, conversation and shopping evidence. Within teen-teen dyad comparisons yielded several gender and racial differences, but only one age difference. Implications of these findings are discussed.
Subject(s)
Interpersonal Relations , Personality Development , Social Environment , Adolescent , Adult , Age Factors , Emotions , Ethnicity/psychology , Female , Gender Identity , Humans , Male , Psychological Distance , Sociometric TechniquesABSTRACT
The purpose of this study was to examine relationships among scores on vocational interests, self-esteem, and locus of control for high school students. Grade and sex differences were also examined. 1364 high school students ranging in age from 14 to 19 years of age were administered the Coopersmith Self-esteem Inventory, Nowicki-Strickland Locus of Control Scale for Children, and the Strong-Campbell Interest Inventory. High school students with higher scores on self-esteem and showing an orientation toward internal locus of control expressed more interests in a variety of vocational themes than adolescents with lower scores on self-esteem and scores for external locus of control. Sex and grade differences in vocational interests of adolescents were also noted. The findings were discussed in light of theoretical and practical considerations.
Subject(s)
Adolescent Behavior/psychology , Career Choice , Internal-External Control , Self Concept , Adolescent , Adult , Female , Humans , Male , Psychology, AdolescentABSTRACT
The purpose of this study was to determine if variations in the construction and scoring of a life events scale (stress measure) for adolescents yield different outcomes. Scoring methods included frequency, sum, and average scores as indications of positive stress, negative stress, and a combination of both. Two types of comparison were used. First, the extent to which these scoring methods were intercorrelated was assessed in order to determine whether each measured similar or dissimilar aspects of stress. Second, the relationships between these different methods and a measure of self-esteem were examined. The findings indicated that frequency of life events and their average intensity were distinct measures and of equal importance when assessing stress among adolescents. The results lend support to the use of both stimulus- and cognitive-oriented models in constructing and scoring measures of adolescent stress.
Subject(s)
Life Change Events , Personality Inventory/statistics & numerical data , Stress, Psychological/complications , Adaptation, Psychological , Adolescent , Female , Humans , Male , Psychometrics , Reference Values , Self ConceptABSTRACT
The purpose of this research was to investigate the self-esteem of school-age children with leukemia in a clinic setting and to compare it to the self-esteem of healthy children. Thirteen chronically ill children, 6 to 11 years old, who were patients at a midwestern clinic and children's hospital, and 50 school-age children without chronic illness participated in the study. Children were administered the Kinetic Family Drawing-Revised (Spinetta, McLaren, Fox, & Sparta, 1981) to measure their self-image in relation to their family. Children's self-esteem was measured by the Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory (SEI) (Coopersmith, 1981). The results indicated that children with leukemia did not differ in self-esteem from healthy children except on one subscale of the SEI. However, children with and without leukemia did differ on components of the self-image measure, a dimension of self-esteem. Implications of the findings are discussed.
Subject(s)
Leukemia/psychology , Psychology, Child , Self Concept , Affect , Age Factors , Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols/therapeutic use , Child , Chronic Disease , Communication , Educational Status , Female , Humans , Leukemia/drug therapy , Leukemia/nursing , Male , Nursing Methodology Research , Pediatric Nursing/methods , Peer GroupABSTRACT
The purpose of this study was to examine the self-esteem of adolescents over three years of high school. The study was designed to allow for cross-sectional and longitudinal comparisons of adolescent self-esteem, including the effects of gender and socioeconomic status. Two hundred seventy ninth graders completed the Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory for each of three years. Grade level was found to be significantly related to self-esteem in the longitudinal but not the cross-sectional design. The mediational effects of gender and socioeconomic status were found to be minimal. Theoretical implications of these results are discussed, and implications for future research are indicated.
Subject(s)
Psychology, Adolescent , Self Concept , Adolescent , Cross-Sectional Studies , Family , Female , Humans , Income , Longitudinal Studies , Male , Personality Development , Personality Inventory , Sex Factors , Socioeconomic Factors , Students/psychologySubject(s)
Juvenile Delinquency/psychology , Morals , Adolescent , Female , Humans , Male , Sex FactorsSubject(s)
Juvenile Delinquency/psychology , Morals , Adolescent , Adult , Female , Humans , Judgment , Male , Middle AgedABSTRACT
Research has shown that adolescents show varying abilities in the area of social perspective-taking. The relative importance of offender and nonoffender status or sex on perspective-taking abilities is still unclear. The purpose of this paper was to investigate differences between male and female offender and nonoffender youth in this area. Subjects of the study were 117, 14- and 15-year-old adolescents, 64 boys and 53 girls from three juvenile facilities and one public high school in the midwest. Perspective-taking was assessed by having subjects take the Rest's Defining Issue Test (DIT) three consecutive times, as himself/herself, as a teacher, and as a police officer. Findings of the study indicated that 14- and 15-year-old offenders and non-offenders did not differ in their perspective-taking ability across three social roles. One explanation for this finding may be that younger adolescents are in developmental transition in this domain of cognitive functioning. Suggestions for future research in this area were made.
