Argues that the interrelationship of developmental conditions, social provisions, and personal decisions provides a framework for a general theory of development. (PCB)

Considers the importance of role relationships in the elaboration of personal construct systems. Discusses possible limitations in the ability of an individual to enact a role in such a way as to enable personality development. (PCB)

Summarizes results of a study of parents and young adolescents and argues that economic recessions affect children by conditioning their aspirations, straining their relations with their parents, and limiting the quality of the education they receive. (PCB)

Results suggest that income loss leads to low family integration, which in turn increases adolescents' sensitivity to evaluation by peers. This can result in decreased self-esteem and an inclination to act against common rules and norms. (PCB)

Single mothers' coping behavior, psychological functioning, and communication to their children about financial matters and personal problems predicted the degree of psychological distress experienced by the children. (PCB)

Examined adolescents' perceptions of the impact of the farm crisis of the 1980s on their families' and their own lives. (PCB)

Examines aspects of chronic joblessness among Black youth. Emphasizes gender differences in discouragement over job searches and related developmental issues. (PCB)

Examined children's conceptions of the causes of wealth and poverty. As their ages increase, children explain wealth and poverty by referring to individual differences in work, effort, and intelligence rather than social, structural, or political factors. (PCB)

Assessed the significance of distinctive versus shared family realities. Data indicated a divergence of adolescents' and parents' perception of the family in domains that concerned adolescents' emerging intellectual and emotional autonomy. Parents' and adolescents' perceptions converged in regard to domains that threatened family cohesion. (BC)

Examined the possibility that the degree of synchronization between parent and adolescent ratings of pubertal maturity is related to faulty beliefs about interpersonal relationships in the family. Results indicated that adolescent-parent synchrony affected adolescents' faulty beliefs. Mothers' endorsement of faulty beliefs was related to…

Examined discrepancies in mothers' and adolescents' perceptions of decision making and behavioral autonomy. Discrepancies in decision-making judgments led to a high level of conflict. Discrepancies between adolescents' desire for and mothers' granting of autonomy led to a high conflict level and adolescent adjustment difficulties. (BC)

Used vignettes and self-reports to examine adolescents' and mothers' reasoning about family conflicts. Found that mothers and adolescents differentially evaluated reasons for parental requests and adolescent noncompliance. They also differed in their judgments of the likelihood of particular justifications succeeding or leading to conflict. (BC)

Discusses issues involved with selecting a methodology and data analysis technique for studying divergent views of the family. Qualitative and quantitative methods, and linear and nonlinear models, are described. Statistical and theoretical issues regarding the use of discrepancy scores are examined. (BC)

Discusses the implications of the studies reported in this issue for a developmental perspective on relationships between parents and adolescents. Focuses on (1) differences among dyads; (2) the interrelations of aspects of differences in relationships as a possible source of information about significant variations among relationships; and (3)…

Considers the correlates and consequences of parent-adolescent disagreement as presented in the studies reported in this issue. Suggests that investigators broaden their conceptualization of parent-adolescent relationships to capture more fully the larger social context in which these relationships are embedded. (BC)