Youth served in residential care often demonstrate significant educational and behavioral gains during treatment; however, struggles evidenced during the reunification and reintegration process underscore the importance of continued aftercare services and supports. While these needs have been widely noted in the literature, little is known about…

Substance use and abuse are problematic in the lives of adolescents, including interpersonal problems and scholastic problems. Risk for substance use has commonly been assessed at the individual level. This paper examines risk of adolescent substance abuse as a variable impacted by environmental or contextual factors surrounding the individual.…

In this study, we extend research on stereotype threat to adolescents and to school belonging. Stereotype threat refers to the impact of societal stereotypes on individual performance. Participants included adolescents from marginalized racial/ethnic minority groups including African Americans, American Indians, and Latinos and nonmarginalized…

In this study, the researchers concentrate on the gap in the educational and counseling literature documenting the extent to which certain psychosocial variables may contribute to the prediction of students who are at risk of dropping out of high school. Specifically, wellness, perceived stress, mattering, and at-risk status for dropping out of…

Adolescence can be a period of increased problem behavior, and parents often report this stage of development as being one of increased conflict with high levels of parenting-related stress and lower levels of confidence in parenting abilities. As a result, parents of adolescents seek out parenting information and support much more often than do…

Racial identity attitudes, a construct proposed as a measure of the world view of Blacks (Cross & Vandiver, 2001), and academic performance of a group of Black females attending a high-poverty, failing high school with a 42% graduation rate were examined. These young women were either pregnant or parenting and attended a parenting support group at…

In an attempt to understand why youth commit violent acts, Daley and Onwuegbuzie (2004)conducted a study wherein they found that juvenile offenders tend to commit violence attribution errors--defined as negative emotional responses to negative social interactions which then serve as antecedents to at-risk behaviors. The purpose of this mixed…

Introduces a collection of papers that address the High/Scope Foundation's approach to risk reduction and dropout prevention. Examines High/Scope's history and describes various High/Scope efforts (e.g., the Michigan School Readiness Program Evaluation, preschool and elementary curriculum development and training, movement and music curriculum…

Presents data on dropout rates and number and distribution of adolescents/young adults who were dropouts, noting background characteristics (sex, race/ethnicity, age, recency of immigration, and region) for October 1998. Data are provided on status dropout rate, number status dropouts, total population age 16-24 years, percent of all dropouts, and…

Explores the need to restore social and relational aspects to education for youth at risk. Anti-youth mass media discourses present negative images of pregnant and parenting teens. Labeled at risk, they are set up for academic and social failure. Describes an alternative public school serving the educational and social support needs of pregnant…

Compared urban at-risk children's responses on the Harter's Self-Perception Profile for Children to norms established primarily on middle class samples. Results revealed similarities and differences in how urban at-risk children assessed their competencies. The data suggest that domains of competence can differ in interpretable ways as a function…

Discusses how people interpret others' experiences and understandings, particularly when they differ from their own. Describes experiences with African American teenagers from an inner city theater ensemble who were successful but struggled to do what many people take for granted. Suggests that people working with at-risk teenagers should examine…

This table reports on juvenile arrests in 1998 by state and type of crime (violent crime, property crime, drug abuse, and alcohol violation). The violent crime index includes the offenses of murder and non-negligent manslaughter, forcible rape, robbery, and aggravated assault. The property crime index includes burglary, larceny-theft, motor…

Investigated the attitudes and behaviors related to alcohol use of adolescent males with emotional disturbances. Results from focus group interviews highlighted four attitudes and behaviors: rationalization of their drinking, self-absorption (disregard for the feelings of others and the consequences of their actions), drinking with peers versus…

Interviewed 420 street youths in a midwestern city to analyze their sexual behaviors. Ninety-one percent were sexually active, and nearly half were engaged in sex for survival. Discusses the need to coordinate comprehensive social services to prevent an increase in the number of street youth. (SLD)