The grieving child: Manifest and hidden losses in childhood and adolescence

The loss of parents through abandonment has specific traumatic features. This paper discusses the variety of losses children and adolescents may experience and the psychological implications and manifestations in relation to the loss. Specific reactions of children and suggestions for therapeutic prevention through psychotherapy are discussed.Coordinator, Ph.D. Specialization in treatment of children and adolescents and is in private practice     

Career development among young disabled artists

This paper reports on the experiences of 47 young disabled artists and the interaction between disability, impairment and the arts in their educational and career pathways. The artists were finalists in the VSA arts/Volkswagen of America Inc. Program, an arts‐based program intended to showcase the talents and accomplishments of young disabled artists aged 16–25. A few artists found their impairment to be a barrier to making art. Many, however, did not think their impairment affected their ability to make art, and a few thought it actually enhanced their artistic ability. These finalists often cited art as a tool for overcoming impairment‐related, disability‐related and other barriers. In this paper we identify effective strategies that these young artists used to further their arts careers. It concludes with a discussion of the implications of the findings and provides recommendations to support young disabled artists in their educational and career efforts.     

Young women's experiences and perceptions of cunnilingus during adolescence

Recent studies indicate that cunnilingus may be as prevalent as fellatio among American adolescents. Despite this approximate equivalence in rates, there is an imbalance in the amount and type of attention paid to fellatio and cunnilingus. Furthermore, there has been little empirical examination of young women's experiences and perceptions of cunnilingus during adolescence. Two studies in response to this gap in knowledge were conducted. In Study 1, regression analyses indicated that a young woman's sexual assertiveness was linked to having more lifetime cunnilingus partners, as well as more cunnilingus experiences in the past three months. Study 2 explored young women's perceptions of cunnilingus and their speculations about their male partners' perceptions thereof. Linear mixed modeling revealed that participants had highly favorable impressions of cunnilingus, which they believed their male partners shared. These findings are considered in terms of positive adolescent sexual development and cultural norms regarding female sexuality.     

Career development interventions for transition-age youths with disabilities

Youths with disabilities are often precluded from participating in career exploration and planning activities that prepare them for meaningful employment. They do not always have the same opportunities as their non-disabled peers to learn about different career options and to develop important work-related skills. This article presents experientially-based career development interventions that can be incorporated into the transition planning process to guide these youths in (a) career exploration and decision-making, (b) career planning, (c) job development and placement, and (e) career maintenance.     

Everyday discrimination,emotion, and daily interactions during adolescence

The present study examined whether everyday discrimination relates to the frequency of adolescents' positive and negative daily social interactions and whether these associations are driven by anger and positive emotion. Adolescents (N = 334) participated in a three-wave longitudinal study, in which they completed surveys regarding everyday discrimination, anger, and positive emotion, as well as 15 daily reports of conflict and getting along with friends and family. Higher everyday discrimination was related to more daily conflicts and fewer experiences of getting along with other people. Longitudinal models also provided preliminary evidence that everyday discrimination was associated with daily conflicts 4 years later indirectly through anger. Overall, results suggest everyday discrimination relates to adolescents' daily experiences, potentially through differences in emotion.     

A secret vice: a study of private language and imaginary kingdoms in childhood and adolescence

Children and adolescents often make up languages of their own and some belong to secret societies. This is a creative endeavor similar to the other expressive arts and may reveal a secret inner life in the child and a special gift expressed in forms of language. This is discussed as an issue in the childhood of several artists and in its implications for treatment.Ms Gerber is a Senior Caseworker, Jewish Board of Family & Children's Services and a Doctoral Candidate & Adjunct Lecturer at New York University School of Social Work and in private practice.This paper was presented in a somewhat different form for the International Conference on Fantasy in the Arts held in Beaumont, Texas, March 1985.     

The impact of repeated maltreatment on behavioral trajectories from early childhood to early adolescence

Using multilevel model for change, this study examined the trajectories of both internalizing and externalizing behavioral problems from early childhood to early adolescence among a cohort of 685 children with early alleged maltreatment from age 4 through age 12. These children were recruited from five study sites using the LONGSCAN archive data. Repeated allegation of maltreatment for each child was treated as a time-varying variable and was tracked continuously and assessed at each measurement of the child behavioral problems. Child behavioral problems were measured at ages 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 using the Child Behavior Checklist. Findings indicated that repeated maltreatment significantly predicted subsequent trajectories of both internalizing and externalizing problems. In both cases, the effect of repeated maltreatment was on the slope, rather than on the intercept which was reflected in the trajectories. Repeated maltreatment was associated with significantly steeper increases in both internalizing and externalizing problems over time. Although there were no differences in early behavioral assessments (e.g., age 4 and age 6), both internalizing and externalizing behaviors emerged later and became more pronounced over time among those with repeated maltreatment (e.g., since age 8) compared to those without. Although behavioral problems may not be seen in younger children who experience multiple maltreatment, it is prudent to be aware that the impact may likely emerge in later ages of the child. Thus, ongoing monitoring and assessment of treatment needs for children who have had multiple occurrence of maltreatment becomes imperative.     

Spiritual development in adolescence: toward enriching theories, research, and professional practice

The author notes that she finds the case for making spiritual development a priority surprisingly compelling-"surprisingly" because although she is an expert on adolescent development, she has not done research or previously written about spiritual development. She suggests that a systems analysis occur first, before engaging frontline youth workers in this realm, to identify the interests of key stakeholder groups and ways to unleash creativity and engagement in each of them. The key will be framing engagement of spiritual development in ways that include rather than divide sectors and groups.     

Career Competencies for Career Success

This article addresses the general question as to which competencies employees need to possess in order to engage in self‐management in their career development. The authors distinguished and operationalized 6 career factors and competencies of self‐management in career development. A quantitative study was performed using 1,579 employees in 16 Dutch companies to investigate the relationship between career competencies and career success. The results indicate that, among others, the factors career control and networking are strongly associated with career success. The results are discussed with respect to the facilitation organizations can provide for their employees' career actualization.     

Developmental Issues in Career Maturity and Career Decision Status

There is considerable diversity in the literature regarding age and gender differences on career maturity and career decision status. There is also a dearth of data on high school samples. The present study reports cross‐sectional data from 1,971 Australian adolescents, ages 12.51‐17.99 years, who completed the Career Decision Scale (S. H. Osipow, C. G. Carney, J. Winer, B. Yanico, & M. Koschier, 1976) and the Career Development Inventory (Australian; J. Lokan, 1984). Results illustrated a developmental progression in career maturity, although a less uniform pattern emerged with gender differences. Findings regarding career indecision also presented a complex picture and highlight the need to focus on other demographic and contextual factors.     

Career and Personal Concerns Expressed by Career Counseling Clients

In this study, the authors used case notes to classify client concerns that surfaced during career counseling with adults in a university-sponsored community counseling center. A two-stage classification system was developed and used to estimate the frequencies of occurrence for career and personal issues that surface during career counseling. The authors concluded that a substantial overlap exists between the content of career counseling and that of psychotherapy.     

Longitudinal associations of parental psychological control and friend support with autonomy during early adolescence

Although theories suggest transactional associations between adolescents' autonomy and relationships with parents and friends, few studies have examined these within-person effects. This longitudinal study examined the within-person co-development of adolescents' autonomy and relationships with parents and friends. Adolescents (N = 244 M_age = 11.54, SD = 0.43 at T1; 50% boys) participated in a four-wave study across 2 years in the Netherlands. In random-intercept cross-lagged panel models, within-person results showed that higher levels of autonomy predicted less parental psychological control but not vice versa. However, no lagged-effects between friend support and autonomy were found. This study suggests that adolescents' autonomy steers changes in parental psychological control.     

Participation and enjoyment in Out-of-School activities during adolescence as predictors of activities in adulthood

This study examined associations between adolescents' participation in out-of-school activities and their participation in activities at age 26 (N = 1041, 50% girls, 77% White). More frequent adolescent participation in sports, arts, volunteer/community service, and religious activities increased the odds of participating in the same type of activity at age 26. Adolescents' enjoyment of activities partially explained the developmental continuity in activity participation. There was limited evidence that individuals' participation across different types of activities was associated. Finally, the diversity or breadth of adolescents' activity participation was associated with larger activity breadth at age 26. These findings suggest that adolescents' out-of-school activities help set the stage for participating in similar, but not different activities during young adulthood.     

Borderline personality development in childhood and its relationship to neurocognitive deficits

This paper examines the relationship between childhood disturbances indentified as borderline and deficits in the child's neurocognitive apparatus. The common indications of failures in primary autonomous ego apparatus in the borderline conditions are discussed and compared to the problems of the learning disabled child. Professional opinions and research of both conditions are reviewed. Developmental and dynamic considerations are presented to suggest a direct association between the presence of learning disabilities and psychiatric disorders in children.Consultant at Dysfunctioning Child Centre, Michael Reese Medical Center, and in Private Practice.Judith Feigon, is a staff menber at Dysfunctioning Child Centre, Michael Reese Medical Center     

Women's report of unwanted sexual attention during childhood

Unwanted Sexual Attention (UWSA) refers to unsolicited verbal comments, gestures, stares, and other non-physical attention toward another's sexuality and physical appearance. The present study describes the occurrence of childhood UWSA and explores its relation to child sexual abuse (CSA). Three hundred fifteen university women (mean age=19.5) completed the Exposure to Sexual Attention Scale, a 200-item inventory which assesses various forms of UWSA received prior to age 18. Findings suggested that non-contact UWSA is a pervasive experience across settings for girls, with 98.7% reporting UWSA during childhood. Those reported most often to perpetrate UWSA (e.g., other students, adult strangers, child strangers, and other children) were also most often reported as sexual abusers. Emotional reactions by women to both UWSA and CSA were predominantly negative. Although significantly greater levels of fear reactions were reported by the CSA group when compared to the UWSA group. No difference was found between the two groups on levels of anger reactions to UWSA and CSA. Overall findings suggest that UWSA is an almost universal experience for girls that causes significant anger and fear. Assessing UWSA will be important from a public health perspective in evaluating if such behaviors pose a risk factor for negative developmental outcomes for girls.     

Negative Career Outlook and the Working Alliance in Career Counseling

The authors investigated 3 dimensions of the working alliance—goal, task, and bond—and the reduction of negative career‐related thoughts. A pretest–posttest design revealed a significant reduction in negative career thoughts after an initial career counseling interview was provided to college students (N = 87). Regression analyses revealed that task predicted negative career thoughts. The findings offer evidence of the effectiveness of career counseling and of the contribution of working alliance to counseling as a process and outcome variable.     

Perceived Career Barriers and Career Decidedness of First-Generation College Students

We examined the effects of perceived career barriers on career decidedness among first-generation college (FGC) students (n = 149) and non-FGC students (n = 182) at a 4-year university (mean age = 19.3 years). Participants responded online to measures of perceived career barriers and career decidedness. Results indicated that FGC students scored higher on lack of support and lack of time and financial resources than non-FGC students. For both groups, higher levels of perceived lack of skills were related to lower levels of career decidedness, whereas greater levels of family-related responsibilities predicted higher levels of career decidedness. FGC student status moderated the association between perceived lack of time/financial resources and career decidedness. Further research is needed to investigate the differential effects of various domains of career barriers. Career counselors are advised to consider FGC students' perceived career barriers in guiding students' career exploration and decision-making.