The Health Risk Behaviours and Social Connectedness of Adolescents in Immigrant Families: Evidence from Australia

Using data from Australia, health behavior outcomes and the social connectedness of adolescents in immigrant families are contrasted with the outcomes of adolescents in non‐immigrant families. Findings suggest that first and second generation adolescents are less likely to drink alcohol and lack social support than third generation adolescents, but more likely not to be physically active and not to have membership to a social club or group than third generation adolescents. Second generation adolescents are more likely to smoke than third generation adolescents. Findings suggest that immigrant adolescents appear protected from negative risks, yet at the same time, do not benefit from Australia's cultural traditions for physical activity and social participation. Across generations, however, social participation and physical activity increase. Lastly, as length of time in Australia increases, the protective effect of the immigrant family against some negative risks wanes. Overall, the assimilation process leads adolescents in immigrant families to adopt Australia's prevailing social customs of health and social behaviors.     

Considering justice: an exploratory study of family therapy with adolescents

Feminist approaches to therapy with adolescents emphasize an empowering focus on the strengths of adolescents while simultaneously insisting that therapists become aware of their own biases toward today's adolescents. However, a review of the family therapy literature finds little mention of feminist approaches for addressing injustices (e.g., family scapegoating, negative societal views of adolescents, and gender oppression) that arise in family therapy with adolescents. Therefore, this study explores clinical approaches and resources suggested by a surveyed group of self-identified feminist family therapists. In addition, we also recommend several approaches and resources that will aid family therapists in creating a more just climate for family therapy with youth.     

Adolescent Perceptions of Conflict in Interdependent and Disengaged Friendships

Interdependent and disengaged friendships in a middle‐class sample of suburban Israeli adolescents were examined for differences in reports of conflict behavior. A total of 194 (100 females, and 94 males) close, reciprocal friends participated in a joint problem‐solving task used to categorize friendships. Interdependent friends balanced closeness and individuality by cooperating on the task, whereas disengaged friends emphasized individuality by working independently on the task. In separate interviews, these friends recounted their most important conflict from the previous week. Older adolescents (M= 17.4 years) reported more conflicts over private disrespect than did younger adolescents (M= 12.7 years), whereas younger adolescents reported more conflicts over public disrespect and undependability than did older adolescents. Differences between friendship types in conflict initiation, negative affect, and relationship impact were found among older adolescents but not younger adolescents; differences in conflict resolutions were found in both age groups. In contrast to disengaged friends, interdependent friends were better able to manage conflicts in a manner that emphasized relationship harmony over individual gain.     

Self-report of health problems and health care use among maltreated and comparison adolescents

The study aims were to compare maltreated and comparison adolescents' health problems and to identify how individual, family and home characteristics and maltreatment status affect adolescents' self-report of health status and health care use. The sample was 224 maltreated adolescents (mean age = 18.3 years) and 128 comparison adolescents (mean age = 18.15 years). Comparison adolescents reported more cold and pain symptoms during the previous 30 days but no differences in other physical health problems, self-assessment of their physical and mental health or health care use compared to maltreated adolescents. Girls were more likely to have had a dental checkup, to have seen a psychological counselor, and to self-identify their physical health as poor compared to boys. Older adolescents were less likely to have had a medical checkup or seen a psychological counselor than younger adolescents. A history of maltreatment was not related to health or health care disparities for adolescents growing up in the same low-income environment as adolescents without a maltreatment report. The environmental context and geographical location in which these adolescents grew up may be the primary driver in their health behaviors and health problems and not the experience of maltreatment.     

The influence of parental separation on smoking initiation in adolescents

Most adult smokers start smoking when they are adolescents and, the prevalence of smoking declines less than other unhealthy behaviors as people mature. Understanding why adolescents start smoking is, therefore, key to developing effective policy aimed at lowering the prevalence of smoking in both children and adults. In this study, I suggest that parental separation is one possible risk factor for smoking initiation. I use a nationally representative sample of American adolescents interviewed at two points in time to examine the influence of parental separation on smoking initiation. Two questions are addressed. First, is there a relationship between parental separation and the likelihood that an adolescent will initiate smoking? Second, if there is a relationship, through what factors does parental separation operate to influence the initiation of smoking in adolescents? My findings suggest that parental separation increases the likelihood that adolescents will start smoking. It does so in part by raising depressive symptoms and rebelliousness in adolescents. Despite the significance of these indirect effects, however, the bulk of the effect of parental separation on smoking initiation is direct.     

Personality Characteristic Adaptations: Multiracial Adolescents' Patterns of Racial Self‐Identification Change

For multiracial adolescents, forming a sense of self and identity can be complicated, even at the level of classifying themselves in terms of racial group membership. Using a Race Self Complexity ( Winston et al., 2004 ) theoretical framework, this study used an open‐ended question to examine the racial self‐identification fluidity of 66 adolescents during the 7th, 8th, and 11th grades. This sample included 22 Black/White 1 multiracial adolescents, as well as a matched sample of 22 Black and 22 White adolescents. Seventy‐three percent of the multiracial adolescents changed their racial self‐identification in the form of two time change patterns with a number of consolidating and differentiating racial self‐identification variations. There was no change for the monoracial adolescents. These results suggest that within the lives of multiracial adolescents, the process of racial self‐identification may be a personality characteristic adaptation to the meaning of race in American society that may change across time, place, and role.     

Wellbeing of children and adolescents with special health care needs in the child welfare system

Children and adolescents in child welfare have the highest rates of chronic conditions and disabilities of any studied child population. The purpose of this study is to determine the wellbeing of children and adolescents with special health care needs (SHCN) in child welfare compared to their peers without SHCN. Wellbeing was measured using the Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths (CANS) assessment; children and adolescents were assessed on the domains of Life Domain Functioning, Traumatic Stress Symptoms, Behavioral/Emotional Needs, Risk Behaviors, and Child Strengths. Scores on the CANS were compared between initial entry into the child welfare system and 18 months later. This is the first study to assess wellbeing over time of children and adolescents with SHCN in the child welfare system. This study found that children and adolescents with SHCN had increased wellbeing over an 18-month period. By the 18-month assessment, children and adolescents with SHCN presented similarly to their healthy peers, indicating that wellbeing improved more for children and adolescents with SHCN than those without SHCN across several domains of wellbeing. Children and adolescents with SHCN still had significant needs compared to children and adolescents without SHCN in the area of Life Domain Functioning. Adolescents (ages 12–18), with and without SHCN, had greater needs and fewer strengths compared to children (ages 6–11) both initially and 18 months later. Children and adolescents without SHCN also improved over the 18-month period. While this study specifically measured needs and strengths, the findings show that the wellbeing of children and adolescents, as measured across a variety of domains, improved while in child welfare.     

Transition secured? A follow-up study of adolescents who have left secure residential care

Many adolescents who make the transition to adulthood experience problems after their departure from secure residential care. Research suggests that these young people are often in need of support after they have left secure care. Little is known about the experiences and perceptions of adolescents during and after this transition. The aim of this article is to assess these experiences for a group of 24 adolescents in the Netherlands that have left secure residential care. The results show, in line with previous studies, that many adolescents experience problems during their transition from secure care, especially with regard to finances, school and employment, and living arrangements. In contrast to other studies, a majority of the adolescents reports to have received support in the year following their departure. Relatively few adolescents move to independence after their departure, which suggests that many adolescents are not ready for making a true transition into adulthood yet.     

Health-Related Adjustment of Adolescents in Various Postdivorce Family Structures With Main Focus on Father Custody With and Without a Stepmother

It is well established that adolescents living in father custody are more likely to be involved in antisocial behavior and substance use, as compared to adolescents living in mother custody. This study assessed whether these differences also pertain to a wider spectrum of health-related outcomes. A second aim was to investigate the role of a stepparent on adolescents' health-related adjustment. A total of 6,447 Norwegian adolescents between ages 11 and 16 participated in the study. The findings revealed that the differences between adolescents in father versus mother custody might be somewhat more comprehensive than previous studies have observed, indicating increased risks for adjustment problems among adolescents living with a single father on various health-related outcomes. Generally, a stepmother does not seem to compensate for the risks of adjustment problems, but might have a positive influence on certain health-related behaviors.     

Behavior problems and attachment in adopted and non-adopted adolescents

Many studies have shown that adopted adolescents present more behavioral problems than non-adopted adolescents do. However, few studies have been published about national adoption in South America, even though this is the most common type of adoption in these countries. The goal of this study was to examine the differences in behavioral problems between nationally adopted and non-adopted adolescents (using Achenbach's Child Behavior Check-list (CBCL) and the Youth Self Report (YSR)), as well as to examine the relationship between behavioral problems and attachment style in adolescents. Participants: 25 adolescents adopted at the age of 6 months or older and 25 non-adopted adolescents. Results: No significant differences were found between groups in terms of behavioral problems. Adolescents adopted at a later age presented more “social problems” than those who were adopted earlier on. Even though the adopted adolescents presented more insecure attachment, there were no significant differences between groups in terms of behavioral problems and attachment style. There was a significant interaction between adoption and attachment on the Thought Problems scale of the YSR, with the non-adopted/insecure adolescents scoring higher. Possible interpretations of these results are presented in the discussion. In general, the adopted adolescents were not significantly different from the adolescents who grew up with their birth families. Furthermore, adoption within the first two years of life may represent a protective factor against “social problems” during adolescence. These findings may contribute to the de-stigmatization of adoption and a move away from the idea that adopted adolescents are “difficult”.     

Adolescents in Treatment: Effects of Parental Substance Abuse on Treatment Entry Characteristics and Outcomes

SUMMARY

Research strongly supports an increased risk of substance use disorders among the adolescent children of addicted parents. However, little documentation exists of how these adolescents fare when they present for treatment. This article uses data taken from a two-state study on the effects of adolescent substance abuse treatment to examine the characteristics of adolescents with substance-abusing parents and their outcomes following an episode of outpatient treatment. Although such adolescents enter treatment with greater problem severity in a range of areas, outcomes appear similar to adolescents with no substance-abusing parents. The impact of family and individual counseling on outcomes was also examined, demonstrating mixed results for adolescents with substance-abusing parents.     

The role of close friends in African American adolescents' dating and sexual behavior

This study examined the role of close friends in the sexual lives of African American adolescents. Fifteen African American adolescents residing in an urban neighborhood participated in individual in-depth qualitative interviews. The findings suggest that close friends play a critical role in the dating and sexual behaviors of inner-city African American adolescents, as they appear to serve as socializing agents that impact how adolescents conceptualize and socially construct dating and sexual roles and behaviors. Close friends also play a significant role in acquiring new dating and sexual partners and in determining the course of dating and sexual relationships. Although females and males expressed similar expectations regarding sexual fidelity and condom use, they differed with regard to their method and process of talking with friends about dating and sex, their shared social constructions about dating and sexual roles and expectations, and their perceptions of the meaning of dating. We discuss the implications of the findings in terms of involving close friends in interventions focused on improving the sexual health of African American adolescents. Future directions for research with African American adolescents and sexuality are also discussed.     

Vocal and Facial Emotion Decoding Difficulties Relating to Social and Thought Problems: Highlighting Schizotypal Personality Disorder

Successful social interaction depends on the ability to decode emotion in the nonverbal behaviors of others. Because relationship difficulties are paramount in adolescents with schizotypal personality disorder (SPD), we predicted that adolescents with SPD would (1) make more emotion decoding errors than adolescents with other personality disorders (OPD) or non-psychiatric controls (NPC); and (2) exhibit more social and thought problems than OPD or NPC adolescents. Further, we predicted greater emotion decoding errors for all adolescents would relate to concurrent and future social problems, thought problems, and social reasoning deficits. SPD adolescents made more errors than OPD and NPC adolescents in decoding voices but not faces (except in specific emotion categories). For all adolescents, vocal errors correlated with greater social problems, and facial and vocal errors correlated with greater thought difficulties concurrently and a year later.     

Associations between discussions of racial and ethnic differences in internationally adoptive families and delinquent behavior among Korean adopted adolescents

Internationally adopted adolescents may have more delinquent behavior than non-adopted adolescents. One explanation is that these adolescents experience discrimination and loss of culture, and adoptive parents are not adequately addressing these experiences. However, studies have not examined the effects of family discussions of racial and ethnic differences within adoptive families on adopted adolescents' delinquent behavior. To test this relationship, this study utilized data from 111 U.S. internationally adoptive families with 185 South Korean adopted adolescents (55% female, M age = 17.75). During an observational assessment, families discussed the importance of their racial and ethnic differences, and adolescents completed a delinquent behavior questionnaire. Analysis of covariance showed differences in adolescent delinquent behavior across three ways adoptive families discussed racial and ethnic differences; adolescents whose families acknowledged differences had the fewest mean delinquent behaviors. There were no significant differences in delinquent behavior between adolescents whose families acknowledged or rejected the importance of racial and ethnic differences. However, adopted adolescents whose families held discrepant views of differences had significantly more problem behavior than adolescents whose families either acknowledged or rejected the importance of racial and ethnic differences. Clinicians, adoption professionals, and other parenting specialists should focus on building cohesive family identities about racial and ethnic differences, as discrepant views of differences are associated with the most adoptee delinquent behavior.     

The Role of Parent and Peer Support in Predicting Adolescent Depression: A Longitudinal Community Study

This study examines whether perceived parent support, peer support, and the interaction between them predict depression symptoms and depression diagnosis 2 years later in a community sample of 389 adolescents. Controlling for Time 1 depression, parent support and anticipated peer support were not independently related to Time 2 depression in either linear or logistic regression analyses. However, there was a significant interaction between the two support variables, suggesting that parent support moderates the relationship between anticipated peer support and depression symptoms and diagnosis. Anticipated peer support is protective among adolescents with high parental support, but may act as a risk factor for adolescents with low parental support. Regarding developmental differences, low anticipated peer support at Time 1 was a stronger predictor of Time 2 depression symptoms among older, compared with younger, adolescents. These findings highlight the importance of parent and peer support in predicting future depression among community adolescents.     

Adolescents' Perceptions of Parental Behaviors as Predictors of Adolescent Self–Esteem in Mainland China

Parents' child–rearing behaviors have been identified as major sources of influence on the self–esteem of adolescents from Western societies and Chinese adolescents in Hong Kong. The pattern of relationships found in samples of Hong Kong adolescents has been similar to the pattern found among samples of U.S. adolescents, but contrary to what might be expected in collectivistic societies such as mainland China. The purpose of this study, therefore, was to test specific dimensions of parenting behaviors as possible predictors of adolescents' self–esteem in mainland China. Self–report data were acquired for this study from 480 adolescents who attended secondary schools located in Beijing. Results indicated that patterns of socialization between parents and adolescents in mainland China were similar to those found in the United States, although explanations for these results may differ from those characteristic of the United States and other Western societies. Reasoning, monitoring, and autonomy–granting behavior by Chinese parents were positive predictors, whereas punitiveness was a negative predictor of Chinese adolescents' self–esteem (both males and females). Contrasting with patterns commonly found in the United States was the finding that parental support was not a predictor of Chinese adolescents' self–esteem.     

Loneliness,the search for meaning,and the psychological well-being of economically disadvantaged Chinese adolescents living in Hong Kong: Implications for life skills development programs

Assuming a relational basis of meaning-making, we examined ways in which the search for meaning and loneliness relate to the psychological well-being of economically disadvantaged adolescents. Using a survey with a sample of 366 economically disadvantaged adolescents and 304 non-economically disadvantaged adolescents recruited from 10 schools in Hong Kong, we observed that the search for meaning had a positive association with self-esteem, self-efficacy, and life satisfaction only among economically disadvantaged adolescents, whereas loneliness had a negative association with those indicators of psychological well-being in the entire sample. We also identified an interaction effect between the search for meaning and loneliness on life satisfaction among economically disadvantaged adolescents. Our results partially supported our hypotheses by showing that loneliness and the search for meaning jointly affected the development of economically disadvantaged adolescents, whereas loneliness was a more significant predictor than the search for meaning. Given such functions of the search for meaning and sense of belongingness in the development of young people amid economic hardship, practitioners and educators should initiate meaning- and relationship-oriented life skills programs in the formal and non-formal learning contexts, as well as facilitate young people's search for meaning in the informal learning context.     

The Inside Out? Views of Young People,Parents, and Professionals Regarding Successful Secure Residential Care

Although adolescents often seem to improve in their functioning during residential care, there still is little knowledge on what factors are important in achieving these changes. The present study aims to identify the care factors that are important for adolescents’ behavior change during secure residential care. We conducted in-depth interviews with eight adolescents, their parents, eight group care workers and seven teachers concerning their in-care experiences. Both adolescents and parents commonly attributed changes during secure residential care to the treatment environment. Group care workers and teachers did not have a clear, consistent view on the treatment aspects causing positive change with the adolescents. According to the adolescents, good professionals apply a fine balance between rules and freedom, show empathy and are available for support. The view of parents corresponds to this image. Although group care workers are perceived as available for support, adolescents tend to make little use of this help if they experience personal problems during care. The results highlight the importance of responsiveness of secure residential care professionals to the needs and perspectives of adolescents and parents.