Showing papers in "Journal of Early Adolescence in 2011"
TL;DR: In this article, the authors examined whether bullying experiences are associated with lower academic performance across middle school among urban students and found that most of the victimization effect was due to between-subject differences, as opposed to within subject fluctuations, in victimization over time.
Abstract: The goal of the study was to examine whether bullying experiences are associated with lower academic performance across middle school among urban students.The ethnically diverse sample was drawn from a longitudinal study of 2,300 sixth graders (44% Latino, 26% African American, 10% Asian, 10% White, and 10% mixed) from 11 public middle schools. Results of multilevel models (MLMs) showed that grade point averages and teacher-rated academic engagement were each predicted by both self-perceptions of victimization and peer nominations of victim reputation, controlling for demographic and school-level differences as well as overall declines in academic performance over time. Further MLM analyses suggested that most of the victimization effect was due to between-subject differences, as opposed to within-subject fluctuations, in victimization over time. The results of the study suggest that peer victimization cannot be ignored when trying to improve educational outcomes in urban middle schools.
335 citations
TL;DR: The authors examined ego resilience and engagement coping as mediators of the relationships between supportive and controlling parenting practices and early adolescents' academic achievement, social intelligence, and academic achievement in early adolescents.
Abstract: This study examined ego resilience and engagement coping as mediators of the relationships between supportive and controlling parenting practices and early adolescents’ academic achievement, social...
108 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the relative role of three distinct types of peer relationships (reciprocated friendships, frequent interactions, and shared group membership) in within-year changes in academic self-concept and engagement before and after the transition to middle school (fifth and seventh grade).
Abstract: The present study examines the relative role of three distinct types of peer relationships (reciprocated friendships, frequent interactions, and shared group membership) in within-year changes in academic self-concept and engagement before and after the transition to middle school (fifth and seventh grade). In a series of linear regression analyses, main effects of each peer type’s academic self-concept and engagement on changes in youths’ academic characteristics were used to test socialization processes. Interactions of youths’ academic skills with those of each peer type were used to test social comparison processes influencing changes in academic self-concept. Results suggest unique roles of each peer relationship differentially influencing changes in youths’ academic adjustment as well as stronger influence effects during seventh than fifth grade. Implications are discussed in terms of distinct influence processes associated with each peer relationship type as well as potential developmental differences in the role that certain peer relationships play.
97 citations
TL;DR: Investigation of the influence of friends’ characteristics on change in academic achievement from Grade 6 to Grade 8 and the role of students’ own characteristics as moderators of this relationship suggests that students with academically engaged friends may achieve to levels higher than expected in Grade 8.
Abstract: Early adolescence is a critical transition period for the maintenance of academic achievement. One factor that school systems often fail to take into account is the influence of friends on academic achievement during middle school. This study investigated the influence of friends’ characteristics on change in academic achievement from Grade 6 to Grade 8 and the role of students’ own characteristics as moderators of this relationship. The sample included 1,278 participants (698 girls). Linear regressions suggest that students with academically engaged friends may achieve to levels higher than expected in Grade 8. However, when considering the significant, negative influence of friends’ problem behavior, the role of friends’ school engagement became nonsignificant. Low-achieving girls who had high-achieving friends in Grade 6 had lower academic achievement than expected by Grade 8. In contrast, high-achieving girls seemed to benefit from having high-achieving friends. Implications for theory and prevention ...
85 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors examined the link between trajectories of externalizing behavioral problems and early adolescent risk behavior in a longitudinal sample of 875 child participants in the LONGSCAN studies.
Abstract: Little is known about the early childhood indicators of adolescent risk. The link between trajectories of externalizing behavioral problems and early adolescent risk behavior was examined in a longitudinal sample of 875 child participants in the LONGSCAN studies. Five trajectory groups of children defined by externalizing behavior problems were identified: Low, Low-Medium, Moderate, Increasing-High, and High. After controlling for demographics and maltreatment, violent/delinquent behavior was significantly predicted by membership in the Moderate and Increasing-High problem behavior groups. Substance use in early adolescence was significantly predicted by membership in the High behavior problem group. These findings suggest that there is a great deal of continuity between patterns of externalizing behavior in childhood and risk-taking in early adolescence. Understanding the course of externalizing behavior in childhood can help identify children at particular risk for more serious behavioral problems in early adolescence.
79 citations
TL;DR: In a multiethnic community sample of 1,170 preadolescent children, the authors investigated whether discrepancies in parent-child reports of internalizing problems are related with gender, ethnic background (Dutch, Surinamese/Antillean, Moroccan, Turkish, Other) and with future internalizing problem.
Abstract: In a multiethnic community sample of 1,170 preadolescent children, it was investigated whether discrepancies in parent-child reports of internalizing problems are related with gender, ethnic background (Dutch, Surinamese/ Antillean, Moroccan, Turkish, Other) and with future internalizing problems No significant differences in discrepancy scores between boys and girls were found Parent-child disagreement of internalizing problems varied across ethnic groups, with significant differences among children from Surinamese/ Antillean (children reporting more internalizing problems than their parents) and Turkish background (parents reporting more internalizing problems than their children) Disagreement between parents and their preadolescent child significantly contributed to the prediction of self-reported internalizing problems in early adolescence For the early identification of internalizing problems, it is recommended to include both parent and child self-reports as part of routine health examinations i
69 citations
TL;DR: The authors examined the relationships between parental inductions, sympathy, prosocial moral reasoning, and prosocial behaviors of Mexican American adolescents, and found that they were associated with prosocial behavior.
Abstract: This study examined the relationships between parental inductions, sympathy, prosocial moral reasoning, and prosocial behaviors. A total of 207 early adolescents who self-identified as Mexican Amer...
69 citations
TL;DR: Results suggest that school bonding decreases in a nonlinear fashion from Grades 6 to 8, however, school bonding development varies based on interindividual differences.
Abstract: The goal of this research is to examine the trajectory of school bonding over the middle school period and how factors such as gender, substance use, antisocial peers, delinquent behavior, and academic achievement affect this developmental process. Data from 4 waves of measurement of 2,902 adolescents are analyzed using hierarchical growth curve modeling. Results suggest that school bonding decreases in a non-linear fashion from Grade 6-8. However, school bonding development varies based on inter-individual differences. Boys have lower initial levels and greater decreases in school bonding than girls. Student deviant behavior, having antisocial peers, and low academic achievement are associated with lower levels of school bonding at Grade 6. Low grades and an increase in substance use are associated with a steeper decrease of school bonding over time. Increases in substance use and being male are also associated with a curvilinear pattern of school bonding. Implications for interventions are discussed.
66 citations
TL;DR: Findings suggest that adolescent substance use theories and prevention programs focusing on peer socialization should consider individual differences in social goals and potential differences in peer influence across drugs.
Abstract: Though peer socialization theories are prominent in the adolescent substance use literature, variability in the degree to which adolescents are vulnerable to peer influence is likely, and few studies have examined this issue. This study examines the association between perceived peer substance use/approval of substance use and adolescent intentions to initiate alcohol and cigarette use, and how social goals moderate this relationship. Results support the moderating role of social goals, and suggest important differences across alcohol and cigarette use. Peer use and approval of cigarette use was associated with future intentions to smoke for adolescents with strong agentic goals, and peer use and approval of alcohol use was associated with intentions to drink for adolescents with strong communal goals. These findings suggest that adolescent substance use theories and prevention programs focusing on peer socialization should consider individual differences in social goals and potential differences in peer influence across drugs.
62 citations
TL;DR: This article examined adolescent hope as a mediator between connectedness to mother and father and positive and negative child outcomes, and found that it can be used as a predictor of positive or negative outcomes.
Abstract: This study examines adolescent hope as a mediator between connectedness to mother and father, and positive and negative child outcomes. Participants included 489 adolescents aged 9 to 14 years (M =...
58 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors investigated the factor structure, reliability, and validity of the IT-SR, a measure that was developed by adapting the widely used Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachments (Armsden & Greenberg, 1987) for use in the context of teacher-student relationships.
Abstract: This study investigates the factor structure, reliability, and validity of the Inventory of Teacher-Student Relationships (IT-SR), a measure that was developed by adapting the widely used Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachments (Armsden & Greenberg, 1987) for use in the context of teacher-student relationships. The instrument was field tested with a sample of African American students from low-income backgrounds (N = 171). An exploratory factor analysis was estimated with a randomly selected half of the sample. Three factors pertaining to Communication, Trust, and Alienation in relationships emerged. A confirmatory factor analysis was run on the remainder of the sample. Goodness-of-fit indices indicated that the three factor structure fit the data reasonably well. Scores on each of the three factors correlated with scores on other, existing measures of teacher-student relationship quality as well as with indicators of emotional, behavioral, and school-related adjustment. Implications for research on teac...
TL;DR: For example, the authors found that both parents and peers played important roles in the development of bulimic symptoms in early adolescent girls, and future work should especially include peers, who were found to be a stronger influence than mothers and fathers.
Abstract: Bulimic symptoms are fairly common among adolescent girls, and the dual pathway model outlines one possible etiological chain leading to bulimic symptoms. The present study seeks to longitudinally examine the pathways proposed by this model while focusing on the relative contribution of parents and peers (via direct encouragement or pressure to be thin and indirect discussion of dieting). Four years of self-report data were collected from 85 early adolescent girls during fifth through eighth grades. Results indicated that mothers, fathers, and peers each played an important role in the development of girls’ bulimic symptoms by affecting their body dissatisfaction, which was related to later dieting behaviors, depressive symptoms, and bulimic symptoms. Furthermore, results suggested that peers were a stronger influence than mothers and fathers. The authors conclude that both parents and peers play important roles in girls’ development of bulimic symptoms, and future work should especially include peers.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors investigated how role models' behavior may positively or negatively influence African American early adolescents' attitudes toward violence and violent behavior, and found that role model prosocial behavior is indirectly related to less violent behavior through adolescents’ attitudes towards violence.
Abstract: The study investigated how role models’ behavior may positively or negatively influence African American early adolescents’ attitudes toward violence and violent behavior. Participants in this study included 331 African American seventh and eighth graders from low-income neighborhoods in an urban, Midwestern city. The study used a model developed and tested to assess the relationships between role model prosocial behavior, role model antisocial behavior, adolescents’ attitudes toward violence, and adolescents’ violent behavior. The model developed was assessed using structural equation modeling. Results revealed the following: (a) Role model prosocial behavior is indirectly related to less violent behavior through adolescents’ attitudes toward violence, (b) role model antisocial behavior is directly linked to increased violent behavior and indirectly linked to increased violent behavior through adolescents’ attitudes toward violence, and (c) role model antisocial behavior appear to have a stronger effect ...
TL;DR: In this article, the authors integrate diverse literatures on peer group influence by conceptualizing and examining the relationship of peer group injunctive norms to the academic adjustment of a large and ethnically diverse sample of rural early adolescents' academic adjustment.
Abstract: This study integrates diverse literatures on peer group influence by conceptualizing and examining the relationship of peer group injunctive norms to the academic adjustment of a large and ethnically diverse sample of rural early adolescents’ academic adjustment. Results of three-level hierarchical linear modeling indicated that peer groups were differentiated by injunctive norms for effort and achievement. After accounting for prior adjustment, peer group injunctive norms predicted changes to students’ school valuation and effort. Peer group injunctive and descriptive norms were moderately correlated; injunctive norms that were more discrepant from descriptive norms were associated with academic adjustment beyond the associations for descriptive norms. Peer group normative relationships did not differ by gender, ethnic minority status, or school configuration. Implications for understanding peer influence and for educational practice are discussed.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors examined whether attainment of perceived popularity may be a contributing factor in the school difficulties of these aggressive youth and found that for children with above-average levels of aggression, perceived popularity predicts trajectories of increasing school avoidance and declining academic performance.
Abstract: Although positive peer relationships have been shown to promote healthy school involvement and academic achievement, subpopulations of perceived popular (i.e., socially prominent, high status), but aggressive, youth have been identified who exhibit poor school functioning. The objective of this study was to examine whether attainment of perceived popularity may be a contributing factor in the school difficulties of these aggressive youth. Data were collected from 208 early adolescents (95 boys; 113 girls) during the fall and spring of their fourth- and fifth-grade years. Latent growth curve analyses indicated that, for children with above-average levels of aggression, perceived popularity predicts trajectories of increasing school avoidance and declining academic performance. These results were significant even after accounting for how integrated children were in their social network (i.e., how many friends they had), providing further support to the contention that for aggressive youth, social status serves as a risk factor for school maladjustment.
TL;DR: The authors examined the role of family process on child disclosure, parental solicitation, and parental knowledge and examined how patterns might differ as a function of family structure and found that, for single and two-parent families, family process was positively and directly related to child disclosure and indirectly related to disclosure and solicitation via adolescents' externalizing behaviors.
Abstract: The purpose of the current study was (a) to examine the role of family process on child disclosure, parental solicitation, and parental knowledge and (b) to examine how patterns might differ as a function of family structure. Data for this study were taken from the Flourishing Families Project, which consists of 353 two- and 147 single-parent families with an adolescent child (X age of child = 11.35). Path analysis via structural equation modeling suggested that, for single- and two-parent families, family process was positively and directly related to child disclosure (two-parent only) and parental solicitation, and indirectly related to disclosure and solicitation via adolescents’ externalizing behaviors. In turn, externalizing behaviors, child disclosure, and parental solicitation were all directly related to parental knowledge. Despite mean differences in parenting variables as a function of family structure, findings highlight the importance of family process in promoting parents’ knowledge of their ...
TL;DR: This paper evaluated the role of mother and father involvement in adolescent academic achievement and found that mothers were more involved than fathers in education and that mother involvement had more predictive power of adolescents' academic achievement.
Abstract: Using a sample drawn from Taiwan, this study evaluated the role of mother and father involvement in adolescent academic achievement. The participants were drawn from the Taiwan Education Panel Survey (TEPS) and consisted of 8,108 adolescents who studied seventh grade in 2001. Father and mother involvement related to academic achievement was measured by four types of involvement: career plan discussion, listening to adolescent thinking, monitoring academic progress, and participation in school activities. The results indicated that mothers were more involved than fathers in education and that mother involvement had more predictive power of adolescent academic achievement.
TL;DR: For instance, this paper found that those students who highly value success in math or English yet expect to do poorly in those subjects report the highest levels of test anxiety, while those who devalue English are more likely to maintain moderate levels of anxiety across the transition to junior high school.
Abstract: This research focuses on the interaction between students' domain-specific expectancies and values as a predictor of test anxiety. A subsample of adolescents from the MSALT dataset are used in the current study; students complete measures during the spring of sixth grade and again during the spring of seventh grade. Overall, findings provide support for the predicted expectancy-value interaction. Those students who highly value success in math or English yet expect to do poorly in those subjects report the highest levels of test anxiety. Effect sizes are larger for math than English. Few gender differences emerge, but one prospective analysis reveals that girls who devalue English are more likely to maintain moderate levels of test anxiety across the transition to junior high school. Findings contribute novel information to the literature on test anxiety in young adolescents.
TL;DR: Although the protective role of social support in health is well established in the health literature, antecedents of perceived social support are not well understood as mentioned in this paper, which is a limitation of our work.
Abstract: Although the protective role of social support is well established in the health literature, antecedents of perceived social support are not well understood. Research on family experiential factors...
TL;DR: The authors investigated the connections between peer groups and academic achievement during early adolescence and found that group hierarchy was positively associated with group centrality but negatively associated with individual academic achievement, while individual status was associated with academic achievement.
Abstract: Focusing on a sample of 382 African American (206 female) and 264 European American (132 female) students in diverse fourth and fifth grade classrooms, this study investigated three questions concerning the connections between peer groups and academic achievement during early adolescence: (a) How is group structure (i.e., hierarchy and cohesion) associated with group centrality (i.e., status) in the classroom? (b) Does group structure predict academic achievement? and (c) Do peer-group status systems support or undermine academic achievement? Results were similar for African American and European American students. Group hierarchy was positively associated with group centrality but negatively associated with individual academic achievement. Individual status was positively associated with academic achievement. Discussion focuses on multifaceted peer-group influences on academic achievement and implications for educational practice.
TL;DR: The authors examined young adolescents' experiences with best friendship dissolution and found that 77 sixth-grade students (M age = 11.63 years, SD =.36; 11.00-12.69 age range) who reported on...
Abstract: This study examined young adolescents’ experiences with best friendship dissolution. Participants were 77 sixth-grade students (M age = 11.63 years, SD = .36; 11.00-12.69 age range) who reported on...
TL;DR: A review of peer relationships and academic adjustment in early adolescence can be found in this paper, with a focus on the role peer relationships play in changes in academic adjustment during this stage of life.
Abstract: Motivation, engagement, and achievement decline for many children during early adolescence. There is increasing attention to the role peer relationships play in changes in academic adjustment during this stage of life. The articles in this special issue advance knowledge on this topic. This introductory article provides an overview of the articles in the special issue, noting key findings and commenting on important contributions. Ideas for future research on peer relationships and academic adjustment are discussed.
TL;DR: This article investigated how social support may protect Israeli early adolescents who have witnessed community violence from engaging in violent behavior when they have also witnessed terror violence and found that support from parents, school, and friends could serve as protective, despite the interactive risk effects of witnessing community and terror violence.
Abstract: This study investigates how social support may protect Israeli early adolescents who have witnessed community violence from engaging in violent behavior when they have also witnessed terror violence. The study examines how support from parents, school, and friends could serve as protective, despite the interactive risk effects of witnessing community and terror violence. In general, results indicate that support from parents operated as a protective factor, whereas support from friends acted as a risk by increasing the likelihood of violent behavior. Support from school has both a protective and risk effect, depending on the type of violence exposure witnessed. The extent to which these facets of social support operated as risk or protective factors is conditional on whether youth had also witnessed terror violence, and terror violence appear to moderate each of the three facets of support differently. The implications of these findings and intervention initiatives for Israeli youth are discussed.
TL;DR: In this paper, a longitudinal study investigated whether depression among early adolescents (aged 12-14 years, N = 116; 65 girls) can be predicted by interactions between social goal orientations and interpersonal stress.
Abstract: This longitudinal study investigated whether depression among early adolescents (aged 12-14 years, N = 116; 65 girls) can be predicted by interactions between social goal orientations and interpersonal stress. Based on Kuroda and Sakurai (2001), this study applied Elliot and Harackiewicz’s (1996) trichotomous framework of achievement goals to Dweck and Leggett’s (1988) model of social goals and investigated three types of social goals: social learning goals (to grow through interpersonal experiences), social performance-approach goals (to obtain positive evaluations), and social performance-avoidance goals (to avoid negative evaluations). The results indicated that social learning goals reduced the effects of interpersonal stress, thus protecting against depression, whereas social performance-avoidance goals exacerbated the effects of interpersonal stress, thereby developing depression. Social performance-approach goals neither reduced nor exacerbated the effects of interpersonal stress. The nature and functioning of these goals were discussed.
TL;DR: This article examined the nature of middle school students' interactions with each other and found that although friends often share successes with one another, very little attention has been paid to these interactions, and very little was paid to the relationships between them.
Abstract: Although friends often share successes with one another, very little attention has been paid to these interactions. The current study examines the nature of middle school students’ interactions wit...
TL;DR: Results suggested that while linguistic acculturation is a risk factor for Mexican heritage preadolescents, this association depended on gender, the linguistic accULTuration context (family, friends, or media), and the type of substance.
Abstract: This article examined the impact of linguistic acculturation and gender on the substance use initiation of a sample of 1,473 Mexican heritage preadolescents attending 30 public schools in Phoenix, Arizona. It was hypothesized that linguistic acculturation operates differently as a risk or protective factor for young children than for older youth. The study used discrete-time event history methods to model the rate at which nonusing children initiate substance use. Alcohol, cigarettes, marijuana, and inhalants were studied separately while inhalant use was examined more closely. Results suggested that while linguistic acculturation is a risk factor for Mexican heritage preadolescents, this association depended on gender, the linguistic acculturation context (family, friends, or media), and the type of substance. For inhalants, higher linguistic acculturation with friends was inversely associated with drug initiation both for boys and girls. Implications for preventive science and future intervention research are discussed.
TL;DR: This article examined discrepancies in Mexican American adolescent-parent perceptions regarding parental autonomy promoting and their associations with adolescents' adjustment, and found that adolescents perceived their parents' autonomy promoting positively and negatively.
Abstract: Our study examined discrepancies in Mexican American adolescent–parent perceptions regarding parental autonomy promoting and their associations with adolescents’ adjustment. A total of 138 Mexican ...
TL;DR: The study both assesses the cross-language measurement equivalence of a common measure of ethnic identity and provides an appropriate conceptual and analytical model for researchers needing to evaluate measurement scales translated into multiple languages.
Abstract: The current study considers methodological challenges in developmental research with linguistically diverse samples of young adolescents. By empirically examining the cross-language measurement equivalence of a measure assessing three components of ethnic identity development (i.e., exploration, resolution, and affirmation) among Mexican American adolescents, the study both assesses the cross-language measurement equivalence of a common measure of ethnic identity and provides an appropriate conceptual and analytical model for researchers needing to evaluate measurement scales translated into multiple languages. Participants are 678 Mexican-origin early adolescents and their mothers. Measures of exploration and resolution achieve the highest levels of equivalence across language versions. The measure of affirmation achieves high levels of equivalence. Results highlight potential ways to correct for any problems of nonequivalence across language versions of the affirmation measure. Suggestions are made for how researchers working with linguistically diverse samples can use the highlighted techniques to evaluate their own translated measures.
TL;DR: The combination of AS, NC, and SC had a significant (but diminishing) relationship to depressive symptoms at 6, 18, and 30 months, suggesting an additive type of diathesis-stress model for depression in young adolescents.
Abstract: Youths with high (N = 52) or low cognitive vulnerability (N = 48) for depression were selected from a larger sample (N = 515) of students (7-10 years old), based on their attributional style (AS), negative cognitions (NC), and/or self-competence (SC). Long-term effects of cognitive vulnerabilities on depressive symptoms were examined in a 3-year, three-wave, multiinformant, longitudinal design. Three findings emerged. First, some empirical overlap exists among these three types of cognitive diatheses, especially between NC and SC. Second, the combination of AS, NC, and SC had a significant (but diminishing) relationship to depressive symptoms at 6, 18, and 30 months, primarily due to NC and SC, not AS. Third, interactions between cognitive risk and life events were not significant, suggesting an additive type of diathesis-stress model for depression in young adolescents.
TL;DR: The assertion that family meals protect some girls from substance abuse but suggest meals may have little impact on existing users is supported.
Abstract: This longitudinal study tested the direction of associations between family meals and alcohol and tobacco consumption during early adolescence. We examined family meal frequency, family connectedness, alcohol (binge drinking, drunkenness), and tobacco consumption (past year, daily frequency) in 671 adolescents (51% women; mean age, Wave 1 = 14.05 years). Structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed to estimate the associations between meal frequency and increases in alcohol and tobacco consumption, and alcohol and tobacco consumption on increases in meal frequency over a year, while adjusting for family connectedness, social class, and age. Family meals were associated with reductions in alcohol and tobacco consumption in girls but not boys. Alcohol consumption was also associated with reductions in the frequency of meals among girls, but not boys. Results supported the assertion that family meals protect some girls from substance abuse but suggest meals may have little impact on existing users.