The Journal of Early Adolescence current issue

Acknowledgments

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 17:58:29 PST

Relative Importance of Parents and Peers: Differences in Academic and Social Behaviors at Three Grade Levels Spanning Late Childhood and Early Adolescence

Masten, C. L., Juvonen, J., Spatzier, A. — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 17:58:29 PST

By focusing on school-based behaviors, this study examined the validity of a lay assumption that peers match, and even surpass, parents in terms of their importance as socialization agents by early adolescence. Self-reported academic and social behaviors, peer group norms, and perceived parent values were assessed among fourth, sixth, and eighth graders (n = 364). Results indicated academic and social behaviors, and perceived peer group norms for each, were more negative among older youth than younger youth. Sixth and eighth graders also reported parents valuing social behaviors less than fourth graders, although perceptions of parent values of academic behaviors remained high for all grades. Regression findings suggested perceived parent values predict academic and social behaviors at each grade, whereas peer group norms predict social behavior for all grades, but academic behavior only for older students. Implications of these findings are discussed in terms of ameliorating negative changes in behavior during middle school.

Growth and Predictors of Parental Knowledge of Youth Behavior During Early Adolescence

Moilanen, K. L., Shaw, D. S., Criss, M. M., Dishion, T. J. — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 17:58:29 PST

The current study examines latent growth models of parental knowledge of boys’ behavior from ages 10 to 15, and whether earlier child or family characteristics are related to intercept and growth in parental knowledge. As part of an ongoing longitudinal study on the precursors of antisocial behavior, 288 boys completed interviews at ages 10, 11, 12, and 15 years. Boys’ reports started low, increased and plateaued at age 12. High levels of maternal responsivity in early childhood were associated with a high initial status in knowledge. Growth was predicted only by high levels of boys’ prior externalizing problems. Results are discussed with respect to differences in factors that predict initial status versus growth in parental knowledge during the transition to adolescence.

Aggressive Behavior and Quality of Friendships: Linear and Curvilinear Associations

Fanti, K. A., Brookmeyer, K. A., Henrich, C. C., Kuperminc, G. P. — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 17:58:29 PST

The current study investigates linear and curvilinear associations between overt aggressive behavior and the adolescents’ reports of the quality of their friendships over time. Moderation by gender was also investigated. The sample consisted of 246 boys and 253 girls from the sixth and seventh grades of a large public middle school. Findings suggested a curvilinear association between aggression and friendship quality for boys such that nonaggressive and highly aggressive boys tended to perceive their relationships with friends more positively than did boys who exhibited moderate levels of overt aggression. In contrast, a negative linear association was found between aggression and friendship quality for girls. These findings provide evidence that the association between friendship quality and overt aggression is a complex phenomenon and point to the importance of examining gender differences and the curvilinear association between aggression and friendship quality.

Early Adolescent Romantic Partner Status, Peer Standing, and Problem Behaviors

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 17:58:29 PST

This study examined associations among early adolescent romantic relationships, peer standing, problem behaviors, and gender as a moderator of these associations, in a sample of 320 seventh-grade students. Popular and controversial status youth were more likely to have a romantic partner, whereas neglected status youth were less likely to have a romantic partner. Similarly, youth perceived as conventional and unconventional leaders were also more likely to have a romantic partner than were non-leaders. Youth who had a romantic partner drank more alcohol and were more aggressive than were youth who did not have a romantic partner. Among those youth who had romantic partners, those who reported having more deviance-prone partners were themselves more likely to use alcohol and to be more aggressive, and those who engaged in deviant behavior with their partners used more alcohol. However, these associations varied somewhat by gender. These findings underscore the salience of early romantic partner relationships in the adjustment of early adolescents.

Academic Competence for Adolescents Who Bully and Who Are Bullied: Findings from the 4-H Study of Positive Youth Development

Ma, L., Phelps, E., Lerner, J. V., Lerner, R. M. — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 17:58:29 PST

School bullying has negative implications for adolescent academic competence, making it important to explore what factors promote such competence for adolescents who bully and who are bullied. Potential contextual and individual variables linked to academic competence were examined in the context of bullying. Data were derived from the Grades 5 and 6 of the 4-H Study of Positive Youth Development, a national longitudinal investigation of adolescents in the United States that began in 2002. Longitudinal random effects hierarchical regression analyses with a subsample of 620 adolescents indicated that being a bully negatively impacted academic competence beyond demographic background, including sex and maternal education, and prior year academic competence. Concurrent random effects hierarchical regression analyses of a subsample of 250 adolescents suggested that educational expectations and school engagement interacted in fostering academic competence for bullies and victims. These findings highlight the importance of addressing academic competence in bullying interventions.

Bullying and Victimization Among Native and Immigrant Adolescents in Norway: The Role of Proactive and Reactive Aggressiveness

Fandrem, H., Strohmeier, D., Roland, E. — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 17:58:29 PST

This study compares levels of bullying others, victimization, and aggressiveness in native Norwegian and immigrant adolescents living in Norway and shows how bullying is related to proactive and reactive aggressiveness. The sample consists of 2,938 native Norwegians (1,521 girls, 1,417 boys) and 189 immigrant adolescents (97 girls, 92 boys) in school grades 8, 9, and 10. Data were collected via self-assessments. Structural equation models were conducted separately for girls and boys in both groups. The levels of victimization, reactive and proactive aggressiveness were the same for both native Norwegians and immigrant adolescents but there was a significant difference in the levels of bullying others. Compared with the native Norwegians, immigrant adolescents were found to be at higher risk of bullying others. Structural models revealed significantly stronger relations between affiliation-related proactive aggressiveness and bullying others in immigrant boys compared with the other groups. This indicates that the wish for affiliation is an important mechanism of bullying others in immigrant boys. We also suggest further research and the practical importance of the findings for prevention of targeting immigrant adolescents.