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The prevalence, etiology, and consequences of adolescent risk behavior have stimulated much research. The current study examined relationships among anger and depressive symptomatology (DS), risk perception, self-restraint, and adolescent risk behavior. Telephone surveys were conducted with 290 14- to 20-year-olds (173 females; M = 15.98 years). Anger and perceptions of risk directly predicted risk behavior. An indirect effect of depressive symptomatology on risk behavior through perceptions of risk was revealed. Anger predicted risk behavior, particularly for adolescents with low self-restraint. The association between risk perception and risk behavior was stronger for older than for younger adolescents. Findings offer insight into the affective influences of risk behavior and may be used to inform prevention and intervention programs aimed at adolescents.

Explores patterns of morbidity and comorbidity and their ability to predict functional disability among American Indian elders (N=409). Results show that age is a consistent predictor of functional disabilities. The Index of Comorbidity was more useful in predicting functional disability than was the simple summation of the number of chronic illnesses. (RJM)

Examined the links between children's relationships with their parents at one and three years and their relationships with a friend at five years. Positive and secure parent-child relationships were associated with children's positive friendships and negative family relationships with negative friendships. Several counterintuitive findings emerged. (BC)

COMPREHENSIVE THEORETICAL MODELS of adolescent problem behavior propose risk and promotive factors at multiple levels of the social environment, including the family, peer, school, and neighborhood contexts. (1-3) In addition, [...], OBJECTIVE. Emerging evidence about optimal youth development highlights the importance of both reducing negative behavior and promoting positive behavior. In our study we tested a contextual model derived from positive youth-development theory by examining the association of family, school, and community risk and promotive factors, with several outcome indices of both positive and negative adolescent development. METHODS: A sample of 42 305 adolescents aged 11 to 17 (51% girls) was drawn from the 2003 National Survey of Children's Health. Survey item composites were formed representing promotive and risk factors in the family (eg, closeness, aggression) and school and community (eg, community connectedness, school violence). Outcome composites reflected positive (social competence, health-promoting behavior, self-esteem) and negative (externalizing, internalizing, academic problems) developmental outcomes. Ordinary least squares regression was used to test the overall model. RESULTS, Between 0.10 and 0.50 of the variance in each outcome was explained by the contextual model. Multiple positive family characteristics were related to adolescent social competence and self-esteem, as well as lowered levels of internalizing and externalizing behavior and academic problems. Family communication, rules about television, and parents' own healthy behavior were related to adolescent health-promoting behavior. School and community safety were associated with increased social competence and decreased externalizing behavior. School violence was related to adolescent internalizing and externalizing behavior, as well as academic problems and lower self-esteem. CONCLUSIONS. Our results support the proposition that healthy adolescent development has roots in multiple contexts, Youth who were involved in contexts that provided positive resources from important others (ie, parents, schools, and communities) not only were less likely to exhibit negative outcomes, but also were more likely to show evidence of positive development. These findings provide important implications for intervention and prevention efforts and, more generally, for the promotion of positive, competent, and healthy youth development. Key Words positive youth development, National Survey of Children's Health

Relationships with a close friend and a younger sibling were investigated in 30 first-born young children. Greater positive affect and reciprocity were found between friends than between siblings. Limited support for the consistency of individual differences in relationship quality across friend and sibling dyads was also revealed. Implications for child development and future research are discussed.

This research review examines the link between etiology of child maltreatment and developmental outcomes. The review points to a strong association between child maltreatment and attachment insecurity in infant-parent relations, as well as child maltreatment and dysfunctional child-peer relations during toddlerhood. (Author/JDD)

Siblings are influential on one another's romantic relationships and sexual behaviors, and examining mechanisms of this influence is important. Using a sample of 62 sister dyads, we examined the content of sisters' messages about dating and sexuality and correlates of these messages. Sisters shared messages with one another about dating logistics, dating partners, sex, and the importance of self. Using actor–partner interdependence models, we examined how both dyad members' romantic relationship status and sexual experiences, intentions, and attitudes were associated with sisters' messages. We found sisters' experiences—especially older sisters' experiences—were associated with the content of messages. Consistent with symbolic interactionism, the findings point to the importance of examining sibling communication about dating and sexuality as an important socialization mechanism through which sisters may influence one another's romantic relationships and sexuality development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Behavioral observations were performed on three groups of preschool children: nonabused, physically abused and neglected, and sexually abused. Physically abused and neglected children were more antisocial, disruptive, and aggressive yet passive. Sexually abused children were relatively quiet and engaged in more female-type activities. Peer interaction in the two groups of clinically referred children was significantly less positive than in the control group. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]