Journal of Adolescent Research

This study was designed (a) to examine whether female and male adolescents in the United States, Japan, and China differ significantly in their scores on measures of perception and reasoning, and (b) to determine whether there are similar factor structures of perception and reasoning aptitudes among these groups. A multiple aptitude test battery consisting of six tests (three designed to measure perception and three to measure reasoning) was administered to 854 eighth- and ninth-grade students from the three nations. Analysis of variance and confirmatory factor analysis of factorial invariance models were conducted to explore similarities and differences in means andfactor structures based on country and gender. Although some differences in the mean performance of adolescents from the three nations were noted on perception and reasoning tasks, there was remarkable similarity in the factorial composition ofperformance underlying tests ofperception and reasoning ability. The obtained findings are discussed in light of gender and cultural differences of adolescents from three countries.

Peer relationships are considered to be a dominant feature of adolescence, but systematically formed social networks rarely have been studied. A social network analysis was used to describe adolescent friendship patterns and to compare them across schools and time. Ninth graders (n = 1030) atfive high schools identified their friends at Wave 1 and again one year later. The resulting sets offriendship links were subjected to social network analysis. The patterns of linkages identified adolescents as clique members, liaisons, and isolates. Clique membership was the modal social position pattern, but liaisons and isolates also were well represented. The proportions of adolescents representing each socialposition varied across schools. In all samples, cliques were homogeneous in gender, race, and mother's educational level, and cliques were largely stable over a one-year time period. The possibility that social network characteristics could explain a variety of adolescent differences is discussed

The current study investigated the utility of using stress, social support, and racial identity to predict problem behavior and self-esteem among African American adolescents. Hierarchical regression analyses were used to test the predictive ability of the Lazarus and Folkman model. Stressful life events and lack of perceived support from friends were predictive of problem behavior (e.g., drug and alcohol use, delinquent acts) in a sample of 221 African American 9th through 12th-grade adolescents. Strong support from friends attenuated the effects of stress. One racial-identity variable (attitudes toward African Americans) contributed to the prediction ofproblem behavior after other variables were entered into the regression equation. More positive attitudes predicted lower levels ofproblem behavior. Similar results were obtained in a regression analysis using self-esteem as the dependent variable. The current study concluded that stress models are useful with African Americans, particularly if a racial-identity variable is included.

Differences among four types of decisions (abortion, medical, future oriented, and interpersonal) were explored by presenting vignettes to 169 adolescents 18 through 20 years of age. Participants ranked potential consultants including specif ic family members, significant others, friends, and various professionals on eight decisions. Analyses of the frequency and order of consultation of each consultee 's advice were performedfor all decisions. Consultation patterns for each type of decision differed, thus indicating that the choice of consultants was a function of the type of decision. These findings indicate that for late adolescents, different consultants were seen as useful for making abortion decisions when compared to making medical, future oriented, or interpersonal decisions. Given that the consultation patterns for these decisions were unique, research on decision making should address the role of context and avoid assumptions of generalizability. Details of the frequency and order of consultation for each type of decision are provided

Using data from the 1988 National Family Growth Cycle IV, variables discriminating between early and late coital initiation among middle-income African American adolescent females were examined (n = 109). Results from the discriminant function analysis indicated that the joint occurrence offamily structure, adolescents' labor- force participation, and religiosity were associated with late coital initiation. Those who lived in two-parent households, had engaged in conversations with parents about sexual issues, and had greater knowledge about sexual matters were more likely to delay age at first coitus until 18 years of age and beyond. The discriminant function classified correctly 94% of the overall grouped cases. Classification within each group resulted in 98% of early coital initiators and 79% of late coital initiators being classified correctly. Results from this study provide support for using a systematic frameworkfor examining the sexual activity patterns ofmiddle-class African American adolescent females and offer suggestions for future research efforts.