A profile of young adolescents attending a teen family planning clinic.

The purpose of this study was to assess the client records of adolescents attending a teen family planning clinic to determine the reported episodes of sexually transmitted diseases, sexual abuse, alcohol and drug use, and other dysfunctional situations in the family. In addition, information about the initiation of sexual activity and sexual partners was assessed in the record review. Data were obtained from a county health department located in a metropolitan area of a southeastern state. A review of the records of 183 adolescents 15 years of age or younger provided information on ethnicity, grade in school, and assessment data from the clinic interviews and exams. Twenty-five clients said they were not sexually active when they came to the family planning clinic for the first time, and were brought to the clinic by a parent (usually the mother). Those clients who came without parents said they were sexually active. Forty-one percent had their first sexual experience between 12 and 13 years of age, 18% between the ages of 14 and 15, and the remainder before the age of 12. While over 7% specifically stated that they had been sexually abused or raped, an additional 19% described situations in the home or exhibited symptoms associated with a history of sexual abuse. Eleven percent had a history of two to three different sexually transmitted diseases, and 26% had three or more diseases. Seventy-two percent indicated that there was conflict in the home; several had left home because of abuse. Fourteen percent admitted using drugs, mostly cocaine or marijuana, and 17% reported that they used alcohol at least occasionally.     

Attitudes toward consequences of pregnancy in young women attending a family planning clinic

This study examines the relationship between young women's knowledge and attitude concerning pregnancy and their sexual behavior. The study involved 78 young women (14-20 years of age) who had attended a midwestern family planning clinic. Primarily from a larger socioeconomic status, 70% of the participants said that they had never been pregnant. Adapting the testing methods of previous investigations, the study presented the participants with various exams intended to measure the following: 1) knowledge concerning "how babies are made"; 2) knowledge regarding intercourse and pregnancy; 3) anticipation of future consequences of adolescent childbirth; 4) anticipation of immediate consequences or fears of adolescent pregnancy. The study also examined the participants' contraceptive behavior and pregnancy history. The findings indicate that knowledge concerning understanding "how babies are made" does not influence sexual behavior, with no significant difference found between contraceptive users and non-contraceptive users. Also, the participants generally had accurate knowledge concerning intercourse and pregnancy. But the study did reveal significant differences in the evaluation of the consequences of pregnancy and childbirth. Those women who had previously been pregnant -- including those who had terminated their pregnancies -- showed a less negative attitude towards the consequences of pregnancy and childbirth than those who had never been pregnant. Furthermore, as the age of the women increased, the attitude became more positive. However, the study found that the attitude towards the consequences of pregnancy and childbirth had no impact on contraceptive behavior.     

Antecedents and consequences of adolescents' motivations to join the family business

This study investigates the career development of adolescents with a family business background through a motivational lens. Drawing on self-determination theory, antecedents and consequences of three succession motivations (autonomous, e.g., career interest; introjected, e.g., family obligation; external, e.g., job opportunities) were analyzed in a sample of 152 adolescents in family firms. Structural equation modeling revealed that parental relational support and adolescent's perceived entrepreneurial competence predicted autonomous motivation, whereas parental control related to introjected motivation. Moreover, autonomous motivation related positively to offspring's succession likelihood. Findings point to the relevance of parental career-specific behaviors in the early process of career and succession planning in family firms.     

Antecedents and consequences of adolescents' motivations to join the family business

This study investigates the career development of adolescents with a family business background through a motivational lens. Drawing on self-determination theory, antecedents and consequences of three succession motivations (autonomous, e.g., career interest; introjected, e.g., family obligation; external, e.g., job opportunities) were analyzed in a sample of 152 adolescents in family firms. Structural equation modeling revealed that parental relational support and adolescent's perceived entrepreneurial competence predicted autonomous motivation, whereas parental control related to introjected motivation. Moreover, autonomous motivation related positively to offspring's succession likelihood. Findings point to the relevance of parental career-specific behaviors in the early process of career and succession planning in family firms.     

Perceived family environment as a moderator of young adolescents' life stress adjustment

A longitudinal design was employed to test the main and stress-moderating effects of young adolescents' perceived family environment (Family Environment Scales; FES; Moos & Moos, 1981) on their depression, anxiety, and self-esteem. This study was part of a larger longitudinal project (L. Cohen, Burt, & Bjorck, 1987) that demonstrated the significant cross-sectional effects of the young adolescents' controllable and uncontrollable negative events, and the significant longitudinal effects of the former. The present cross-sectional analyses demonstrated the hypothesized main effects of the FES scores; families perceived as cohesive, organized, and expressive were related to positive psychological functioning, whereas families perceived as conflict-ridden and controlling were related to negative functioning. However, in general these effects were nonsignificant in the longitudinal analyses. Although there were a number of significant Negative Events x FES interactions, in no instance did the pattern support the hypothesized stress-buffering role of positive family climate.     

Toward a predictive model of family planning

A study of 1200 women aged 15-45 in Mexico City was conducted with the object of discovering the factors that have the greatest predictive value for attitudes, beliefs, intentions, and behavior in reference to family planning. Information was solicited by questionnaire with respect to 6 groups of variables: 1) independent variables (age, education, occupation and education of spouse, and whether the woman worked before marriage); 2) perceived value of children and family planning; 3) peer group norms; 4) marital relationship; 5) modernization; and 6) motivation. Factor analysis was applied to each of the groups ofvariables to determine which factors had the greatest impact within the group; then multiple regression analysis was applied to determine which factors had the greatest predictive value. A predictive model of family planning according to the results is illustrated and the various aspects discussed. It was found that the intention to use contraceptives and a good marital relationship (one with open communication and shared decision making) were the best predictors of effective family planning behavior.     

Habituation to a stressor predicts adolescents' adiposity

Background and Objectives: Stress is associated with gains in adiposity. One factor that determines how much stress is experienced is how quickly an adolescent reduces responding (habituates) across repeated stressors. The purpose of this study was to determine the association of body mass index (BMI) percentile and the rate of habituation to a stressor. Design: Thirty-four adolescents completed anthropometric measures and a habituation protocol using a within study design. Methods: The habituation protocol measured the rate of decline in perceived stress and heart rate (HR) across four, two-minute serial subtraction trials. Results: Multivariate linear regression revealed the habituation rate of the HR predicted BMI percentile after adjusting for gender, socioeconomic status, and initial HR (β?=?17.2, p?Conclusions: Slower habituation to a laboratory stressor was associated with greater BMI percentiles in adolescents.     

A beginner's guide to the problem-oriented first family interview

The large volume and diversity of family therapy resources can often confuse trainees who are in need of more abbreviated guidelines for managing their clinical responsibilities. This paper presents a structured outline of a problem-oriented first family interview for the family therapy supervisor and the beginning family therapist. We view the first interview as an integrated process including the important tasks preceding and following the initial family meeting. After the goals that shape the work of the first interview are described, a step-by-step guide to the twelve phases of the interview is presented: telephoning; forming hypotheses; the greeting; the social phase; identifying the problem; observing family patterns; defining goals; contracting; checklist; revising hypotheses; contacting the referral person; and gathering records. This approach to the first interview integrates a variety of structural and strategic procedures. The guide, intended for use in conjunction with close supervision, may serve as a foundation on which beginning therapists can build their unique styles.     

A two year audit of a family therapy clinic in adult psychiatry

This paper reports a 2 year audit of a family therapy clinic in a psychiatric department, focusing especially on the relationship between diagnosis and outcome. Patients with affective disorders–especially where anxiety predominated–and eating disorders had good outcome. Structural change occurred in families with psychotic members, even though psychotic symptoms were often unchanged. Difficulties with an acute onset were more responsive than long-term problems, but a substantial number of the latter did improve. Families receiving between four and 10 sessions had the best outcome, and improvement was generally maintained at 2 year follow-up.     

The application and utility of a family assessment procedure in a child psychiatry clinic

The application of a method of assessing families from a total family systems viewpoint is explored. It was found that the method (the McMaster Model) was well-suited to routine practice in a British child psychiatry setting with routine clinic referrals. It constituted a good procedure both for assessing and for preparing families for family therapy. In this paper the practical procedure is described. Some of the issues arising from the approach and from the assessment of thirty-four clinic families are discussed. It was also found that the method provided a very good framework for teaching.     

On becoming a family therapist: The first three years

The process of learning to conduct family therapy involves encountering and mastering specific issues which can be conceptualized as occurring in a hierarchy of stages. This article describes five stages in the development of a beginning family therapist: immobilization, collecting techniques, examination of self, in search of a theory, and maintaining energy.     

How immigrant adolescents' self‐views in school and family context relate to academic success in Germany

Immigrants' sense of self can be derived both from being members of their ethnic in‐group and their country of residence. We examined how the ways in which immigrant adolescents integrate these self‐views in relation to academic success in German schools. Students describe themselves at school and when with family. Using a standardized literacy performance test, analyses revealed that immigrants whose school‐related self‐view did not include Germany were less successful: Students who described their self as including both aspects of their ethnic group and Germany, and students who saw themselves predominantly as German, outperformed students with purely ethnic school‐related selves. As expected, though, an ethnic family‐related self‐view did not have a negative impact on scholastic achievements.     

Evaluation of a conflict-resolution and problem-solving programme to enhance adolescents' self-concept

The effectiveness of an intervention programme, initially designed to enhance the self-concept and motivation of gifted underachieving girls, was evaluated for students identified as having a low self-concept and social relationship difficulties. Twenty male and female secondary-school students were randomly assigned to either a treatment or a control group. The programme, called ABLE (Attribution, Behaviour, Life skills Education), incorporates problem-solving, conflict resolution, and a multidimensional framework to investigate adolescents' self-concept formation. The adolescents in the study made significant improvements in the areas of general self-concept, physical appearance self-concept, and total self-concept. Teaching conflict-resolution and problem-solving skills had a beneficial influence on self-concept. The results are discussed in terms of the relevance of the programme and its application to school and counselling interventions.