Gender Representation in Notable Children's Picture Books: 1995–1999

Although females comprise 51% of the population, they are represented in less than that amount in children's literature. Psychologists and leaders of liberation groups affirm that gender stereotyping in children's books has detrimental effects on children's perception of women's roles. Therefore, illustrated children's books that view women positively can be used to eliminate these stereotypes. Eighty-three Notable Books for Children from 1995 to 1999 were analyzed for gender of main character, illustrations, and title. This research updated LaDow's content analysis method and revealed that contrary to earlier studies, steps toward equity have advanced based on the increase in females represented as the main character (S. LaDow, 1979). Although female representation has greatly improved since the 70s, gender stereotypes are still prevalent in children's literature.     

The Social Contextual Approach and Rural Adolescent Substance Use: Implications for Prevention in Rural Settings

Adolescents in rural areas use substances at rates comparable to urban adolescents; understanding causes of rural adolescent substance use is critical if prevention efforts are to succeed. The present review has three primary goals: (1) to define rural, (2) to evaluate the empirical evidence regarding correlates and causes of rural adolescent substance use from a social contextual framework (L. V. Scaramella, R. D. Conger, R. Spoth, & R. L. Simons, in press), and (3) to discuss the malleability of theoretically based risk or protective factors in rural settings. The review concludes with a discussion of the difficulties and challenges of implementing prevention programs in rural areas.     

Sexual Self‐Control and Male Condom‐Use Outcome Beliefs: Predicting Heterosexual Men's Condom‐Use Intentions and Behavior1

A model of condom‐use intentions and behavior that we previously developed for women was replicated and extended with heterosexual men (n= 203; M age = 20.1 years). The general determinants of intentions to use condoms were consistent for men and women. The predictors of general condom attitudes and condom‐use self‐efficacy differed across gender. Male condom‐use outcome beliefs and sexual self‐control emerged as predictors of sexually experienced men's condom attitudes and self‐efficacy, respectively. In a 3‐month follow‐up, intentions and sexual self‐control predicted condom‐use behavior. These findings have implications for specificity vs. generality in the correlates of common behaviors across groups, the study of gender differences in condom use, and the development of intervention content targeted to specific populations.     

CONTEXTUALIZING VIOLENCE IN A PARTICIPATORY CLASSROOM

Techniques for integrating race, class, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, and other categories of socially defined identity in a student-centered participatory classroom are outlined for a survey course on women and violence. Keeping categories of socially defined identity central to every course component changes not only the content of the course, but also the questions asked and the range of possible answers. Students were given two tools with which to analyze each topic: theoretical frameworks (psychology, sociology, feminism) and the categories of socially defined identity. Difficulties with the material are interpreted as signposts of the complexity of the theoretical issues involved rather than as intellectual failures of the students or the instructor. An open and participatory classroom climate facilitates dealing with the stresses of this topic as well as with the ambiguities faced by students exploring the multidimensional space of socially defined identities.