Youth civic development: theorizing a domain with evidence from different cultural contexts

The authors use examples of youth civic engagement from Chile, South Africa, Central/Eastern Europe, and the United States--and also emphasize diversities among youth from different subgroups within countries--to illustrate common elements of the civic domain of youth development. These include the primacy of collective activity for forming political identities and ideas and the greater heterogeneity of civic compared to other discretionary activities, the groupways or accumulated opportunities for acting due to the groups (social class, gender, ethnic, caste, etc.) to which a young person belongs, and the role of mediating institutions (schools, community-based organizations, etc.) as spaces where youths' actions contribute to political stability and change.     

A longitudinal examination of stress generation in depressive and anxiety disorders

The current study compared two competing theories of the stress generation model of depression (stress causation vs. stress continuation) using interview-based measures of episodic life stress, as well as interpersonal and noninterpersonal chronic life stress. We also expanded on past research by examining anxiety disorders as well as depressive disorders. In addition, we examined the role of neuroticism and extraversion in these relationships. Participants were 627 adolescents enrolled in a two-site, longitudinal study of risk factors for depressive and anxiety disorders. Baseline and follow-up assessments were approximately one year apart. Results supported the stress causation theory for episodic stress generation for anxiety disorders, with neuroticism partially accounting for this relationship. The stress causation theory was also supported for depression, but only for more moderate to severe stressors; neuroticism partially accounted for this relationship as well. Finally, we found evidence for interpersonal and noninterpersonal chronic life stress continuation in both depressive and anxiety disorders. The present findings have implications regarding the specificity of the stress generation model to depressive disorders, as well as variables involved in the stress generation process.     

SELF–PERCEPTIONS OF ABILITY OF MATHEMATICALLY TALENTED FEMALE ADOLESCENTS

Despite their ability, many mathematically talented female adolescents do not aspire to nontraditional careers in mathematics and the sciences. According to the model proposed by Meece, Parsons, Kaczala, Goff, and Futterman (1982), self–concept of math ability is a central mediating variable in predicting long range goals and ultimate achievement in mathematics. The present study tested the hypothesis that, for a sample of 123 mathematically talented female adolescents, consideration of self–perceptions of multiple career–relevant abilities, as measured by Holland's (1977) Self Directed Search, rather than self–concept of math ability alone, is essential to understanding the ideal career aspirations of mathematically talented young women. The results indicate that it is the combined influence of self–perceptions of several career–relevant abilities that differentiates the nontraditional math and nontraditional science career aspirants from more traditional math/science and nonmath career aspiration group members. Implications for professionals working with the mathematically talented female adolescent are discussed.