Transitions

HomeTransitions

The evolutionary basis of risky adolescent behavior: Implications for science, policy, and practice.

This article proposes an evolutionary model of risky behavior in adolescence and contrasts it with the prevailing developmental psychopathology model. The evolutionary model contends that understanding the evolutionary functions of adolescence is critical to explaining why adolescents engage in risky behavior and that successful intervention depends on working with, instead of against, adolescent goals and motivations. The current article articulates 5 key evolutionary insights into risky adolescent behavior: (a) The adolescent transition is an inflection point in development of social ...

Continue Reading →
0

Age, Bullying, Community Influence, Developmental Domain, Emotional Development, Failure/Inappropriate Behaviors, Gender, Gender Relation, Older Children (Age 9-11), Pre/Young Teens (Age 12-14), Social Development, Statistics, Transitions, Violence & Trauma

Parents’ Early Life Stressful Experiences, Their Present Well-Being, and That of Their Children

Parents’ early life stressful experiences have lifelong consequences, not only for themselves but also for their children. The current study utilized a sample of military families (n = 266) including data from both active-duty and civilian parents and their adolescent children. Hypotheses reflecting principles of persistence, transmission, and proximity as pertaining to parents and their children were examined. The impact of parents’ childhood experiences on their functioning later in life and, consequently, their adolescent children’s well-being were examined. Adults who ...

Continue Reading →
0

Age, Developmental Domain, Emotional Development, Family Stressors, Mental Health, Military-related transitions, Older Children (Age 9-11), Older Teens (Age 15-18), Parental influence, Parental Involvement, Pre/Young Teens (Age 12-14), Relationships, Social Development, Statistics

The Significance of Military Contexts and Culture for Understanding Family Well-Being: Parent Life Satisfaction and Adolescent Outcomes

Formal systems and informal networks are presumed to be significant contexts that affect military families. Their effects on both parents and adolescents in active duty military families are examined (N = 236 families). Social organization and contextual model of family stress theories are employed as frameworks for the analyses of how dimensions of military culture influence parents’ life satisfaction, as well as key developmental outcomes of their adolescents (for example, mental health). Key findings from our analyses included a positive ...

Continue Reading →
0

Adaptability, Community Influence, Developmental Domain, Family Stressors, Group Dynamic, Mental Health, Military-related transitions, Older Children (Age 9-11), Older Teens (Age 15-18), Parental influence, Parental Involvement, Pre/Young Teens (Age 12-14), Resilience, Statistics, Transitions

Social stressors, coping behaviors, and depressive symptoms: A latent profile analysis of adolescents in military families

We investigated the relationship between context-specific social stressors, coping behaviors, and depressive symptoms among adolescents in active duty military families across seven installations (three of which were in Europe) (N = 1036) using a person-centered approach and a stress process theoretical framework. Results of the exploratory latent profile analysis revealed four distinct coping profiles: Disengaged Copers, Troubled Copers, Humor-intensive Copers, and Active Copers. Multinomial logistic regressions found no relationship between military-related stressors (parental separation, frequent relocations, and parental rank) and ...

Continue Reading →
0

Adaptability, Depression/Anxiety, Disabilities/Disorders, Emotional Development, Family Stressors, Group Dynamic, Life Transitions, Mental Health, Military-related transitions, Parental influence, Parental Involvement, Resilience, Social anxiety, Social Development, Statistics, Transitions

How Family Structures and Processes Interrelate: The Case of Adolescent Mental Health and Academic Success in Military Families

The transitional nature of military life positions the family to serve as the primary and most stable influence for adolescents in military families. These military-related transitions and stressors may also put youth at risk for depression and academic challenges. This study examines the relative impact of family structure (family composition at a given time point) and family processes (interpersonal interactions developed over time) on important adolescent outcomes (depressive symptoms and academic performance) for a sample of military youth (N = ...

Continue Reading →
0

Cognitive Development, Community Influence, Depression/Anxiety, Disabilities/Disorders, Education Issues, Emotional Development, Family Stressors, Learning Disabilities, Life Transitions, Mental Health, Military-related transitions, Older Children (Age 9-11), Parental Involvement, Pre/Young Teens (Age 12-14), Statistics, Transitions