Nonfamilial Adults Research Articles

Vulnerability and variability: Associations between various early forms of nonconsensual sexual experiences and later sexual experiences of young adults

Early nonconsensual sexual experiences (NSEs) in childhood or adolescence have been linked to elevated risk for adjustment problems and later victimization in some research, whereas others find little or no associations between NSEs and later sexual experiences. The current study examined how a range of early NSEs are linked to both consensual and nonconsensual sexual experiences among young adults, as well as consideration of the familial versus non-familial nature of the perpetrator—victim relationship, an often-overlooked factor. A sample of 520 young adults (68% female; 18–25 years) completed anonymous surveys that assessed sexual experiences before and after age 16. Our results demonstrated that 6.9% of participants reported at least one episode of NSEs under the age of 16 with family members, 3.5% with non-familial adults, but far more (39.2%) with same-age peers. Early NSEs with family members and non-family adults were linked to experiences of sexual assaults after age 16 for both male and female participants. Early NSEs with peers were linked to later sexual assaults for female participants only. Careful consideration must be given to identifying types of early sexual experiences in efforts to understand their differential links to young adults’ experiences. Implications for improving scientific communication and operationalizing NSEs more precisely to advance research in this area are discussed.

Predicting Students’ Interest in Aging-Related Careers: Suggestions for Pedagogical Intervention

College students often hold negative attitudes toward elders and rank this area of practice at the bottom of their future professional life; colleges and universities have an important role to play in changing attitudes and attracting more professionals to work with older adults. This study examined factors contributing to students’ attitudes toward older adults to provide suggestions for pedagogical intervention. Data was collected from 195 undergraduates participating in an online survey with questions on the quality of relationships with a grandparent and other nonfamilial older adults, previous experience and future interest in pursuing a career in an aging-related field, and The Fabroni Scale of Ageism (Fabroni et al., 2010). Path analyses using hierarchical multiple regression revealed that high quality relationships with older adults (i.e., both grandparents and nonfamilial elders) was associated with less negative attitudes and more interest in pursuing a future career in age-related jobs/internships. Although both types of relationship quality were significant in the model (p<.05), path coefficients demonstrated that relationships with nonfamilial elders have a greater impact on participants’ attitudes (β= -.250, p=.001 versus β= -.146, p=.045). Previous working/internship experiences with older adults also predicted a greater willingness to pursue a future career in an aging-related field (β= .333, p<.001). Findings suggest that colleges could increase students’ interest in pursuing aging-related careers with multiple interventions, such as developing opportunities to interact and build relationships with older adults in the community, updating information on job opportunities, pay scales, and advancement opportunities, and providing more gerontological course or modules.

How Economic Disadvantage Affects the Availability and Nature of Mentoring Relationships During the Transition to Adulthood.

Supportive nonparental adults, particularly nonfamilial adults, provide critical support during the transition to adulthood, opening doors to educational and career paths. This study examined whether economic disadvantage shapes access to these relationships. Results showed that low-income adolescents had reduced access to naturally occurring mentors, and the relationships they did form tended to be close bonds with family and friends, rather than nonfamilial adults. Their mentors were more likely to focus on practical support, and less likely to serve as role models or provide career advice. These effects of socioeconomic status on natural mentoring relationships remained evident, even when accounting for youth race/ethnicity. Findings suggest that networks of support differ depending on a youth's socioeconomic context in ways that could perpetuate social and economic inequalities.

Mentoring Relationship Quality Profiles and Their Association With Urban, Low-Income Youth’s Academic Outcomes

This study aimed to (a) identify mentoring quality profiles based on characteristics of informal mentoring relationships, (b) examine how mentor and youth demographic characteristics were related to the profiles, and (c) investigate whether the profiles were related to youth’s academic outcomes. Participants were 411 ninth-grade urban, low-income students. Mentors were comprised of older siblings, extended family members, and non-familial adults. Using cluster analysis, we identified two mentoring quality relationship profiles: (a) less close and growth oriented and (b) closer and more growth oriented. Boys were more likely to have less close and growth-oriented relationship profiles or to be in the non-mentored group compared with girls. Univariate tests showed differences among relationship profile groups and non-mentored groups on intrinsic motivation, educational aspirations and expectations, perceived economic benefits, and limitations of education and grade point average (GPA). The study reveals the importance of taking a within-group, person-centered approach when examining mentoring relationships.

Trajectories of trust within the youth program context.

Two topics commonly referenced within theories of Positive Youth Development (PYD) are supportive relationships with adults and the youth program context. This paper examines the trajectory of youth’s trusting relationships with adults at projectbased programs. High-school-age youth at 7 arts, leadership, and technology programs retrospectively constructed graphical representations of their trust in a youth program leader across time. When coupled with interview data, analysis of the 48 graphs that youth constructed provide a window into the arc of supportive relationships with nonfamilial adults through the words of youth making meaning of their trust in adult leaders over time. The study has theoretical implications for PYD and methodological implications for research on how aspects of PYD change over time.

Social Relationships Among Adolescents With Disabilities: Unique and Cumulative Associations With Adjustment

This exploratory study investigated linkages between parent, peer, teacher, and mentor relationships and adjustment among adolescents with disabilities. The sample included 228 high school students with disabilities (65% male, 50% White) across four states. Overall findings indicate that students’ social relationships were significantly associated with life satisfaction, problem behaviors, and school bonding and that teacher–student relationships contributed significant unique variance to these outcomes over and above influences of parents and peers. An analysis of specific dimensions of relationships indicated that trust and alienation in teacher–student relationships were particularly strong predictors of adjustment. Mentors also contributed significantly to the life satisfaction of youth. Collectively, our findings indicate that nonfamilial adults significantly contributed to the overall well-being of youth with disabilities.

Conformity and Resistance in Self-Management Strategies of `Good Girls'

This article examines how girls manage challenging encounters with non-familial adults. Drawing on a subset of qualitative data collected as part of a larger ethnographic study, it examines the ways girls maintain a strong sense of self as a good person in the face of interpersonal challenge from these non-familial adults. The discourse of the `good girl' allows them to resist excessive demands of adults and provides opportunities to have fun. The importance of the parent—child relationship in terms of providing a safe context from which the girls can generate the good and bad girl facades is also highlighted.

A Process and Outcome Evaluation of Police Working with Youth Programs

A process and outcome evaluation of 10 Police Working with Youth Programs was conducted. Process results indicated that the core components of the programs were consistent with those identified in previous literature as characteristic of quality youth development programs. Outcome results indicated that youth participants reported significantly improved attitudes toward police and social support received from significant, non-familial adults. Two subgroups of youth, most notably minority youth and younger participants in lower grade levels, reported positive changes in their capacity to resist peer pressures. Minority youth reported positive changes in their sense of mastery over stressful life situations. Relationships between core program components and youth outcomes also were examined. Implications of the findings and future process and outcome evaluations of youth programs are discussed.

Gender matters in transition to adulthood: A survey study of adolescents with disabilities and their families

AbstractThis survey study explored gender differences in transition imperatives and opportunities for youth with disabilities (N = 521). Results indicated that males and females differ in terms of the adult outcomes they hope to achieve, transition training opportunities they have received, and their access to teachers and other nonfamilial adults to assist them. Youth and parents who responded to the survey indicated that gender stereotypes continue to exist and that these stereotypes result in lowered expectations for girls. Gender stereotypes were found to vary by ethnicity. Access to health insurance and a good doctor were rated as top priorities for all youth transitioning to adulthood. Implications for educators, psychologists, and counselors are discussed. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Adolescent gender differences in social support: Structure, function, and provider type

The study discussed in this article used survey data on 364 adolescents to examine gender differences in perceptions of support across three different constructs: (1) structural support related to the number of adults versus friends; (2) the quantity of support provided by mothers, fathers, peers, and teachers; (3) satisfaction with support from friends and family. Results indicate that young women report a greater number of supportive friends and receive more frequent support from their friends than do young men. However, young men are just as satisfied with friend support as are young women. Ho gender differences were found in the number of adult supporters, but males received more frequent support from fathers. Nonparental adults emerged as important sources of support for both genders. Implications for practice with adolescents are discussed. Key words: adolescents; gender; social support networks ********** Changes in interpersonal relationships during adolescence have been the subject of increased scrutiny because of the diversity of relationships teenagers have with peers, family, and other adults. Social support is one aspect of relationship quality that varies with age and type of relationship (Levitt, Guacci-Franco, & Levitt, 1993) and has been found to significantly affect a variety of mental health and academic outcomes during adolescence (Garnefski & Diekstra, 1996; Morrison, Laughlin, Miguel, Douglas, & Widaman, 1997; Richman, Rosenfeld, & Bowen, 1998; Wentzel, 1998). However, social support is a multifaceted construct in need of disaggregation and specification across structural and functional dimensions as well as by provider type and recipient characteristics. Predictive research has begun to suggest that different providers and different support dimensions differentially affect outcomes, and recipient characteristics (such as personality factors, race, and gender) can affect the type and amount of support adolescents perceive (Colarossi & Lynch, 2000; Henly, 1997). In addition, predictive research can be enhanced by a more detailed research foundation that describes the interrelationships among these areas. Gender is an important area of study because gender differences affect outcomes such as mental health and academic achievement among adolescents and because of the research that indicates that social support can serve as a protective factor for the problems of adolescence. Are there descriptive differences between males and females in the type and amount of social support and by provider that have not been fully explored? Can these differences provide a better foundation for further predictive research in this area? To address these questions, studies during the past decade focused on specifying adolescents' supportive relationships across social network members such as parents, teachers, siblings, peers, and familial and nonfamilial adults. Studies also have examined gender differences in these relationships. However, few studies explored gender differences across various providers and support constructs, and even fewer applied this information to social work practice. Furthermore, to incorporate interventions that increase support between adolescents and others in their lives, social workers need to understand the developmental context of adolescent social support and the way in which adolescents perceive support from others. Recent research has shown that 30 percent to 50 percent of family support workers rate their training and knowledge in the area of adolescent development and how to promote social network assets as inadequate or poor (Scales, 1997). Gender-sensitive practice also necessitates the understanding of gender differences that exist in these processes. The purpose of this article is three-fold. First, it reviews information about social support in the context of adolescent development and the influence of gender. …

Promoting Preschoolers’ Moral Reasoning

Young children's moral development and socialization have been of increasing interest to parents, teachers, and researchers as children's social experiences in the preschool years have expanded to include many nonfamilial adults and peers. A Piagetian or structural approach to understanding heteronomous and autonomous moral reasoning in young children is discussed. The roles of cognitive maturation and social interaction with peers and adults are considered. Implications from theory and research are offered to early childhood educators for facilitating preschool children's moral reasoning and development through curriculum activities, classroom policies, and behavior management strategies.

Early adolescents' significant others: Grade and gender differences in perceived relationships with familial and nonfamilial adults and young people

In order to provide a fuller and more satisfying description of the significant others in the social world of an adolescent, the Social Relations Questionnaire was developed and then administered to almost 3000 seventh-through tenth-graders in a midwestern suburban school district. The sample was randomly split in half and analyses were run on both halves separately to test for replicability. Results indicated that parents and siblings are almost always listed as significant others by adolescents in all four grade levels. Furthermore, the majority of adolescents listed at least one extended family adult and at least one nonrelated adult as important in their lives. The nonrelated adults lived closer to the adolescents and were seen more frequently and in more contexts than extended family members. Fewer extended family adults were listed in the older grades. Females listed more significant others than males both overall and in terms of both same- and opposite-sex nonrelated young people. As hypothesize, an increasing number of opposite-sex young people was listed as a function of grade level. Most nonrelated young people listed (a loose definition of peers) were from the same grade, same school, and same neighborhood as the respondent. The authors conclude that age-segregation in this community is not extreme (over 40% of the significant others listed were adults) and that the Social Relations Questionnaire provides a useful and holistic description of an adolescent's social world.

The workplace as a context for the socialization of youth

A number of respected social critics, including the President's Science Advisory Committee (PSAC), have recommended the earlier integration of adolescents into the workplace. The PSAC Panel on Youth (1973) claims that work settings provide opportunities for developing and exercising personal responsibility, taking responsibility for the welfare of others, and establishing more extensive instrumental and social relations with nonfamilial adults. This study of "naturally occurring" employment among high school students examines these claims about the nature of the workplace. Drawing on interview, questionnaire, and observational data, we argue that the PSAC's expectations are somewhat optimistic. With respect to personal responsibility taking, although many adolescent workers have opportunities for self-management and report performing assigned tasks dependably, very few report going "beyond the call of duty." With respect to social responsibility, workers experience only modest levels of task interdependence and centrality to a team effort; yet substantial numbers of adolescent workers feel that their work serves a socially useful purpose. Finally, with respect to intergenerational contact, the workplace fails to induce meaningful interaction with adults. Taken together, the results of this study suggest that if the workplace is to become a truly vital context for adolescent socialization, it needs to be designed more deliberately with such aims in mind.