Youthful Stage Research Articles

INVESTIGATION OF THE MOTIVATIONAL COMPONENT OF THE MODEL OF STUDENTS’ PSYCHOLOGICAL READINESS FOR FAMILY LIFE

The article analyzes theoretical sources on the problem of youth’s readiness for family life. The stages of youth’s readiness for marriage, presented in the works of T.V. Andreeva, V.A. Sysenko, I.V. Grebennikova, components of psychological readiness in the works of I.Yu. Zudilina are discussed. The results of an empirical study that reveals the assumption of the existence of a relationship between psychological readiness and the motivation of choosing a partner are presented.

The impact of childhood neighborhood disadvantage on adult joblessness and income

Research on residential inequality focuses heavily on adult economic outcomes as crucial components of the intergenerational transmission of poverty. Yet, empirical evidence on whether youth neighborhoods have a lasting impact on adult economic outcomes at the national level is scarce. Further, we know little about how youth neighborhood effects on adult economic outcomes manifest. This study uses 26 years (14 waves) of restricted panel data from the NLSY79 and the NLSY Children and Young Adults cohorts – data that have never been used to analyze long-term neighborhood effects – to examine whether youth neighborhood disadvantage impacts adult economic outcomes through sensitive years in childhood, teen socialization, duration effects, or cumulative effects. Sibling fixed effects models that net out unobserved effects of shared family characteristics suggest that youth neighborhood disadvantage increases joblessness and reduces income in adulthood. However, exposure across specific developmental stages of youth does not appear to act as a significant moderator while sustained exposure yields pernicious effects on adult economic outcomes. Moreover, these results are robust to alternative variable specifications and cousin fixed effects that net out potentially unobserved confounders, such as the inheritance of neighborhood disadvantage across three generations.

Youth violence: The “warning sign” for our society

Headlines proclaim that the epidemic of youth violence that began in the early 1980s is over, but the reality behind this seemingly good news is far more complex and unsettling. Public health studies show that youth violence is an ongoing, startlingly pervasive problem. Violence prevention and intervention efforts hinge on identifying risk and protective factors and determining when in the course of development they emerge. To be effective, such efforts must be appropriate to a youth's stage of development. Parents remain busy in their professional life, and do not know what their child is doing in school. In school the effects of joining the wrong group is obvious on their child. There have been many cases in which a high scoring student has ended up with below average grades with a mean temperament and foul language. Keeping all these factors in mind this chapter describes the magnitude of and trends in violent crime by young people.

Morphometric Evaluation and Sub Basin Analysis in Hanur Watershed, Kollegal Taluk, Chamarajanagar District, Karnataka, India, using Remote Sensing and GIS Techniques

The study area covers 1026 sq km comprising of 15 sub-watersheds, namely Saggiyam (SB-1), Mudoldoddi (SB-2), Halgapuram (SB-3), Deverabetta (SB-4), Mattugaudanadoddi (SB-5), Handgalli (SB-6), Manchepura (SB-7), Lokkanahalli (SB-8), Chinchalli (SB-9), Prakash palya (SB-10), Naripura (SB-11), Adugulpodu (SB-12), Ramayanadoddi (SB-13), Jodukara hatti (SB-14), Depudisahibradoddi (SB-15) which range in area from 16.87 to 180.02 sq km. Different morphometric parameters were evaluated to understand the drainage characteristics. The drainage pattern of these sub basins have been delineated using Geocoded FCC bands 2, 3 and 4, of IRS 1C and 1D (LISS 111+ PAN merged) on 1:50,000 scale and Survey of India Toposheets as reference. The morphometric parameters are computed using Arc Info and Arc View GIS software’s. The drainage pattern of the study has shown dendritic to sub-dendritic drainage pattern with stream orders ranging from 4th to 5th order. The Drainage density ranges from 1.51 to 4.83 km/km 2 suggesting coarse to moderate drainage texture. The change in values of stream length ratio indicates their late youth stage of geomorphic development. The values of bifurcation ratio are ranging from 0.11 to 20.75 indicating that the study area is having strong structural control over the drainage pattern and all the sub basins fall under normal basin category. The values of form factor and circulatory ratio, suggest that the sub basins are elongated to circular in shape. Geographic Information System, when used with satellite images, could help in determining the morphometric parameters of watershed and river basins. It is concluded that remote sensing ground and GIS have been proved to be efficient tools in drainage delineation and updation.

The evolution of ESMA and direct supervision: are there implications for EU supervisory governance?

The European Securities and Markets Authority (‘ESMA’) was established over six years ago. It, and its sibling bodies for banking, and the insurance and occupational pensions sector, emerged from the ashes of the crises, and the agencies have been the topic of much discussion in academic scholarship from a variety of perspectives. This article provides a new situating of ESMA within the broader policy context. Employing empirical observations, and rooting it within the related literature on supervisory governance (defined, broadly, as the supervisory practices and enforcement measures that contribute to governing the EU’s financial set-up), it explores ESMA’s pro-active use of its direct supervisory and enforcement powers, and uses this as a launching pad for reflecting on how EU supervisory governance is evolving. Specifically, the article speculates that although ESMA is still at a relatively youthful stage with respect to its direct role, it is strengthening its reputation as a credible and pro-active supervisor, and is becoming an important driver with respect to the evolution of EU supervisory governance. This article suggests that, over time, ESMA’s influence and approach could gradually result in the greater centralisation of supervisory governance at the EU level. Linked to this, the article also speculates that any such shifts in this regard will continue to develop slowly, and over time, rather than via any seismic shift. Further, although there are a number of barriers and constraints to ESMA’s operation, the article suggests that none of these are intractable.

Postmenopausal osteoporosis in Romania

Osteoporosis is the second biggest health problem in the world after cardiovascular disease, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The disease is characterized by low bone density and deterioration of bone tissue, resulting in bone frailty and fracture. In Romania, menopause appears 10 years earlier than the internationally accepted limit, which means that women are facing an earlier risk when talking about osteoporosis. The percentage of women in distress (osteopenia) is high, approximately 10% above the internationally accepted limits, thus indicating poor nutrition in youth stage when the bone structure is beginning to form itself.

Hypsometric analysis of mid-himalayan watershed using geomatics

Hypsometric analysis describes the distribution of horizontal cross-sectional area of watershed morphology with respect to elevation (areaaltitude analysis). In geologic time scale youth, mature and old geologic stage represents peculiar hypsometric forms of watershed. The hypsometric analysis give picture about pertinent condition of transition from youth to old stage of watershed. Hypsometric characteristics of a watershed plays important role in the dynamics of surface and subsurface runoff generation and resulting soil erosion and denudation processes. Hypsometry is essential aid to measure and represent the form of a watershed and its evolution. Aim of the paper is to carry out the hypsometric analysis of Naula watershed, situated in mid Himalayan region of Uttarakhand using remote sensing and GIS technologies. Hypsometric data were derived and analyzed for Naula watershed from the 1 arc-second Cartosat-1 DEM. In the present study hypsometric integral was found as 0.357, which is indicative of existence of 35.7% of original rock mass of Naula watershed.

Программа изучения мотивации родительства в юношеском возрасте и результаты ее апробации

This article presents the results of the pilot study, based
 on the study of motivation parenting youth stage. As shown by
 theoretical analysis of the work of psychologists in parenthood
 psychology, motivation, parenting objective depends on purposeful
 activity in the development of this phenomenon. Of particular
 importance is the systematic activities for the establishment of
 parenthood at the stage of adolescence, because it is at this age
 level is observed intensification of the process of development of
 all the structures of the person, including its motivation, as well as
 value-orientation sphere. On the basis of the basic theoretical and
 methodological ideas we have designed and implemented a research
 program which not only confirmed the relevance of the development
 of this problem in relation to the stage of youth, but also
 objectively demonstrated the presence of significant differences in
 the manifestation of the motivation of parenting in the early and
 late periods of adolescence, as well as gender particular manifestations
 of this phenomenon. In particular, our research has shown
 that today´s young men and women to some extent, focused on the
 family, the birth of children and the realization of their parental
 roles. However, the development of a special developmental program
 that takes into account the specifics of motivation in the stage of
 parenthood early and late adolescence, as well as gender-specific
 manifestations of it, will ensure a higher level of conscious younger
 generation to do with their future children.

Morphotectonic analysis of the Madhumati watershed, northeast Kashmir Valley

The present study examined the morphotectonic parameters of the Madhumati basin with the emphasis on its implication for tectonic activity. Data for this study were obtained from toposheets in digital format which were subjected to field confirmation. We performed digital elevation model (DEM) analysis, and we extracted several geomorphic indices: mountain front sinuosity, valley floor width to valley height ratio, hypsometric curve and integral, stream length gradient index, transverse topography symmetry, drainage basin asymmetry and basin elongation ratio. These morphometric parameters may indicate tectonic activity with a tilt to the south of the northern margin of the Kashmir Basin (Madhumati Catchment). The results reveal that the basin area was 453.71 km2 and the basin was found to be tectonically active with average S mf value 1.14, stream gradient index (SL) 1026.7, Vf 0.13 and T 0.56. The results of elongation ratio 0.15 reveal that the basin is strongly elongate and active. Also, the calculated result of AF 68.52 % reveals that the basin has shifted up right to the trunk stream facing downstream. The results of hypsometric integral 0.49 and convex-up hypsometric curve reveal that the basin has high elevation relative to mean, narrow and incised valleys and has rugged topography, is in youthful stage and is tectonically active.

El concepto de sobredeterminación en Althusser

Debates en torno al marxismo se han dado muchos, pero no todos han generado tanta discordia como el que se dio respecto a las obras tempranas de Althusser, en las cuales se asegura que el pensamiento de Marx se divide tajantemente en una etapa de juventud que está fuertemente influida por Hegel y Feuerbach, y en otra de madurez que implica tanto una ruptura con dichas influencias, como una forma científica de entender y explicar los problemas político-sociales. En este trabajo se analizarán algunos de los argumentos que presentó Althusser, pero poniendo énfasis en el concepto de sobredeterminación, por ser el concepto que mejor refleja el corte epistemológico que postuló sobre Marx.http://dx.doi.org/10.15304/ag.35.2.2847

Can the BASNEF Model Help to Develop Self-Administered Healthy Behavior in Iranian Youth?

Background:The stage of youth is critical for human development in several ways. On the one hand, it can lead people towards the adoption of a healthy lifestyle during adulthood based on these earlier practices. On the other hand, it can comprise the development of healthy living practices later on in live, an outcome which is often caused by the youth adopting a risky lifestyle early on.Objectives:The primary objective of this study was to determine the effectiveness of implementing an educational intervention program based on the BASNEF Model (a simplified approach to understanding behavior), designed to cultivate self-administered lifestyle control skills in youths.Materials and Methods:This was a quasi-experimental intervention study, implemented during 2010 - 2011. A total of 288 randomly selected high-school students between the ages of 15 and 17 participated in this study. These students were later divided into experimental and control groups. Subjects completed a BASNEF questionnaire at the baseline (pre-test), one month later (post-test) and three months after the educational intervention (follow-up). Four educational sessions were held, each of a 120 - 150 minute duration. After the data had been collected, the ANOVA test was used to compare trends in changes. The Pearson correlation coefficient was then used to analyze the correlation between components of the BASNEF model. Finally, regression analysis was used to determine the predictive power of the study.Results:Results from the intervention study reveal that the beliefs and attitudes about nutrition of the intervention group, calculated in terms of scores, improved significantly for both male and female subjects (P < 0.001) as compared to the control group. The mean BASNEF scores for improvements in beliefs among girls and boys were 79.2% and 70.1%, respectively and for attitudes, 61.2% and 59.4%. The increase was significantly higher in the intervention group (P < 0.001). Furthermore, participation in physical activity was more frequent among members of the intervention group than among those in the control group (P < 0.001).Conclusions:The BASNEF model could be effective in encouraging the adoption of nutritious eating habits and more active lifestyles at an early age in order to foster long-term health and well-being.

Recent evolution of the river mouth intertidal zone at the Río San Pedro tidal channel (Cádiz Bay, SW Spain): controlling factors of geomorphologic and depositional changes

Sedimentary and photogrammetric analysis of a sector of Cadiz Bay (SW Spain), including the intertidal zone onthe left bank of the Rio San Pedro tidal channel, were performed to understand its environmental evolution andthe main factors that controled it. The study of this especially vulnerable environment has allowed to establishits depositional and morphological responses to the dynamic processes caused by recent environmental orclimate changes. In the bank of the Rio San Pedro tidal channel, there is a well-developed saltmarsh, whichalternates with sandy beaches the data indicate erosional processes. The saltmarsh retreat rate was estimated in0.65m/yr from 1977 to 2008. In this time-period, the tidal channel experienced a lateral displacement towardthe SE of 1.24m/yr, and the beach width decreased from 50 to 21m. Three evolutionary stages were established:a youth stage, represented by a relatively high water energy beach environments; a maturity stage: representedby saltmarsh with deposition of mud and halophyte vegetation; a reactivation stage: represented by erosivefeatures in the saltmarsh, such as tidal pools, tidal channel, etc. The geological location of Cadiz, close tothe Eurasian–African plate boundary, account for its relatively high seismic and tsunami activity, that causedsignificant depositional changes in the area. Others important factors controlling the sedimentation are: firstthe tides, followed by the waves and the proximity to a sand source, such as the sandy mantle of La Algaida.

Googling 'Dunsmuir's Standards of Review' in the Evolution of Law Surrounding Substantive Judicial Review in Canadian Administrative Law: A Paradigmatic Peep and Many Thoughts

Dunsmuir v. New Brunswick, 2008 SCC 9, set out to bring a greater degree of clarity to the law surrounding substantive judicial review than had previously been the case. However, the innovations made in Dunsmuir have not been successful in achieving this objective.That administrative action be "lawful, reasonable, and procedurally fair" is a cardinal gospel principle, stricto sensu. Dunsmuir v. New Brunswick, was in this sense a capstone case in Canadian administrative law, an epochal harbinger. It developed from infancy days of the pre-existing Diceyan formalistic era, underscoring formal trifurcation of powers between the judiciary, legislature and executive, to evolve into the teen-hood of 'pragmatic and functional era'. This focused at contextualized meshing of regulation, policy objectives and practicalities. This graduated into a youthful stage during 2002 to 2008, (affectionately referred to as the dysfunctional period) characterized by weariness and frustration to finally culminate into a mature adulthood, fondly called the categorical approach era. The four-factor approach, not been entirely jettisoned though, was marginalized in favor of a categorical approach. This paper situates Dunsmuir into a historical continuum in Part-I and II to assess the degree of possible clarity afforded to the law surrounding substantive judicial review than had previously been the case. This assesses the impact of standard of review on a range of administrative decisions indicating a perceptible shift from correctness to reasonableness in areas, hitherto not accorded deferential treatment by the Supreme Court. Part III focuses on failure of Supreme Court to apply the reasonableness standard in a consistent and principled fashion, notwithstanding the promise of "principled framework that is more coherent and workable." Part IV, underscores that the "innovations made in Dunsmuir has not been successful in achieving this objective of clarity on law surrounding substantive judicial review than before" and that Court's post-Dunsmuir approach to reasonableness review is both disappointing and confusing. I have argued that this shortcomings can be remedied by articulating a contextual approach on the lines of reasoning in Baker v Canada (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration), contextualizing the values of "justifiability, transparency and intelligibility" through judicial review in a particular administrative context.

Юлий Ким: От студенческой самодеятельности к политическому протесту

The bard song (“author song”) is the most democratic genre in the Soviet art of singing. To a great extent the genesis of Iulii Kim's work goes back to the amateur artistic activities of students, which were not very severely controlled by censorship. Kim paved the way for his career as a bard, though he had the chance to sing on the official youth stages. Nonconformist criticism of Soviet politics is heard in his uncensored songs. After 1968 Kim's works had two statuses: semiofficial, pseudonymous songs for the stage and the film, and unofficial songs for a narrow circle of people who shared his ideas. Some of the songs of the first category are known throughout the country, with other, no less brilliant songs, he earned a reputation as a dissident singer.

Woody flora and dynamic of &lt;i&gt;Aucoumea klaineana&lt;/i&gt; forest in the Congolese littoral

The floristic dynamics of the woody facies of the Aucoumea klaineana forest of the Congolese littoral has been done according to a gradient evolving of the pioneer front towards the interior of the ecosystem. This settlement integrates a dynamics going from the youthful stages towards the most stable of this formation. The objective of this study was focused on the dynamics of the woody formation, the monodominant installation of the Aucoumea klaineana facies with d1.30 . 10 cm and highlights the evolution and the correlation between the density, the basal area and the floristic diversity. The phytoecological parameters count 1186 trees of d1.30 . 10 cm (an average 395 arbres.ha-1) for 71 species. The trees number by subplot oscillated between 70 and 159 trees (6 to 13% of listed trees). The species number by subplot varies from 8 to 28 (11 to 39% of inventoried species). Basal area by plot oscillates of 22 and 35 m2.ha-1 (27 m2.ha-1 an average). It varies from 4 to 10 m2 per subplot (7 m2 by . ha an average). The trees number by subplot and diameter classes vary from 3 to 636 trees (1 to 212 trees.ha-1 an average). The trees of 10 &lt; d1.30 . 20 cm are dominating with 54% and this prevalence is regular in all the subplots. As for the indices of diversity, the Green index (GI) decrease from 0.9 to 0.1 as the ecosystem increases in age. This observation is also true for the skewness coefficient which regresses from pioneer front towards the interior of the forest. The values are respectively 2.10-2 in the first plot, 7.10-4 in the second and 4.10-3 for the third. In this inventory where Aucoumea klaineana is dominating, its density by subplot varies from 42 to 384 trees.ha-1 (183 trees.ha-1 an average). Just like the density, basal area is decreasing to pioneer front towards the interior of the forest. The values oscillate from 87 to 32% of basal area of the subplot (19 m2.ha-1 an average). The report basal area by the density of Aucoumea klaineana is lower than 1 for an average of 0.1. The ecological parameters analysis which allowed seizing the floral dynamics of this forest is stressed by a numerical multivariate analysis (grouping and ordination). It highlights the weak resemblance degree between the twelve plots of the inventory and clearly marks the existence of variation characterizing the Congolese coastal forest, notably during the first stages of installation.Keywords: Congo, Aucoumea klaineana, biological diversity indices, Coastal forest, floristic diversity, phytoecological parameters.

Differences in the Perception of Sexual Harassment by Gender and Ethnicity among Selected Malaysian Undergraduates

Sexual harassment is generally perceived as a social issue predominantly found in the workplace. However, it can also occur at various stages of youth and adolescence. University students who will soon join the workforce are equally vulnerable to sexual harassment. It is hypothesized that lack of understanding and awareness of what constitutes sexual harassment have made the youth easy targets of perpetrators. This study identifies the level of awareness and perceptions of sexual harassment among students in a public university of Malaysia. Being multiethnic and multicultural, Malaysia offers a diverse social demographic context for comparison across ethnic groups such as the Malay, Chinese, and Indian. This study further explores how gender, ethnicity, culture, and personal encounters shape one’s perceptions of sexual harassment. We hope this empirical study will shed light for stakeholders in youth development to address this critical but under-publicized youth issue. It is also noteworthy that this study does not support the literature that sexual harassment often leads to negative psychosocial effects. Instead, the findings show that prior experiences of sexual harassment actually increase the level of sensitivity in identifying and reacting to incidents of sexual harassment.

Studentų pilietinis aktyvumas: Lietuvos edukologijos universiteto atvejis

Auhors of the article deal with the problem of youth civic activity both from the theoretical as well as from the practical perspectives at national and international levels. The major aim of the research is to investigate the civic activity/engagement of the students at Lithuanian University of Educational Sciences. These methods for collecting empirical data were used: questionaires, interviu, analyses of reflections. The analysis of academic literature has revealed that one of the key features of a civil society is youth activity/engagement. The system of measuring the indicators of civic activity/engagement created by scholars at the Civil Society Institute enables them to observe the changing level of civic participation, constantly determine and analyse the factors, indicators of youth activity and the prospects of its promotion. Students, especially those majoring in the field of teaching and education are key players in promoting democratic processes, as the result, their civic participation is particularly significant. The discourse of education shows that the motivation and skills of civic activity/engagement are developed as early as at the first stages of youth. As the result, one of the key priorities in education is the development of youth civic participation. The data of the empirical study have revealed that students at Lithuanian University of Educational Sciences are most interested in public affairs, however, they tend to display distrust in the information presented in the mass media. Students are aware of their civil power and they feel knowledgeable in university affairs, however, they engage more actively in public rather than university-related activities. Students see their personal future prospects in a positive light, i.e. they believe that the living conditions in Lithuania will improve and more than half of the respondents would not wish to move to another country.

Morphometric Characteristics and the Relation of Stream Orders to Hydraulic Parameters of River Goro: An Ephemeral River in Dire-dawa, Ethiopia

Major morphometric parameters of Goro watershed were derived from Aster Global Digital Elevation Model (GDEM) using ArcGIS10.1 extension, Arc Hydro Tool 2.0 in order to characterize it quantitatively. The study also assessed the relation of stream orders to selected channel hydraulic parameters (width, depth, channel bed slope, velocity and discharge) at bankfull flow condition. Channel geometry data and grain size samples collected from 14 representative cross-sections used as input to compute hydraulic parameters using equations appropriate for ungauged streams. The analysis of morphometric parameters indicate that pattern of stream networks is less controlled by structural condition though the area is situated in the rim of the great east African rift valley; and its geomorphic development is at late youth stage. Though hydraulic components of the channel do have a positive relation with stream orders, only channel cross-section area and discharge well related to stream orders (each increased at the rate of 0.86 and 1 on average with R 2 of 0.92 and 0.8 respectively with increasing in stream orders). However, depth, velocity and bed slope of the channel are less explained by stream order, which may indicate us these hydraulic parameters are rather affected by other local channel factors.

Morphometric analysis of the River Thamirabarani sub-basin in Kanyakumari District, South west coast of Tamil Nadu, India, using remote sensing and GIS

The quantitative analysis of the drainage morphometric system is vital to understand the hydrological and environmental interaction and its processes of an area. The present study deals with quantitative characteristics of morphometry of steep slope and short length sub-basin of R. Thamirabarani in Kanyakumari District, Tamilnadu, India, using geospatial technology. In this study, the digital elevation model data product (ASTER DEM), Landsat ETM+ image and Survey of India topographical map were used to delineate slope, relief and drainage system structures such as drainage pattern, stream order, stream network and stream length of the sub-basin using ArcGIS 9.3 software. The morphometric analysis deals with hydrologic processes such as stream frequency, bifurcation ratio, circulatory ratio and length of overland flow of the sub-basin area and their influences on the local morphologic landforms. The quantitative measurement of these characteristics is used to explore the basin’s contribution to the hydrological cycle and the shape, size and formation of the local landscapes in the region. Moreover, the hypsometric analysis and denudation rate were estimated for understanding the quantitative geomorphological characteristics of the sub-basin. The relationship of the morphometric parameters reveals that the drainage network is strongly controlled by geological and geomorphological structures of the area. The geometry of streams exhibits dendritic drainage pattern associated with coarse drainage texture in primary order of streams present on hilly terrain surface and semi-dendritic pattern in higher stream order flow on less elevated surface with gentle slope. The drainage density of the study area ranges from 0.1 to 1.89 km/km2, and the maximum density value was found along the higher stream order. The mean bifurcation ratio of this area is 4.21 and the high ratio was measured between the third and fourth order of stream segments. The morphometry of this area is depicted by the length of the stream segment, drainage pattern and stream flow direction, which are influenced by relief, steep slope and local geological structure. Furthermore, the sub-basin is found to be strongly elongated in shape with a length of 42.78 km, and the circularity ratio of this area is measured as 0.33 and elongation ratio as 0.57. The textural dissection of the landforms shows low drainage density in the high elevated hilly terrain in the north and high level in the plain areas in the southern part. The values of the circulatory ratio, length of overland flow and elongation ratio are relatively close to one another and the relationship among them shows their influences on the process of surface runoff and sediment deposition along the estuary landforms in the study area. Moreover, it is observed that the hypsometric curve of this study area is characterized by convex-up shape in nature and represents the youth stage (inequilibrium) of landscapes. Consequently, the hypsometric integral value 0.49 reflects the distribution of a major volume of the landmass (435.32 km2) at relatively low elevations (<180 m). The morphometric parameters-induced denudation rate of this study area is 65.14 t/km2/year and indicates the occurrence of a wide range of denudation intensities throughout the sub-basin, which is relatively proportional to the suspended sediment yield that is transported in the suspension per unit area. Based on the realistic output, it is proved that remote sensing and GIS are effective tools for morphometric studies of the drainage basin.

Development of Romantic Relationships in Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood: Implications for Community Mental Health

Romantic relationships emerge in the early adolescent years and mature over the course of adolescence from initial cross-gender affiliations to dyadic partnerships. Adolescents’ romantic relationships are important because they contribute to relational development and foretell the quality of intimate relationships in adulthood. This paper summarizes current research findings on the development of romantic relationships, focusing first on the normative stages of mainstream youth and subsequently on atypical patterns of troubled youth. Peer and family influences on romantic development are considered as well as ethnocultural variation. The paper concludes with several policy implications for community mental health.