Common Predictors for Explaining Youth Antisocial Behavior: A Perspective From Ten Longitudinal Studies

For centuries humans have and continue to interact to bring change and homeostasis in their lives. Their interaction centers among roles played within the human developmental stages from toddler to preadolescent, to adolescent, to young adult, and thereafter to adulthood. Often the changes that occur take attitudinal, behavioral, and/or relational forms. These are often examined in research, using cross-section, prospective, or retrospective longitudinal study designs. Longitudinal research has enabled researchers to describe the emergence of violence in terms of two (and possibly more) life-course trajectories. In the early-onset trajectory, this is before puberty, and in the late-onset trajectory occurring after puberty. These two trajectories offer insights into the likely course, severity, and duration of antisocial behavior over the life span. They also have practical implications for the timing of intervention programs and strategies. These trajectories along with the results from longitudinal studies have generated causal relationships between early antisocial behavior and increases in crime and violence. This article conducts a brief, yet critical, evaluation of ten popular longitudinal studies to explain what factors can predict youth antisocial behaviors. It briefly presents a discussion on the study of antisocial behavior in the last five decades, a review of how antisocial behavior and factors relating to it have been studied, and findings on each of the ten longitudinal studies. It then discusses the common predictors found after pooling together similar factors found in each study, followed by recommendations for future study and use

Best Practice Program for Low-Income African American Students Transitioning from Middle to High School

On the basis of systematic evaluation of three program databases, totaling 246 programs, this article provides a discussion on a best practice program for low-income African American students transitioning from middle school to high school in urban school settings. The main research question was “Of the programs touted as best practice, is there one that could produce positive middle school transition outcomes for low-income African American students in urban school settings?” To allow for the examination of as many programs as possible that targeted African American students, no subcategories of African American students were made, for example, low income. Using specific exclusion criteria, the author chose four programs as best practice (School Transitional Environmental Program [STEP]; Skills, Opportunity, and Recognition; Positive Action through Holistic Education; and Fast Track). These four programs were further evaluated with an eight-point inclusion criteria. The results suggested that STEP was the best best practice program, from those examined, for working with low-income African American transitioning from middle school to high school

Millennial Learner Comparison and Response Model

The Millennial Learner Comparison and Response Model offers any educator a one-to-one strategy guide to recognize differences among generations (Boomers and GenXers with Millennials) and a response match. The model categorizes the top eight millennial expectations and demands and conducts a conceptual comparison with similar demands of Baby Boomers and Gen Xers

Understanding Juvenile Delinquent Behavior through Social Bonding

Social control theory is often used to understand the many facets of social bonding opportunities and juvenile delinquency behavior. Various theories have been used to help explain delinquent behaviors and the reason for such actions against the community such as strain, differential association, social learning, symbolic interaction, and social control theories. However, social control theory and its four elements of social bonding (attachment, involvement, commitment, and belief) seem to be the most effective for understanding the dynamics of why young individuals participate in delinquency

SALT Model-Strengths, Area of Focus, Limitations, and Theory

poster abstractThe exhibit will present a tool developed to teach and learn about theory at the undergraduate or graduate levels. The project presents the SALT model (Strengths, Area of Focus, Limitations, and Theory to redress for shortcomings) developed by Gentle-Genitty

The state of truancy: Our lost kids

One in every 100 US students is truant. Among students ages 14-17, the number of truants is one in 10. In one township in Indiana one in every three students is a chronic truant. No longer is the family the only unit of care for children; schools are now the primary units of education and are responsible for at least 6-8 hours of student connectedness and social bonding. Thus, truancy prevention and school engagement is a shared responsibility. This study focused on the school environment as a key factor in school disengagement. The results give some indication of what should be done when advocating for programs and activities in middle schools that would positively impact rates of chronic truancy

Moving Theory Understanding into Assessment Forms

poster abstractThe project is an initiative with an MSW student who explored a Human Behavior and the Social Environment Theory - Strengths Perspective and after research on the theory/perspective designed an assessment questionnaire form based on the concepts and principles of the theory/perspective

5 Phases of Theory Application

Theory case plan is a plan of action of how to effectively approach and respond to a client and a client situation through theory applicatio