Journal of Adolescent Research current issue

From "Rebel" to "Returnee": Daily Life and Reintegration for Young Soldiers in Northern Uganda

Annan, J., Brier, M., Aryemo, F. — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 11:11:02 PDT

In war’s aftermath, many young soldiers attempt to reintegrate and reestablish their lives. Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration (DDR) programs are a priority intervention for youth in postconflict countries; yet there is little evidence to suggest what aids reintegration. This research uses qualitative methodology to describe the issues salient to adolescents and young adults in daily life after returning from a rebel group in northern Uganda. It explores the process of reintegration with 23 male youth abducted by the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) and draws on a representative quantitative survey of 741 abducted and nonabducted youth in the region. Participants described returning home, their reception by families and neighbors, feelings after returning, and how they negotiated the transition from being a "rebel" to a "formerly abducted child’ and a member of their family and community.

Adolescent Hopefulness in Tanzania: Street Youth, Former Street Youth, and School Youth

Nalkur, P. G. — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 11:11:02 PDT

This study compares hope in street youth, former street youth, and school youth (aged 12-18) in Tanzania. Responding to Snyder’s hope theory, the author argues that not only personal agency but also the stability of living context (street, shelter, home) shapes hopefulness. Employing qualitative and quantitative analyses, the author presents a framework that shows considerable differences by youth group in hope conceptualizations. Youth in unstable environments avoid hope to circumvent failure and instead attribute success to luck and other external factors, whereas youth in steadier environments rely on internal resources, seeing themselves as critical agents in engendering hopefulness. Taking youths’ differing living contexts into account, the author proposes a contextual model of hope that consists of "hope instruments," "hope outcomes," and "pathways to hopefulness."

Giving Up Something Good for Something Better: Sacred Sacrifices Made by Religious Youth

Dollahite, D. C., Layton, E., Bahr, H. M., Walker, A. B., Thatcher, J. Y. — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 11:11:02 PDT

The concept of sacrifice was formerly a key variable in theorizing about religion and society. Secularization theory and conceptual models equating sacrifice with cost have reduced its usage and apparent relevance, although it continues to be of interest in anthropology and religious studies. Research on sacrifice has been neglected in the social sciences, especially in studies of religiosity and families. Seventy-seven religious adolescents in 55 religious Jewish, Christian, Muslim, and Mormon families in New England and northern California were interviewed about whether they felt they had been asked to make sacrifices for their faith as they were growing up. This article discusses how contemporary religious youth view the sacrifices they make for religious reasons. Adolescents reported sacrifices in five domains: societal expectations, popular culture, comforts and pleasures, time and activities, and peer relations. Youth gave the following reasons for being willing to make sacrifices: connecting to a higher meaning or purpose, connecting to God, connecting to the faith tradition or community, fulfilling expectations, feeling affective benefits, and avoiding problems.

Transferring Post-Secondary Schools: Student Perceptions, Rationales, and Experiences

Gallander Wintre, M., Morgan, A. S. — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 11:11:02 PDT

The present study is an empirical investigation of the experience of students transferring from one post-secondary institution to another. Positioned within several theories, most notably emerging adulthood theory, the findings imply that transferring schools represents a positive growth experience for the student who recognizes an inappropriate match with the first institution attended. In telephone interviews, students who had transferred to a large, ethnically diverse, commuter university were asked about their perceived adjustment pre- and post-transfer, their perceived control over the transfer decision, and their transfer experiences. The results indicate that transfer students are engaging in a mature decision-making process. Transfer students perceived a better fit and improved adjustment at their new university, suggesting that transferring institutions was a beneficial decision.

Feminist Identity Among Latina Adolescents

Manago, A. M., Spears Brown, C., Leaper, C. — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 11:11:02 PDT

This study explores developing conceptions of feminism among Latina adolescents, their prevalence of feminist endorsement, and whether home environment and well-being are related to feminist identity. One hundred and forty Latina girls (Grades 9 to 12, M age = 15) wrote personal narratives of their understanding of feminism and whether they consider themselves feminists. The major themes that emerged in girls’ conceptions were notions of feminism either as equality, as femininity, as female empowerment, as bias, or as sexism. Results show older adolescents are more likely to define feminism with regard to group-based status differences and that opposition to female superiority is a common reason for rejecting feminism. Endorsement of an egalitarian-based definition of feminism was correlated with higher body image but was unrelated to self-esteem or parent education.

Book Review: Berry, J. W., Phinney, J. S., Vedder, P., & Sam, D. L. (Eds.). (2006). Immigrant Youth in Cultural Transition: Acculturation, Identity, and Adaptation Across National Contexts. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum

de Dios, A. — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 11:11:03 PDT