Karina Weichold

Gender Differences at Puberty: Short-term and long-term consequences of early versus late physical maturation in adolescents

We are all confronted almost daily with a major source of interindividual variation – people of the same chronological age vary tremendously in physical attributes and behaviors. Some look younger (and consequently may feel younger) than their age would predict, whereas others look older (and may disregard this entirely). A particularly impressive case of variation occurs during puberty: whereas some early adolescents appear physically almost fully grown, others still remind one of a child, and yet both may attend the same classroom and share the same chronological age. In the many domains of everyday interactions we adapt our behavior to the perceived age of others, our expectations and behavioral overtures toward young people may be inadequate; either we treat them like grown-ups (thus overtaxing capabilities) or like children (thereby underestimating potential). At any rate, it is likely that such behaviors, if persistent, could lead to age-inappropriate changes in the behavior of the young. Social reactions to physical maturation also vary widely across cultures. The onset of puberty in girls is universally followed by more restrictions than is observed for boys. Girls are subjected to menstrual taboos, dress codes, and limitations of their activities, whereas boys usually do not have to deal with increased supervision and limitations of their freedom (Petersen, Silbereisen, and Sorensen, 1996). This chapter deals with interindividual variation in the timing of puberty and its association with differences in psychosocial functioning; as will be seen, this relationship is complex and goes well beyond the role of the social processes just mentioned.

The Life Skills Program IPSY: Positive Influences on School Bonding and Prevention of Substance Misuse.

The present study investigated whether a life skills program (LSP) for the prevention of adolescent substance misuse can have positive influences on a school context and on school bonding. The study also explored whether effects on alcohol use are mediated by positive effects on school bonding resulting from program participation. The LSP IPSY (Information+Psychosocial Competence=Protection) was implemented over a 3-year period via specially trained teachers. Analyses were based on a German evaluation study utilizing a quasi-experimental design (intervention/control) with school-wise assignment to the respective groups. Analyses were based on four measurement points (N=952, 10 years at pre-test). Results indicated that IPSY was well implemented, highly accepted by teachers and students, and that teachers profited regarding their teaching methods. ANCOVAS revealed positive program effects on alcohol use and school bonding. Multiple regressions indicated that positive influences on school bonding following program participation partially mediated effects on alcohol use.

Trajectories of alcohol use among adolescent boys and girls : Identification, validation, and sociodemographic characteristics

This longitudinal study used data from a secondary data archive of 1,619 East German adolescents (mean age, 14.05 years at the initial wave). Latent growth mixture modeling was used to identify distinctive developmental trajectories of alcohol consumption from ages 14 through 18 years. Four groups were found for both boys (rare users, late escalators, early peakers, regular users) and girls (rare users, increasers, decreasers, regular users). Further analyses showed reasonably good external validity of the identified alcohol consumption trajectories. Finally, female alcohol use trajectory groups differed in terms of financial resources (socioeconomic backgrounds), whereas male trajectory groups did not differ at all in terms of sociodemographic characteristics. Overall, evidence for gender-specific alcohol use trajectories was mixed.

Examining the differential effectiveness of a life skills program (IPSY) on alcohol use trajectories in early adolescence.

OBJECTIVE This study investigated whether a universal school-based life skills program-IPSY (Information + Psychosocial Competence = Protection)-against substance misuse exerted the same effectiveness for young adolescents (10.5-13 years) from distinct alcohol use trajectories characterized by late childhood risk factors (temperament, self-worth, social problems with peers). METHOD Analyses were based on a German sample of school students (N = 1,484). A longitudinal quasi-experimental design (intervention/control) with schoolwise assignment to the respective groups was used. Data were gathered via self-report questionnaire. Two-part growth mixture modeling was applied. RESULTS Two prototypical trajectory classes of early alcohol use were found: a problematic group with a sharp increase in prevalence and quantity of consumed alcohol (19.7%) and a normative group with a moderate increase in both outcomes (80.3%). The problematic trajectory class was associated with several risk factors. IPSY decreased the likelihood of membership in the problematic group. Furthermore, IPSY buffered the increase in prevalence and quantity for the normative group, whereas it had no effects on these indicators for the problematic group. Concerning quantity of alcohol use, the effect size in terms of a difference in estimated means between intervention and control group at the last measurement point in the normative group was d = 0.33 (95% CI [0.21, 0.44]). CONCLUSIONS Study findings indicate the usefulness of IPSY for reducing alcohol use especially in normative developing adolescents. However, the minority of adolescents consistently pursuing a problematic developmental pathway of alcohol use seem to be in need of earlier, more tailored treatments.

The development of leisure boredom in early adolescence: predictors and longitudinal associations with delinquency and depression

The literature proposes that leisure boredom may systematically increase during adolescence. Moreover, some authors assume that this hypothesized developmental trend is associated with increases in youthful delinquency and depression. Individual dispositions (e.g., temperamental disinhibition) are believed to exacerbate the relationship between boredom and delinquency. This study investigated whether (1) leisure boredom really is an increasing phenomenon during early adolescence; (2) gender, temperamental disinhibition, shyness, family relationship quality, peer rejection, a deprived school context, and rural/urban living explain developmental variations in boredom; (3) boredom is longitudinally and reciprocally related to delinquency and depression; and (4) bored disinhibited adolescents are particularly likely to become delinquent and to use delinquent acts to mitigate boredom. Analyses were based on a German sample of school students (N = 722) who provided annual self-reports on study variables from age 10 to 14 years. Bivariate growth curve models captured correlations between developmental trajectories of boredom and delinquency/depression. Cross-lagged models examined reciprocal short-term associations. Analyses revealed a modest increase in leisure boredom during early adolescence. Disinhibition and qualities of proximal social contexts (family, peers, school) were related to boredom with peer rejection showing the most consistent longitudinal association. Boredom was developmentally associated with depression whereas longitudinal associations with delinquency were weaker and more short-term. Temperamentally disinhibited adolescents appeared to buffer leisure boredom by means of delinquency. Results support person-context models of leisure boredom with regard to its etiology and consequences. Findings further demonstrate that leisure boredom plays a prominent role in the developmental adaptation of adolescents.

Do Girls Profit More? Gender-Specific Effectiveness of a Life Skills Program Against Alcohol Consumption in Early Adolescence

This study investigated the effectiveness of a life skills program with regard to alcohol consumption, life skills, knowledge, and school bonding for young adolescents. The focus was on the moderating role of gender, based on the assumption that life skills programs may address specific needs of adolescent girls better than those of boys. The universal school-based life skills program IPSY (Information * Psychosocial competence = Protection) was implemented and evaluated over 3 years (longitudinal quasi-experimental design with four measurement points; N = 952, 10 years at T1). Results of (M)ANCOVAs revealed positive general program effects of IPSY on alcohol-related outcomes, life skills, knowledge, and school bonding. As expected, girls profited regarding knowledge of effective communication within groups and self-confidence, but not boys. In contrast, none of the other program effects was moderated by gender. Thus, the program, although lacking gender-specific components, worked well for both boys and girls during early adolescence.

Peer influence, substance use and leisure: a cross-cultural comparison

Peer-Einfluss, Substanzkonsum und Freizeitverhalten: ein Kulturvergleich Fragestellung: Diese Studie untersucht den Zusammenhang zwischen Freizeitmotivation bzw. Peerdruck und Alkoholkonsum bei Jugendlichen aus drei Kulturen. Methodik: Sekundardaten aus Sud-Afrika, Deutschland und den USA wurden analysiert. Ergebnisse: Peer-Einfluss korreliert positiv mit Alkoholkonsum in allen drei Stichproben. In der deutschen Stichprobe steht Freizeitmotivation in einem positiven Zusammenhang mit Alkoholkonsum. Geringe intrinsische / identifizierte Motivation bei amerikanischen und geringe identifizierte Motivation bei sudafrikanischen Jugendlichen stehen in einen negativen Zusammenhang mit Substanzkonsum. Schlussfolgerungen: Peerdruck steht in den drei Stichproben mit Alkoholkonsum im Jugendalter in Beziehung, wogegen verschiedene Motivationsarten Alkoholkonsum in den drei Kulturen vorhersagen.

Feedback negativity and decision-making behavior in the Balloon Analogue Risk Task (BART) in adolescents is modulated by peer presence

Adolescent risk taking is strongly influenced by peer presence. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of peer presence on the ERP after negative and positive feedback in the time range of the feedback-related negativity (FRN). Eighteen male adolescents completed a version of the Balloon Analogue Risk Task (BART) under two conditions: playing alone and while observed by a peer. We recorded the ERPs after success or failure feedback and analyzed risk-taking behavior under both conditions. Behavioral results show that the participants were more cautious when being watched by a peer, especially after success. ERPs show that participants under peer presence exhibit more negative FRN after failure feedback than in the single condition, but no greater positivities after success feedback in the observed condition compared to the single condition. Results are in line with reinforcement learning theory and psychological aspects of loss prevention. The results suggest that the effect of peer presence on risk-taking behavior depends on the specific situational context.

Translation of Etiology into Evidence-Based Prevention: The Life Skills Program IPSY.

IPSY (Information + Psychosocial Competence = Protection) is a universal life skills program aiming at the promotion of generic intra- and interpersonal life skills, substance specific skills (for example, resistance skills), school bonding, knowledge, and the prevention of substance misuse with a focus on alcohol and tobacco in youth. This program is based on the WHOs life skills approach as well as on theories and empirical findings concerning the development of substance misuse during early adolescence. IPSY is implemented by teachers over three years of schooling (grades 5-7 in Germany). Guided by models of translational research dealing with conditions of a successful translation of etiological findings into evidence-based prevention programs, the chapter highlights the results of a more than ten-year research program focusing on the development and evaluation of the IPSY program. Findings on long-term general effects, mediators and moderators of program effectiveness, and cross-cultural transferability of the program to other European countries are summarized and discussed in light of dissemination issues.

Schultypspezifische Wirksamkeit eines Lebenskompetenzprogramms zur Beeinflussung des Tabakkonsums von Schülern in Gymnasien und Regelschulen

Fragestellung: Die Studie vergleicht die Wirksamkeit des Lebenskompetenzprogramms IPSY (Information + Psychosoziale Kompetenz = Schutz) hinsichtlich Tabakkonsums, Lebenskompetenzen, Wissens und Schulbindung zwischen Gymnasien und Regelschulen. Methodik: Der Evaluation liegt ein quasi-experimentelles Kontrollgruppendesign mit zwei Messzeitpunkten zugrunde. Die Datenerhebung erfolgte mittels Fragebogen. Zur Analyse von Moderatoreffekten wurden multivariate Varianzanalysen berechnet. Ergebnisse: Die positiven Effekte auf Verminderung des Tabakkonsums waren unabhangig vom Schultyp. Differenzielle Ergebnisse zeigten sich derart, dass Gymnasiasten eher bei Wissensvermittlung profitierten, Regelschuler eher bei Widerstandsfahigkeiten. Schlussfolgerungen: IPSY kann in beiden Schultypen mit vergleichbarem Erfolg angewendet werden.