C D M H

Adolescent Development in Multiple Contexts:

PI: Jacquelynne Eccles, Ph.D.
Co-Investigator: Arnold Sameroff, Ph.D.

Adolescence is a critical period for the development of adult behaviors and attitudes. Understanding the factors influencing pathways through adolescence requires a careful look at the development of typical adolescents in various social contexts. The need for this information is especially marked for adolescents of color. This longitudinal study of approximately 1400 African-American (61%) and European-American (35%) adolescents and their families has five major goals: (1) providing a comprehensive description of various developmental trajectories through adolescence; (2) testing the utility of the Eccles et al. (1983)expectancy/value model of choice behavior and of self and identity theories for predicting individual differences in pathways through adolescence; (3) linking variations in these trajectories to experiences in four salient social contexts (family, peers, schools, neighborhood) in terms of the following contextual characteristics: (a) structure/control, (b) support for autonomy, (c) emotional support, (d) opportunities and risks, and (e) shared beliefs, values, and expectations, as well as on the developmental fit between changes in both individuals and contexts; (4) investigating the interplay between these social spheres of experience as they influence development; and (5) extending our understanding of these goals to African-American adolescents with a focus on both general developmental processes and the specific dynamics associated with ethnic identity, prejudice, discrimination and social stratification.