This cross-sectional study examined how minority stress (i.e., internalized homonegativity, self-concealment, and rejection sensitivity) and positive parent-child relationship dynamics (i.e., respect for parents and perceived parental support for sexual orientation) were associated with the psychological adjustment of lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals in China. Based on survey responses from 277 self-identified Chinese LGB young adults, results from structural equation modeling showed that minority stress was not a significant predictor of psychological maladjustment, whereas respect for parents and perceived parental support for sexual orientation were associated with positive psychological adjustment. Tests of gender differences partially confirmed whether Confucian traditions may burden sexual minority men more than women. Gender differences were found in the correlations between minority stress and each measure of positive parent-child relationship dynamics. However, the associations between independent variables and psychological maladjustment were not different between men and women in the sample. Our results suggest that culture-specific variables, such as parent-child factors within the context of China, may be especially important when working with LGB individuals in research and clinical practice. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

This study proposed and confirmed three ways in which college students can perceive shared agency and two ways in which they can perceive non-shared agency with parents when pursuing educational goals in college. Differences and similarities were examined among participants from four ethnic backgrounds (N = 515; 67% female): East Asian American, Southeast Asian American, Filipino/Pacific Islander American, and European American. Results indicated that Asian American youth reported higher levels of non-shared agency with parents (i.e., parental directing and noninvolvement), lower levels of shared agency (i.e., parental accommodation, support, or collaboration), and poorer college adjustment compared to European Americans. However, ethnic similarities were found whereby perceived shared agency in education with parents was associated with college adjustment. Multiple mediation analyses also indicated that our model of shared and non-shared agency with parents explained differences in college adjustment between Asian and European Americans, though more strongly for comparisons between European and East Asian Americans. Our results suggest that parents continue to be important in the education of older youth but that continued directing of youth’s education in college can be maladaptive.

The present study takes a motivational perspective that views youths' educational and career engagement as influential and potentially competing for the same motivational resources in the transition to adulthood. We investigated whether motivational engagement with educational and career goals in the year after high-school graduation was differentially associated with educational, career-related and subjective well-being outcomes 2 and 4 years after school graduation. Our longitudinal study of a multi-ethnic sample of Los Angeles high-school graduates followed participants 2 years (N = 561; 61.5 % female) and 4 years (N = 364; 59.8 % female) after high school graduation. The findings indicate that motivational engagement with educational goals after high school graduation predicted educational attainments and psychological well-being at follow-up 2 and 4 years after graduation, and occupational progress at 4 years after graduation. Work hours assessed shortly after high school graduation were associated with poorer educational outcomes both at 2 and 4 years after high school. Occupational goal engagement was not associated with better outcomes, but predicted less educational attainment 4 years after graduating. Thus, educational goal engagement predicted favorable outcomes, whereas career-related goal engagement for the most part was neutral with some select associations with negative educational outcomes. A strong motivational commitment to educational goals, but not to career goals, is an important component of a successful transition to adulthood.

This short-term longitudinal study examined whether the social resources of important nonparental adults (VIPs) perceived by youth during their senior year of high school had a significant relation to their educational and socioemotional adjustment 1 year later. One month before their high school graduation, a multiethnic sample of youths (N=754) reported on their grades, educational expectations, and selected psychosocial characteristics (i.e., depressed mood and misconduct); the educational attainment and perceived psychosocial characteristics of an important nonparental adult in their lives; and the educational plans and perceived psychosocial characteristics of their close friends. Key measures were included in a mailed survey 1 year later. VIP characteristics (particularly their educational attainment) were associated with post-high school adjustment, even after controlling for previous level of youth adjustment and contributions from demographic and peer characteristics. © 2010 The Authors. Journal of Research on Adolescence © 2010 Society for Research on Adolescence.

Background

Much research suggests that mothers play an important role in shaping daughters' body image, yet less is known about how mother-daughter relationship dynamics in weight management affect daughters' body dissatisfaction. The current paper described the development and validation of the mother-daughter Shared Agency in Weight Management Scale (SAWMS) and examined its associations with daughter's body dissatisfaction.

Methods

In Study 1 (N = 676 college students), we explored the factor structure of the mother-daughter SAWMS and identified three processes (control, autonomy support, and collaboration) whereby mothers work with daughters in weight management. In Study 2 (N = 439 college students), we finalized the factor structure of the scale by conducting two CFAs and assessing the test-retest reliability of each subscale. In Study 3 (same sample as Study 2), we examined the psychometric properties of the subscales and their associations with daughters' body dissatisfaction.

Results

Combining results from EFA and IRT, we identified three mother-daughter dynamics in weight management-maternal control, maternal autonomy support, and maternal collaboration. However, based on various empirical results indicating poor psychometric properties of the maternal collaboration subscale, we removed it from the mother-daughter SAWMS and only evaluated the psychometric properties of the remaining two subscales (i.e., control and autonomy support). They explained a significant amount of variance in daughters' body dissatisfaction over and above the effect of maternal pressure to be thin. Maternal control was a significant and positive predictor of daughters' body dissatisfaction; maternal autonomy support was a significant and negative predictor.

Conclusions

Results suggested that maternal control in weight management was associated with daughters' increased body dissatisfaction, whereas maternal autonomy support in weight management was associated with daughters' lower body dissatisfaction. These specific ways in which mother work with daughters in weight management provide nuances in understanding young women's body dissatisfaction. Our SAWMS offers new ways to examine body image among young women through the mother-daughter relationship dynamics in weight management.

This study investigated ethnic as well as gender and generational similarities and differences in the life goals among graduating high-school seniors. Adolescents came from six ethnic groups: White, African, Mexican, Other Latino, Filipino, and East/Southeast Asian Americans. Their self-articulated medium-range life goals were grouped into 8 major categories such as occupational, educational, familial, and material goals. Group differences in various aspects of future plans, such as priorities given to different life goals, time frame of attainment, and perceived controllability over their attainment, were also examined. Hypothesized group differences based on current social realities and small-scale qualitative studies on ethnic minorities were not found; there were very few ethnic, gender, and generational differences in adolescents' life goals. All groups reported a higher priority for, earlier expected attainment of, and more control over their medium-range educational and occupational goals than their family-related and material goals. Further, long-term educational and occupational aspirations were high across all groups. There were moderate ethnic differences in educational expectations and none for corresponding career expectations. Thus, current inequalities in educational and occupational attainments across ethnic groups were only partially reflected in the life goals of adolescents on the brink of graduating from high school. © 2006 Springer Science+Business Media, Inc.