Biomedical subjects

Nancy J Bell

Publications and source records attributed to Nancy J Bell.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2007

Situating alcohol use and delinquency within developmental and societal context: the case of Korean youth.

In this study involving self-report questionnaire data from 955 tenth-grade students in three locations within Korea, we address the meanings of alcohol use and delinquency for Korean youth. Findings (a) supported a facilitative role for alcohol, but not delinquency, with respect to perceived peer social competence; (b) indicated negative associations of both alcohol use and delinquency with parental relations, valuing academic achievement, and collectivistic values, and positive associations with friends' risk behaviours; (c) showed no relationship of these behaviours with self-esteem, coping, parental permissiveness or individualistic values; and (d) revealed that perceived benefits of alcohol use and delinquency include not only social facilitation but also exploration and assertion of independence, suggesting a potential connection, as in Western societies, between risk taking, and identity exploration.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2005

Narratives of development, experiences of risk: adult women's perspectives on relationships and safer sex.

Mid-life women are increasingly at risk for HIV/AIDS, yet relatively few studies have targeted this age group. In this study, we explored views of relationships and safer sex practices among eight well-educated, single, heterosexual adult women through in-depth interviews and supplemental questionnaires. The women viewed themselves as competent, responsible, and mature in terms of their relationship and sexual choices. However, their actual sexual practices, and reasons given for these practices, were similar to those of adolescents and of inner-city women living in high-risk environments. Findings are significant in highlighting the power and importance of relationship factors, especially trust, as these relate to safer sex practices and prevention initiatives.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

PubMed2004

Self-reflecting in developmental context: variations in level and patterning during the first 2 university years.

Self-reflection, typically operationalized in scales of egocentrism and introspectiveness, is portrayed as problematic in much of the literature on adolescents. Self-reflection has been linked to dysfunctional self-consciousness, symptomatology, and risk behaviors. Yet, self-reflection also is seen as essential for adolescent development, particularly with respect to individuation and identity. In this exploratory study, the authors focused on the process of self-reflecting. From interviews with 10 students conducted over the first 2 university years, the authors longitudinally assessed and then evaluated self-reflecting patterns in relationship to a narrative analysis of developmental change. Students who showed evidence of developmental change or sustained engagement in developmental work over the study period devoted a higher percentage of their interview conversation to self-reflecting content. Differences in self-reflecting patterning over time among the students who showed developmental change further suggest linkages between self-reflecting and development. The authors discuss implications for the conceptualization of self-reflecting in relationship to development and for the reinterpretation of previous studies.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2003

Individual differences in attachment-autonomy configurations: linkages with substance use and youth competencies.

Variations in attachment-autonomy configurations are explored as these relate to substance use and several adolescent competencies. Questionnaires completed by 470 university students included measures of parental attachment, autonomy (both emotional autonomy and self-reliance), substance use, problems associated with substance use, social competencies, and coping. Analyses of subgroups representing four attachment-autonomy patterns, derived from cluster analysis, showed higher competency levels and fewer problems related to substance use for the group combining strong attachment and self-reliance coupled with low levels of emotional autonomy. A subgroup characterized by low father but moderate mother attachment security differed in a number of ways from a subgroup reporting low attachment to both parents. Findings support the utility of a typological approach in investigations of adolescent attachment and autonomy.

Adaptation, Psychological↗