The purpose of the study was to better understand gender differences in global self-esteem at adolescence by examining the content of and gender differences within adolescents' “possible selves.” Possible selves are self-conceptions about both what an individual hopes to become and fears becoming. Results support the hypothesis that adolescents are able to access and report a vast array of possible selves. As hypothesized, female adolescents rated feared possible selves as more likely than boys. Girls accessed more feared possible selves related to relational functioning, whereas boys generated more feared possible selves related to occupation, general failure, and inferiority. No gender differences in likelihood or content of hoped-for possible selves were demonstrated. Results indicate that differences in boys' and girls' self-views may be rooted in the experienced importance and likelihood of feared selves. Implications for assessment and treatment addressing adolescent self-esteem are discussed.
The ACT Against Violence Parents Raising Safe Kids program (ACT-PRSK) is an interactive violence prevention program developed by the American Psychological Association for parents of young children. The program teaches and supports parents in the areas of child development, roots and consequences of violence, anger management for adults and children, social problem solving, positive discipline, and the impact of media violence on children. Ninety-two parents/caregivers of young children participated in a study of the effects of the program on parenting behaviors. The first 50 participants were assigned to the intervention group and completed the ACT-PRSK program, and the remaining 42 parents/caregivers served as comparisons. Results indicated reduced spanking and reduced rate of hitting children with objects for the ACT-PRSK participants. Furthermore, the ACT-PRSK group evidenced improved knowledge, behaviors, and beliefs regarding violence prevention and parenting. Results provide support for the efficacy of this brief intervention for preventing child maltreatment.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.