A sense of mastery is an important component of psychological health and well-being across the lifespan; however, relatively little is known about the development of mastery during childhood and adolescence. Utilizing prospective, longitudinal data from 444 adolescent sibling pairs and their parents, our conceptual model proposes that family SES in the form of parental education promotes effective family problem solving which, in turn, fosters adolescent mastery. Results show: (1) a significant increase in mastery for younger and older siblings, (2) parental education promoted effective problem solving between parents and adolescents and between siblings but not between the parents themselves, and (3) all forms of effective family problem solving predicted greater adolescent mastery. Parental education had a direct effect on adolescent mastery as well as the hypothesized indirect effect through problem solving effectiveness, suggesting both a social structural and social process influence on the development of mastery during adolescence.Mastery, defined as a sense of having control over the forces that affect one's life, is an important component of psychological health and well-being across the life-span (e.g., Mirowsky and Ross 1999;Pearlin et al. 1981;Shanahan and Bauer 2004;Thoits 1995). Research across multiple domains and ages documents a linkage between a sense of control and individual differences in mental and physical health (e.g., Lin and Ensel 1989;Pearlin and Schooler 1978;Thoits 1995). For example, Mirowsky and Ross (1998) find that personal control is associated with a healthier lifestyle. Rosenfield (1989) finds that personal control in the workplace is linked to better mental health. Keyes and Ryff (1998) include 'environmental mastery' (managing the demands of daily life) as one of six dimensions of psychological wellbeing in adulthood. In a review of control-related concepts, Skinner (1996) states "a sense of control is a robust predictor of physical and mental well-being" (549), and for some, perceived control is viewed as a "more powerful predictor of functioning than actual control" (551). Thus, whether labeled mastery, personal control, perceived control or environmental mastery, a sense of mastery is seen as central to how well individuals respond to challenges and situations encountered in everyday life 1 . * Current support comes from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, the National Institute on Drug Abuse, and the National Institute of Mental Health (HD047573, HD051746, and MH051361). Support for earlier years of the study came from multiple sources, including NIMH (MH00567, MH19734, MH43270, MH59355, MH62989, and MH48165), NIDA (DA05347), NICHD (HD027724), the Bureau of Maternal and Child Health (MCJ-109572), and the MacArthur Foundation Research Network on Successful Adolescent Development Among Youth in High-Risk Settings. We thank Peggy Thoits, Eliza Pavalko and anonymous reviewers for constructive feedback on earlier versions of this paper.Address...

Latent growth curve modeling employed data from a longitudinal study of 451 sibling families to examine parents, siblings, and family economics as factors in individual differences in the developmental course of interpersonal aggression during adolescence. Findings suggest that individual change in interpersonal aggression during adolescence can be predicted by the gender and aggression of one's sibling; predictions varied by the gender composition of the sibling dyad. Rates of parental hostility predicted levels of interpersonal aggression for both older (mean age = 12 years) and younger siblings (mean age = 15), and growth in aggression for younger siblings. Family economic pressure predicted interpersonal aggression of both siblings indirectly through parental hostility. Implications for future research and preventive interventions are discussed.

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The utilization of the microfabrication technique to fabricate advanced computing chips has exponentially increased in the last few decades. Needless to say, this fabrication technique offers some unique advantages to develop micro-systems. Though many conventional microfabrication techniques today uses very harsh chemicals, the authors believe that the manipulation of system components and fabrication methods may aid in the utilization of the microfabrication techniques used in fabricating computer chips to develop advanced biological microfluidic systems. Presented in this paper is a fabrication approach in which popular fabrication methods and techniques are coupled together to develop an integrated system that aids in the fabrication of cell-laden microfluidic systems. This system aims to reduce the uses of harsh chemicals and decreases the lengthy fabrication time. Additionally, this integrated system will enable the printing of cells as the microfluidic chip is being fabricated. To demonstrate the unique capabilities of the integrated system, an advanced microfluidic chip is being fabricated and investigated. The advanced chip will feature the investigation of cancer cells in a co-cultured microfluidic environment. The investigations presented demonstrate co-cultures in a microfluidic chip, advanced cell printing with localized surface enhancement, cell integration, and full additive fabrication of a microfluidic chip.

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