Predicting Positive Youth Development from Self-Regulation and Purpose in Early Adolescence.

A Positive Youth Development (PYD) perspective emphasizes adolescents' potential for healthy, successful development. Researchers have introduced a variety of constructs that may promote PYD. For example, Intentional Self-Regulation (ISR) enables youth to seek out and use resources in the environment; purpose can help youth navigate and overcome obstacles.

African-American parents' racial and ethnic socialization and adolescent academic grades: teasing out the role of gender.

This study examined the relationship of racial and ethnic socialization and academic achievement in a sample of 218 African American adolescents (grades 9-12; 52% girls) attending a public high school in the northeastern United States. Researchers were particularly interested in whether adolescent gender moderated the relationship between racial and ethnic socialization and academic grades. Results indicated that aspects of ethnic socialization, African American cultural values and African American heritage were linked to adolescent grades.

Patterns of adolescents' participation in organized activities: are sports best when combined with other activities?

Although many adolescents participate in sports and other types of organized activities, little extant research explores how youth development outcomes may vary for youth involved in different combinations of activities. The present study uses the Child Development Supplement of the Panel Study of Income Dynamics, a large, nationally representative sample, to compare activity patterns of adolescents ages 10-18 years (n = 1,711). A cluster analytic technique revealed 5 activity clusters: sports-focused, sports plus other activities, primarily school-based activities, primarily religious youth groups, and low activity involvement.

How money matters for young children's development: parental investment and family processes.

This study used data from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics and its 1997 Child Development Supplement to examine how family income matters for young children's development. The sample included 753 children who were between ages 3 and 5 years in 1997. Two sets of mediating factors were examined that reflect two dominating views in the literature: (1) the investment perspective, and (2) the family process perspective.

Family processes as pathways from income to young children's development.

A variety of family processes have been hypothesized to mediate associations between income and young children's development. Maternal emotional distress, parental authoritative and authoritarian behavior (videotaped mother-child interactions), and provision of cognitively stimulating activities (Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment [HOME] scales) were examined as possible mediators in a sample of 493 White and African American low-birth-weight premature infants who were followed from birth through age 5. Cognitive ability was assessed by standardized test, and child behavior problems by maternal report, when the children were 3 and 5 years of age.

MQSA: the final rule.

On April 28, 1999, the final Mammography Quality Standards Act (MQSA) rule takes effect. On that date, the final regulations will replace the interim standards that have been in effect since October 1994. While the new guidelines are very similar to the interim guidelines, the final rule contains some important changes, particularly in the areas of personnel requirements and equipment standards.

Effects of age, breast density, ethnicity, and estrogen replacement therapy on screening mammographic sensitivity and cancer stage at diagnosis: review of 183,134 screening mammograms in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Purpose: To examine how common patient factors affect screening mammographic sensitivity and cancer stage at diagnosis.

Materials And Methods: The authors used a population-based database of 183,134 screening mammograms and a statewide tumor registry to identify 807 breast cancers detected at screening mammography.

Results: Sensitivity varied significantly with ethnicity, use of estrogen replacement therapy, mammographic breast density, and age.

American Cancer Society guidelines for the early detection of breast cancer: update 1997.

The American Cancer Society (ACS) convened a workshop in March 1997 to consider new scientific findings related to breast cancer screening and to determine whether these findings warrant a change in the existing ACS guidelines. The meeting was timed so that participants could benefit from new data related to screening women aged 40 to 49 years. A recommendation based on the new data and subsequently approved by the ACS Board of Directors is reported.

Mammography outcomes in a practice setting by age: prognostic factors, sensitivity, and positive biopsy rate.

The separate unplanned analysis of women ages 40-49 in population-based randomized controlled trials has resulted in demonstration of statistically significant breast cancer mortality reduction due to screening mammography in only two of the individual trials, and in all such trials only through meta-analysis. Therefore, many researchers have utilized the surrogate endpoints of tumor size and axillary lymph node status to evaluate screening efficacy. For the present study, these endpoints were evaluated in an audit of 854 screen-detected cancers found in 147,125 mammographic examinations performed in women over 40 between 1988 and 1994 in a community practice setting.

The New Mexico Mammography Project. Screening mammography performance in Albuquerque, New Mexico, 1991 to 1993.

Background: This project was designed to collect and link population-based mammography and breast carcinoma data to assess the performance of community mammography screening.

Methods: Computerized data were collected from all radiology practices in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The data were linked by computer match to breast carcinomas in a statewide cancer registry.

Mammography outcomes analysis: potential panacea or Pandora's box?

As a consequence of the demand for and perceived value of mammography outcomes analysis, collection of community-based mammography data by the NHMN and others has begun and is supported by the radiologists involved. Radiologists are increasing their use of standardized coding of report data necessary for clear communication and data collection but remain justifiably concerned about the confidentiality of these data. If stronger protection of these data is forthcoming, more radiologists will be encouraged to perform practice audits.