URBAN YOUTH UNDER STRESS - EMPIRICAL IDENTIFICATION OF PROTECTIVE FACTORS

Explored the influence of life stress as mediated or moderated by locu s of control, family environment, social support and coping style on p sychological adjustment and school performance in 164 ninth graders fr om Baltimore. Gender differences in findings were shown. For boys, fam ily cohesion was the only variable found to prefect against the effect s of stress. Family cohesion did not serve protective functions for gi rls, and along with overall social support, was associated with increa sed vulnerability to school problems. The report of problem-focused co ping strategies exerted a number of protective functions for girls onl y External locus of control was found to increase boys' and girls' vul nerability to the effects of life stress. Empirical development of int erventions to improve the psychosocial adjustment of inner-city adoles cents is discussed.