Sticks, Stones Break Bones, But Odd Names May Jail You

Expectation linked to risky behavior

(NEWSER) - Teenagers who engage in risky behavior may do so because they believe they’re going to die young anyway, and may create a self-fulfilling prophecy with that belief, reports the Minneapolis Star Tribune. A study that tracked 20,000 kids in grades 7 through 12 found that 15% thought they would die before the age of 35. That group was seven times more likely to be diagnosed with AIDS. More»

Cops warn kids joining SMS-organized gangs

(NEWSER) - Philadelphia's top cop has warned teenagers that they can go to jail for joining texted "flash mobs" in which groups of rampaging teens attack property and passers-by. Hundreds of rowdy teenagers, organized by email or text message, have gathered in downtown Philly on recent weekends and the police plan to increase manpower and tighten curfews in response, the New York Times reports. More»

It beat safe sex program in recent study

(NEWSER) - Abstinence-only sex education is back on solid scientific ground, with a study showing the method may be more effective than safe sex education in discouraging young teens from taking the plunge. Different groups of 6th- and 7th-graders were given short courses in abstinence, safe sex, or a combination of the two. Two years later, 33% of the abstinence students had become sexually active, compared to 52% of the safe-sex pupils. More»

(NEWSER) - Teens forced to move often by their parents’ jobs are much more likely to attempt suicide than those who stay put, MSNBC reports. Kids between 11 and 17 who moved three or more times were twice as likely to try to kill themselves as children who grew up in the same place, Danish researchers found. If a family moved 10 times, the likelihood of suicide quadrupled the average. More»

Video play brings kids together, instills community values

(NEWSER) - The stereotype of the isolated video gamer is as antiquated as Pong—teens, at least, see gaming as a social activity, new research shows. A clear link exists between gaming, in which virtually all teens participate, and civic engagement, MSNBC reports. That doesn’t mean every Grand Theft Auto expert is a budding philanthropist, but neither does it imply the only people-skill that kids learn from World of Warcraft is trash-talking. More»