Lifelines and risks

In this highly original work, Robert and Beverley Cairns follow the pathways of 695 young people growing up over a fourteen year period, addressing basic questions on the patterns of development among youth in the transition from childhood to adulthood. Why is one trajectory adopted and another avoided in the course of development? And if a deviant pathway is selected are there opportunities for change? They conclude that life trajectories are predictable to some extent and are not fixed by genes or by early experience, but by correlated social constraints and illustrations drawn from the study of individual lives which are linked to generalisations from the whole sample. The focus of the book is on the primary risks of youth in our time, and lifelines - the avenues by which redirection and help may be provided. The authors consider the specific risks of violence, deviant social groups, school dropout, teenage parenthood, suicide, threats to self-esteem, and substance abuse. Lifelines held out to these youths include parents, friends, teachers, lovers, and relatives. To describe these lifelines and risks the authors draw upon contemporary longitudinal studies, cross-national epidemiological statistics, empirical studies conducted by their colleague's and students, and new findings from their own longitudinal studies.