Normative youth's attitudes toward integrating detached youth within normative youth settings: Gender and field of studies differences

This two-phase study examines normative youth's attitudes toward integrating detached youth within normative youth settings. Phase I deals with high school students and focuses on sex differences in attitude. Demographic and attitude questionnaires were administered. Two hypotheses were assumed for this phase: (a) Females would show greater positive attitudes toward integrating detached youth than males; (b) Females' attitudes toward integrating detached youth would be similar at both individual and societal levels, whereas males' attitudes toward integrating detached youth would be more positive at the societal level than at the individual level. In Phase II, the same questionnaires were administered to college students. Two hypotheses were assumed: (a) females would demonstrate more positive attitudes than males toward integrating detached youth within normative youth settings; (b) students in the social sciences would demonstrate more positive attitudes than students in the natural sciences. Both Phase I hypotheses were supported. Normative youth's attitudes toward integrating detached youth within normative youth settings were found to be positive. In contrast, neither of the Phase II hypotheses were supported; there were no gender differences, nor any differences between social science students and natural science students. Theoretical and operative conclusions of these findings are presented. © 1999 Human Sciences Press, Inc.