T8 Campaign

A 11 yo girl died because she was being threw out from 4th floor class room by her teacher only because the girl said something enraged the teacher.

This happened in china. They suspect the teacher is a mental problem sufferer. The witness said the teacher bang the girl's head on table several times until she fell down to the floor then teacher used steel hit her head, after tht step on her head several times, bleeding alot..n being drag to the window....oh, I forgot to mention the girl actually lost her conscious when she fell down on the floor.

Dear cheng boon, what the girl said its not mentioned in the video and very sorry that i din follow the news after. however, there r 2 msg v can get from this news. 1st, students nowadays getting worse especially in disciplinary problem (this might lead to adolescent text book as well..hehe).2nd, work stress of teacher ( find in IO text book lol)..In conclusion, illness of society...

Sex slavery

Adolescent Risk-Taking

These materials on adolescent risk-taking were prepared by the Casey Journalism Center for Children and Families from the work of Lynn E. Ponton, MD, author of The Romance of Risk: Why Teenagers Do the Things They Do. The materials appeared on a listserve for journalists who cover children and youth.

Guiding a Child or Teen in Risk Assessment
Prepared by Lynn E. Ponton, M.D.

(1) Healthy risk-taking is a positive tool in an adolescent's life for discovering, developing, and consolidating his or her identity.

(2) It is important to remember that learning how to assess risks is a process that we work on throughout our lives. Children and adolescents need support, tools, and practice in order to do this.

(3) Young children give clues about how they do or don't take risks (e.g., how they ride a bike or skateboard, how they handle a new social situation). These clues contribute to styles or patterns of risk-taking.

(4) Although there are many styles, certain patterns can be seen, such as the cautious risk-taker, the middle-of-the-roader, the adventurer or high-end risk-taker, the teen whose risk-taking increases when he or she is with friends.

(5) Risk-taking can be accelerated in one area -- social, physical, intellectual, artistic, or sexual, for example -- and not in others.

(6) Helping a child or teen understand or define his or her own risk-taking pattern is important.

(7) This includes helping the child understand how and why he or she makes both healthy and unhealthy choices. Questions to ask

• Do you feel pressured to make risky choices by friends?
• Do you rush into decisions?
• Do you think it is uncool to try things in a safe manner?
• Are dangerous risks more exciting? Do they feel more like you?
• Do you make dangerous choices to show others?
• Does it feel as though it's happening "in a dream" when you make dangerous choices?

(8) Role-playing risk assessment with children and teens is crucial. Have them try out different roles.

(9) Adults can share what we have learned about risk-taking. A nonjudgmental and nonbragging manner is most helpful. It is often most important to share feelings and mistakes.

(10) Risk-taking can be practiced and learned in healthy, supportive situations.


ADOLESCENT RISK-TAKING: HEALTHY vs. UNHEALTHY
adapted from
The Romance of Risk: Why Teenagers Do the Things They Do
by Lynn E. Ponton, M.D.

(Basic Books, 1997) Healthy risk-taking is a positive tool in an adolescent's life for discovering, developing, and consolidating his or her identity. Adolescent risk-taking only becomes negative when the risks are dangerous. Healthy risks -- often understood as "challenges" -- can turn unhealthy risks in a more positive direction, or prevent them from ever taking place to begin with.

It is important to remember that learning how to assess risks is a process that we work on throughout our lives. Adolescents need both support and tools to be able to do this. Below are some suggestions for healthy alternatives to unhealthy risk-taking. In order to undertake healthy alternatives to dangerous risk-taking, adolescents need the active help and support of the adults in their lives, including parents and teachers. Any of the healthy risks in the right-hand column are excellent alternatives to any of the behaviors shown on the left.

UNHEALTHY RISK BEHAVIOR	HEALTHY RISK ALTERNATIVES
Dangerous dieting, eating disorders	Physical activities such as sports teams, horseback riding, in-line skating, walking, or jogging
Using drugs or alcohol	Under the supervision of a trained expert, engaging in outlets for extreme physical and emotional thrills such as white-water rafting, rock climbing, camping, etc.; creative activity such as joining a band or the production of a play
Running away, staying out all night, living on the streets	Learning or practicing a creative art form such as photography, pottery, video, dance, or creative writing
Unprotected sexual activity	Learning to talk about sex and relationships, working on open communication with partners and parents
Gang violence, weapons, bullying, scapegoating	Seeking out new friends, volunteering in the community, participating in a student exchange program, transferring to a new school if necessary
Shoplifting, stealing	Getting a part-time job such as baby-sitting, camp or after-school counselor, retail clerk in clothing or music store, tutoring

TEN TIPS FOR PARENTS:
Understanding Your Adolescent's Behavior
from The Romance of Risk: Why Teenagers Do the Things They Do
by Lynn E. Ponton, M.D.
(Basic Books, 1997)

(1) All teenagers take risks as a normal part of growing up. Risk-taking is the tool an adolescent uses to define and develop his or her identity, and healthy risk-taking is a valuable experience.

(2) Healthy adolescent risk-taking behaviors which tend to have a positive impact on an adolescent's development can include participation is sports, the development of artistic and creative abilities, volunteer activities, travel, running for school office, making new friends, constructive contributions to the family or community, and others. Inherent in all of these activities is the possibility of failure. Parents must recognize and support their children with this.

(3) Negative risk-taking behaviors which can be dangerous for adolescents include drinking, smoking, drug use, reckless driving, unsafe sexual activity, disordered eating, self-mutilation, running away, stealing, gang activity, and others.

(4) Unhealthy adolescent risk-taking may appear to be "rebellion" -- an angry gesture specifically directed at parents. However, risk-taking, whether healthy or unhealthy, is simply part of a teen's struggle to test out an identity by providing self-definition and separation from others, including parents.

(5) Some adolescent behaviors are deceptive -- a teen may genuinely try to take a healthy risk that evolves into more dangerous behavior. For example, many adolescent girls fail to recognize the trap of dieting and fall into a pattern of disordered eating, sometimes even developing a full eating disorder. Parents need to be well informed in order to help their adolescents with such struggles.

(6) Red flags which help identify dangerous adolescent risk-taking can include psychological problems such as persistent depression or anxiety which goes beyond more typical adolescent "moodiness"; problems at school; engaging in illegal activities; and clusters of unhealthy risk-taking behaviors (e.g., smok ing, drinking and driving recklessly might be happening at the same time, as might disordered eating and self-mutilation, or running away and stealing).

(7) Since adolescents need to take risks, parents need to help them find healthy opportunities to do so. Healthy risk-taking, not only important in itself, can help prevent unhealthy risk-taking.

(8) Adolescents often offer subtle clues about their negative risk-taking behaviors through what they say about the behaviors of friends and family, including parents. Parents often stay silent about their own histories of risk-taking and experimenting, but it can be important to find ways to share this information with adolescents in order to serve as role models, to let teens know that mistakes are not fatal, and to encourage making healthier choices than those the parent may have made during his or her own adolescence.

(9) Adolescents look to their parents for advice and modeling about how to assess positive and negative risks. Parents need to help their teens learn how to evaluate risks and anticipate the consequences of their choices, and develop strategies for diverting their energy into healthier activities when necessary.

(10) Parents need to pay attention to their own current patterns of risk-taking as well. Teenagers are watching, and imitating, whether they acknowledge this or not.

Friendships, Peer Influence, and Peer Pressure During the Teen Years

by Maria R. T. de Guzman, Extension Adolescent Specialist

Friendships are very much an important aspect of the teen years. Understanding the nature of peer influence can help support youth as they enter into this period and follow the path towards close friendships that are hallmarks of adolescence.

Adolescence is a time when peers play an increasingly important role in the lives of youth. Teens begin to develop friendships that are more intimate, exclusive, and more constant than in earlier years. In many ways, these friendships are an essential component of development. They provide safe venues where youth can explore their identities, where they can feel accepted and where they can develop a sense of belongingness. Friendships also allow youth to practice and foster social skills necessary for future success.

Nonetheless, parents and other adults can become concerned when they see their teens becoming preoccupied with their friends. Many parents worry that their teens might fall under negative peer influence or reject their families’ values and beliefs, as well as be pressured to engage in high-risk and other negative behaviors.

In actuality, peer influence is more complex than our stereotype of the negative influences from friends. First, peer influence can be both positive and negative. While we tend to think that peer influence leads teens to engage in unhealthy and unsafe behaviors, it can actually motivate youth to study harder in school, volunteer for community and social services, and participate in sports and other productive endeavors. In fact, most teens report that their peers pressure them not to engage in drug use and sexual activity.

Second, peer influence is not a simple process where youth are passive recipients of influence from others. In fact, peers who become friends tend to already have a lot of things in common. Peers with similar interests, similar academic standing, and enjoy doing the same things tend to gravitate towards each other. So while it seems that teens and their friends become very similar to each other through peer influence, much of that similarity was present to begin with.

Facts About Friendships, Peers, and Adolescence

Friendships that emerge during adolescence tend to be more complex, more exclusive, and more consistent than during earlier childhood. New types (e.g., opposite sex, romantic ties) and levels (e.g., best friends, cliques, and “crowds”) of relationships emerge, and teens begin to develop the capacity for very close, intimate, and deep friendships.

The adult perception of peers as having one culture or a unified front of dangerous influence is inaccurate. More often than not, peers reinforce family values, but they have the potential to encourage problem behaviors as well. Although the negative peer influence is overemphasized, more can be done to help teenagers experience the family and the peer group as mutually constructive environments.

Facts about the teen-parent relationship during the teen years:

• Parent relationships are not necessarily undermined by peer relationships. During adolescence, relationships between parents and teens are more often re-negotiated rather than rejected. During adolescence, teens become increasingly autonomous and take on more adult roles. They also develop their own ideas and start mapping their own lives. They begin to spend more time with and value their friends more than they used to. Thus, it might seem as if they are starting to cut ties with parents and reject their ideals. In fact, rather than cutting off ties, teens are just renegotiating the parent-child relationship. What this means is that they are beginning to shift the relationship to incorporate their increasing independence and maturity. As teens become more mature, the type of relationship they have with their parents naturally begin to shift as the teen begins to mature.
• While it seems that teens are influenced by their peers, parents continue to be the most influential factor in their lives. Despite fears parents have about their teens rejecting their values and beliefs, parents continue to be of significant influence. Teens report having political, religious, and general beliefs similar to their parents, and consider their parents as being highly significant and influential in their lives. Positive relationships between parents and teens also equip youth to have healthy relationships with friends. Teens who have high quality relationships with parents also report having a positive relationship with their peers.
• Parent-adolescent conflict increases between childhood and early adolescence; although in most families, its frequency and intensity remain low. Typically, conflicts are the result of relationship negotiation and continuing attempts by parents to socialize their adolescents, and do not signal the breakdown of parent-adolescent relations. Parents need to include adolescents in decision-making and rule-setting that affects their lives.
• Parents who continue to communicate with their teens, even when there are conflicts, actually maintain closer relationships. While it might seem futile to talk to teens when it leads to conflicts and disagreements, most teens continue to report having a close relationship with their parents, and as mentioned earlier, they still report parents as being a significant influence on their lives. So parents need to continue talking to their teens and maintaining an open line of communication, rather than simply trying to avoid disagreements.

Facts about peer friendships:

• Teens often have multiple layers and groups of friendships. Unlike in childhood, when friendships usually meant two or more close friends, teens often have multiple friends and belong to multiple groups. They might have intimate and close relationships with one or a handful of individuals, and might also belong to one or more ‘cliques’ or groups of friends that have similar demographics (sex, race, socioeconomic status), orientation towards school, and other interests.
• Peer friendships are dynamic. This simply means that peer friendships may change. For instance, while teens can have friendships that are long term, they often move from one clique to another, and they might develop new friendships and lose others.
• Peers tend to choose those who are similar to themselves. Whether it is gender, age, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, or interests, teens tend to gravitate towards those who are more similar to them.
• Peer friendships can be a healthy venue for positive youth development. Peer friendships can be a safe place for youth to explore their identity, learn about social norms, and practice their autonomy. Healthy friendships provide youth with social support for dealing with some of the challenges of adolescence, and can also provide youth with some of the most positive experiences during those years. Many teens report having some of the happiest and most fun moments with their peers, likely due to shared interests as well close relationships.

Effective Strategies for Coping with Peer Pressure

While the point has been made here that peer influence and peer pressure do not necessarily have to be negative, peer pressure can lead youth towards unhealthy and unsafe behaviors. To minimize the negative effects of peer pressure, youth, parents, school and community leaders must come together to establish workable and effective strategies to guide teen behavior and to support their transition from children to mature, responsible adults. Here are several strategies to consider (partly based on Brown, 1990):

1. Nurture teens’ abilities and self-esteem so that they are equipped to foster positive peer relationships and deflect negative pressures. Adolescents with positive self-concept and self-worth will be less likely to be easily swayed to follow others’ negative influences. It is essential that these aspects of positive development should be encouraged in youth.
2. Encourage positive relationships between significant adults and teens. Parents, teachers, school counselors, other relatives and professionals should try to have constructive and positive relationships with teens. These can serve as good models for healthy relationships, and can be a venue through which the teens can feel valued and where they can develop positive views about themselves. Youth should know that they can go to these caring adults for help or advice about their peer relationships.
3. Encourage diverse relationships. Parents, teachers, community leaders, and clergy can model appreciation for ethnic, gender, socioeconomic status, religious, and other differences and support cross-group friendships. Schools and youth organizations can assist by encouraging youth from diverse backgrounds to work and play together.
4. Support parent education programs for families with teenagers. Parents need to be better informed about the dynamics of adolescent peer groups and the demands and expectations teenagers face in peer relationships. Information is available through various sources including books, some parenting magazines, and other publications such as this one. Keep your eye out for programs particularly targeted towards families and teen issues that might be available. Seeking information is not a sign of weakness, and showing interest in these issues might actually show your teens that you are concerned about them.
5. Equip youth with the skills necessary to resist negative behaviors, as well as to make good decisions. Teens will inevitably be confronted with situations where they will have to make a decision whether or not to engage in certain behaviors, whether to give in to peer pressure, and also to make other difficult decisions. It is essential that youth are given the necessary skills to analyze the situation and make the appropriate decision. This includes helping youth develop the skills for ‘costs vs. benefits’ analysis — teaching them to look at both the negative and positive sides to making a decision. For instance, if being pressured to smoke, the teen should be able to think about what the possible desired outcomes are (e.g., peer acceptance, looking “cool,” feeling excitement about trying something new) with the possible undesirable outcomes (e.g., becoming hooked, the health issues, smelling bad, the financial costs).
6. Teaching youth exit strategies or ways to say ‘no’ to negative pressures. It is best to try to deal with peer pressure before it even happens. Talk to youth about potential scenarios, and think through strategies together on how to deal with those scenarios if they arise. This could be done by discussing hypothetical scenarios or even role-playing. It is helpful to think about these things ahead of time rather than dealing with situations as they occur or trying to recover after they happen.

Summary

During adolescence, peers play a large part in a young person’s life even while the family continues to be significant. In general, peer friendships offer youth with many positive opportunities despite the negative connotations that peer relationships have to many of us. Peer relationships are actually important for healthy development and essential for youth to develop into healthy adults.

Nonetheless, peer relationships also have the potential to encourage problem behaviors. Although the negative influence of peers is often over-emphasized, more can be done to help teenagers experience the family and the peer group as mutually constructive environments. To accomplish this, families, communities, churches, schools, 4-H and other youth groups can all contribute to helping youth develop positive peer relationships, and deflect negative peer pressures and influences.

Selected References

Brown, B. B. (2004). Adolescents’ relationships with peers. In R. M. Lerner & L. Steinberg (Eds.), Handbook of Adolescent Psychology, 2nd edition (pp. 363-394). New York: Wiley.

Brown, B. B. (1990). Peer groups and peer cultures. In S. S. Feldman & G. R. Elliott (Eds). At the threshold: The developing adolescent (pp. 171-198). Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

Brown, B. B. & Klute, C. (2006). Friendships, cliques, and crowds. In G. R. Adams & M. D. Berzonsky (Eds.). Blackwell Handbook of Adolescence (pp. 330-348). Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishing.

Steinberg, L. (2005). Adolescence. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.

Acknowledgment

This publication is partly based on NebFact 211, “Adolescence and Peer Pressure” by Herbert G. Lingren, Extension Family Specialist.

Childhood ADHD Linked to Teen Depression

By Brittany

Though Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, ADHD, is a struggle for children and parents enduring its consequences and resulting behavior, a new study is pointing to the struggles ADHD children may also encounter as teenagers. Published in Archives of General Psychiatry, the study is highlighted by results showing that as many as 18 percent of children diagnosed at an early age matured into depressed teens.

Despite the seriousness of the depression in teens after being diagnosed with ADHD as children, the study published even more alarming results. A staggering six percent of children diagnosed in the study and followed into their teen years reported that they had plans involving suicide at one time or another.

The study, carried out by Andrea Chronis-Tuscano Ph.D. and her colleagues from the University of Maryland in College Park, followed the 125 diagnosed children, who were diagnosed between the ages of four and five. Girls diagnosed were at an even greater risk for depression, the study said.

What does it mean?
The study is alarming because of the growing number of children, both diagnosed and undiagnosed, with ADHD across the world. Also cause for concern is the lack of understanding as to why the disorder occurs, leaving some parents and children in the dark about how it can be prevented. According to Margaret Austin, Ph.D and her colleagues, the number of prescriptions written for drugs treating ADHD has tripled and quadrupled in the last ten years.

Why?
Understanding why ADHD diagnosed children have increased rates of depression extends some of the baffling mystery. Are medications to treat the disorder leading to the resulting depression and suicidal thoughts? Is ADHD itself to blame for the depression produced in teenagers? Experts within the field continue to work diligently to discover the root of depression in ADHD diagnosed children.

With increased information, parents can take a proactive stand, paying close attention to the warning signs that may accompany the depression of their teens, which can lead to positive strides within the ADHD community.

According to the article “ADHD, Depression and Suicide: How Parents Can Keep Children Safe,” in U.S. News & World Report, there are several precautions that can be taken in order to aid maintenance of mental health among teens at risk. Insuring children and teens are evaluated and seen by experts skilled in ADHD therapy, educating family about suicide and depression prevention, and screening other family members are vital ways to combat depression among ADHD teens diagnosed as young children.

This post is brought to you by Argosy University. Drawing upon our more than 30-year history of granting degrees in professional psychology, Argosy University has developed a curriculum that focuses on interpersonal skills and practical experience alongside academic learning. Because getting a degree is one thing. Succeeding, quite another.

AAMFT Consumer Update Adolescent Behavior Problems

Many adolescents today have problems and are getting into trouble. After all, there are a lot of pressures for kids to deal with among friends and family. For some youth, pressures include poverty, violence, parental problems, and gangs. Kids may also be concerned about significant issues such as religion, gender roles, values, or ethnicity. Some children are having difficulty dealing with past traumas they have experienced, like abuse. Parents and their teenagers are struggling between the youth's wanting independence while still needing parental guidance. Sometimes all these conflicts result in behavior problems.

Any number of isolated behavior problems can represent adolescent problems and delinquency-shoplifting, truancy, a fight in school, drug or alcohol ingestion. Sometimes, kids can't easily explain why they act the way they do. They may be just as confused about it as the adults, or they simply see delinquent behaviors as appropriate ways to deal with what they experience. Parents and loved ones may feel scared, angry, frustrated, or hopeless. They may feel guilty and wonder where they went wrong. All these feelings are normal, but it is important to understand that there is help available to troubled kids and their families.

HOW DO YOU KNOW WHEN TO SEEK HELP?

What are the signs of trouble? Many adolescents get into trouble sometimes. A big question for parents (whether they be "traditional," single, step, or grand-parents), though, is how to know when a youth is headed for more serious problems, or when bad behavior is just "a kid being a kid." Try to focus on patterns rather than an isolated event. In other words, does the behavior happen repeatedly despite efforts to change it?

The patterns signaling the need for help include not only deviant behaviors by the adolescent, but also the presence of other problems in the family or tensions at home. For example, problems in the parents' marriage or frequent fighting or hostility among the family members can also be involved in the youth's behavior problems. The problem behaviors and other family issues can interact and feed off each other, so that it is hard to tell where it started.

Of course, there are also some obvious signs that indicate the need for immediate and effective intervention, including violence against other persons or animals, or when peers are involved in destructive processes (crime, truancy, drugs). Or, a parent may simply have an instinctive feeling that something serious is happening. An important first step to find out what is going on is to try to talk to the adolescent and other family members about what is happening, possible reasons, and potential solutions. Others who know the adolescent and family, like teachers or caregivers, may also be able to provide information about the youth's mood or behaviors outside of the home to help assess the severity of the problem.

Many factors put youth and families at risk for juvenile delinquency, though they do not necessarily cause delinquency. Such factors include youth attention and hyperactivity problems and learning disorders, volatile temperament, and even the early onset of puberty and sexual development. All these factors affect the way an adolescent feels and acts and also how peers, family, and society view the adolescent. Similarly, parental problems, such as depression, substance abuse, and domestic violence can interact negatively with a youth's developing path of delinquency. Rather than causing delinquency, factors such as these tend to place youth at increased risk, intensify the downward spiral, and in turn add to the difficulty in changing these processes for the better.

WHAT KINDS OF TREATMENTS WILL WORK?

Once you have determined that you and your loved ones need help, there are many kinds of treatment that you should explore. First, there are popular group-based, residential, and "life-experiential" options, like survival camps, boot camps, and "scared straight" programs, which have had some limited success. Research indicates that the most effective treatments, even with very difficult youth, are programs and treatments that are family-based and multisystemic. That means treatment that involves the adolescent and his or her family, and that also addresses other aspects of their lives, such as the school sys-tem, the neighborhood, peers, juvenile justice system, and even employers. In other words, it is treatment that focuses on all the parts of the youth's life that shape how he or she views the world, emphasizing family and parental support.

Treatments that focus on the family can also be useful in helping adults develop their parenting skills, deal with stress, and work on marital relationships. Many parent aids have demonstrated promising positive results. Professionals, such as family therapists, are there to help the adolescent and family gain understanding of the relationship dynamics and background issues that may be influencing the problem, and come up with solutions.

The next section provides more ideas on how to start finding help for adolescent problems.

REFERENCES AND RESOURCES

Parenting Teenagers: Systematic Training for Effective Parenting of Teens. By Don Dinkmeyer Jr., Gary McKay, Joyce McKay, and Don Dinkmeyer, Sr. Times Books (1998). This book explores the parenting of adolescents through the Systematic Training for Effective Parenting (STEP) program. It includes practical information to help encourage mutual respect, cooperation, responsibility, and self-reliance in teenagers. The authors discuss how parents can take care of themselves in times of stress, include real-life examples, and address married and single parents and stepparents.

Parenting Wisely. By FamilyWorks, Inc. This interactive multimedia program, which parents can use at home on a multimedia computer, is based on parenting research and helps parents improve their parenting skills. It addresses three main areas: how to communicate better using active listening and "I" messages; assertive discipline, including contracting, praise, and setting consequences; and supervision, or working with teachers, and monitoring homework and friends. The program features many types of families and different cultures. For more information on the program, contact FamilyWorks, Inc., 20 East Circle Drive, Suite 190, Athens, Ohio 45701-3751, or call (740) 593-9505.

Before It's Too Late: Why Some Kids Get Into Trouble-and What Parents Can Do About It. By Stanton Samenow. Times Books (1999). With the encouraging message that kids' behavioral problems can be corrected with proper intervention, this book offers useful insight into children's personalities, providing practical suggestions for changing bad behaviors and averting problems. The author discusses ways to recognize potential problems early, identifying common traits of antisocial children. It also teaches coping skills and introduces ways to help kids accept responsibility for their actions.

Surviving Your Adolescents: How To Manage And Let Go Of Your 13-18 Year Olds. By Thomas Phelan. Child Management (1998). This book, with an encouraging and positive tone, provides a concrete, step by step approach for parents going through difficult times with teenagers. Included are guidelines for evaluating the seriousness of problems, deciding when to seek professional intervention, and how to improve relationships while maintaining a positive outlook.

Clinical Update: Adolescent Disruptive Behavior Disorders. By James Alexander. AAMFT (1999). Accompanies this Consumer Update and is designed to educate therapists on topics such as diagnosis and assessment, terminology, BioMedical and associated considerations, treatment options, professional resources, and new decisions in service delivery.

The text for this brochure was written by James Alexander, Ph.D.

How Adolescent Psychology Helps with Teen Depression

By Brittany

The teenage years can be exciting, fun, and filled with adventure. But teens often experience new emotions, social pressures, and a can sometimes choose the wrong path.Teen angst is no laughing matter, as it can turn into depression, anxiety, rage, and other mental disorders. Adolescent psychology, according to the American Academy of Child Adolescent Psychiatry, is a discipline that is “dedicated to treating and improving the quality of life for children, adolescents, and families affected by mental disorders.”

Teens who suffer from depression are at a higher risk for suicide. The website Teen Depression – Help for Troubled Teens estimates that “untreated depression is the number one cause of suicide, the third leading cause of death among teenagers. 90 percent of suicide victims suffer from a mental illness, and suffering from depression can make a teenager as much as 12 times more likely to attempt suicide.”

Even with these disturbing statistics, not every teen feeling the blues will attempt such extreme actions. Lots of adolescents experience feelings of uselessness, and of being unloved or lonely. Sometimes this is just drama. Knowing when to intervene is the key.

Some symptoms of teenage depression include:

• lack of appetite
• losing weight
• increased eating
• withdrawing from friends and loved ones
• sleeping too little or too much
• neglecting hygiene
• losing interest in hobbies
• extreme sadness
• violent behavior
• mood swings

Adolescent psychology specialists that might be able help with teen depression include psychotherapists, and adolescent psychiatrists. The latter are medical doctors who specialize in mental illness in teenagers and can prescribe medications.

Types of Therapy Shown Beneficial:

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, is based on the belief that it is thoughts that cause negative feelings or behaviors, rather than external issues such as situations, people or events. CBT attempts to get the people to change the way they think.
• Group therapy is where a small group of people meet, decide what they want to talk about, try to help solve problems and are encouraged to give each other feedback.
• Problem-solving therapy is the belief that the problems a person has are the response to that person’s social environment. Goals in this type of therapy include achieving personal goals and changing detrimental behavior.

In some cases, therapy is used in combination with medications to treat teen depression. Adolescent psychology has the answers parents need for dealing with depressed and anxious teens.

This post is brought to you by Argosy University. Drawing upon our more than 30-year history of granting degrees in professional psychology, Argosy University has developed a curriculum that focuses on interpersonal skills and practical experience alongside academic learning. Because getting a degree is one thing. Succeeding, quite another.

Early Adolescent Sexuality: What is Your Child Going Through - HealthyPlace

Early Adolescent Sexuality: What is Your Child Going Through - HealthyPlace