14 Adolescent Problems The Biopsychosocial Approach Biological Factors

14 Adolescent Problems

The Biopsychosocial Approach • Biological Factors • Malfunctioning of body • Psychological Factors • Thoughts, emotions, learning, relationships • Social Factors • SES, neighborhood quality

A Developmental Psychopathology Approach • Internalizing problems: • Occur when individuals turn problems inward • Examples include anxiety and depression • Externalizing problems: • Occur when individuals turn problems outward • An example is juvenile delinquency

Characteristics of Adolescent Problems • • • Problems vary in severity Gender differences Short-lived vs. persistent over years SES background differences Internal vs. external assets

Resilience • Individual Factors • Intelligence • Family Factors • Close relationships • Extrafamilial Factors • Relationships outside family

Resilience Characteristics of Resilient Children and Adolescents Fig. 14. 2

Trends In Drug Use by High. Seniors Trends in Drug Use by U. S. 8 -, 10 School -, and 12 -Grade Students th Fig. 14. 3 th th

Alcohol Effects • Effects on Behavior and Brain Activity • Depressant • Damage to

Alcohol Effects • Alcohol Use in Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood • Transition to college

Alcohol Effects Binge Drinking in the Transition from Adolescence to Adulthood Fig. 14. 7

Alcohol Effects • Risk Factors • • Heredity Family Influences Peer Relations Personality Clip

Hallucinogens • Drugs that alter perceptual experiences and produce hallucinations; also called psychedelic or mind-altering drugs • LSD • Marijuana Clip art copyright © 2002 www. arttoday. com. Used with permission.

Hallucinogens Trends in Marijuana Use by U. S. 8 -, 10 -, and 12 -Graders: th th Use in the Past Year Fig. 14. 4 th

Stimulants • Drugs that increase the activity of the central nervous system

Stimulants • Cigarette Smoking • Serious preventable health problem • Use is decreasing • Consequences • Lung damage • Emotional problems • Programs to prevent smoking

Stimulants Trends in Cigarette Smoking by U. S. Secondary School Students Fig. 14. 5

Stimulants • Cocaine • 2. 3% of adolescents use cocaine • Unpredictable risk • Amphetamines • Ecstasy

Depressants • Slow the central nervous system, bodily functions, and behavior • Barbiturates • Opiates

Anabolic Steroids • Drugs derived from the male sex hormone testosterone. They promote muscle growth and lean body mass.

Factors in Adolescent Drug Use • Interference with competent coping skills and decision making • By mid twenties – use decreases • Parents, peers, and social support • “Hands-on” parenting • Role of schools in preventing drug abuse

What is Juvenile Delinquency? • Index offenses: • Criminal acts at any age, such as robbery, rape, and homicide • Status offenses: • Performed by youths under a specified age, not as serious as index offenses. Include drinking under age, truancy, sexual promiscuity

Conduct Disorder • The psychiatric diagnostic category used when multiple behaviors occur over a

Conduct Disorder • Their delinquent behaviors include: • • • Truancy Running away Physical cruelty to people & animals Setting fires Using drugs and alcohol

Violence and Youth • Male • Feelings of powerlessness • Poverty Clip art copyright

Violence and Youth • At-Risk Youth • • Drugs and alcohol Access to weapons Antisocial, deviant peer group Exposure to violence

Violence and Youth • Recommendations for reducing violence • Recommit to raising children safely and effectively • Make prevention a reality • More support to schools • Forge partnerships

Major Depressive Disorder • Individual experiences a major depressive episode and depressed characteristics for at least two weeks or longer • Depressed characteristics include lethargy and hopelessness • Daily functioning becomes impaired

Major Depressive Episode • An episode is a period during which specific intense symptoms

Major Depressive Episode • Nine symptoms • At least 5 of the 9 must be present during a 2 week period: 1. Depressed mood most of the day 2. Reduced interest or pleasure in all or most activities 3. Significant change in weight or appetite 4. Trouble sleeping or sleeping too much (Continued on next slide)

Major Depressive Episode (Continued from previous slide) • Nine symptoms 5. Psychomotor agitation or retardation 6. Fatigue or loss of energy 7. Feeling worthless or guilty (excessively, inappropriately) 8. Problems thinking, concentrating, making decisions 9. Recurrent thoughts of death and suicide

SIB • About 17 percent of college students -20 percent of women and 14 percent of men -- report that they have cut, burned, carved or harmed themselves in other ways • fewer than 7 percent of the students studied had ever sought medical help for their self-inflicted physical injuries.

SIB • Self-injurious behavior is defined as inflicting harm to one's body without the obvious intent of committing suicide • Cutting skin, ripping or pulling skin or hair, biting, bruising and breaking bones • increased significantly in the past five years

Those who had repeat incidents of SIB, • almost six times more likely to have considered or attempted suicide • 3. 5 times more likely to report a history of emotional abuse; • three times more likely to report high levels of recent psychological distress; • and･twice as likely to report characteristics of an eating disorder.

Why SI? • • Cope with anxiety or other negative feelings relieve stress or pressure (Whitlock, 2006). feel in control of their bodies and minds, express feelings distract themselves from other problems communicate needs create visible and treatable wounds, to purify themselves • reenact a trauma in an attempt to resolve it • http: //www. crpsib. com/default. asp

• Risk factors SIB • bisexual/question their sexual orientation. • slightly more likely to be female (55 percent) • Less likely to be Asian or Asian-American.

Suicide • Rare in childhood, escalates in early adolescence • Females contemplate it more,

Suicide Rates • The suicide rate for adolescents ages 15 to 19 was 8. 2 deaths per 100, 000 teenagers, • five times as many males as females. • Among people 20 to 24 years of age, the suicide rate was 12. 8 per 100, 000 young adults • seven times as many deaths among men as among women. • Older adults are disproportionately likely to die by suicide. 5 Times national rate

Suicide • Factors associated with suicide • Sexual orientation • Family instability or unhappiness • Genetic factors • “Copycat” suicides Clip art copyright © 2002 www. arttoday. com. Used with permission.

Risk Factors ･Mood changes or depression･ • • • Drug and alcohol abuse･ Disruptlve and unsupportive family background･ Psychiatric illnesses･ Previous attempts･ Ready availability of lethal means to commit suicide･ Recent bereavement･ chronic physical illness･ anniversary phenomenon (of past losses or major life events)･ early loss experiences･ school failure･ chronic unemployment･ perfectionists and over-achievers

Interrelations of Problems and Prevention/Intervention • Adolescents with more than one problem • Highest risk • Prevention and intervention • Intensive individualized attention • Community-wide multi-agency collaborative approaches • Early identification and intervention

Taking it to the Net • For more information on material covered in this chapter, visit our Online Learning Center: http: //www. mhhe. com/santrocka 11