Troubled Teens: May 2009

Teen Pregnancy Rate Continues to Rise

Teen birthrates increased for the second year in a row, according to a report from the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy. About 750,000 U.S. teens become pregnant annually, or three in every ten teenage girls. The United States continues to have the highest rate of teen pregnancy in the developed world.

As the experts continue to work on a more effective means of reducing the rate of teen pregnancy, the U.S. government has indicated that federal funding will be directed in a different direction that has been the case in previous years. U.S. President Barack Obama’s administration is cutting two $100 million abstinence-only sex education programs, and is replacing them with a $110-million sex education program that emphasizes pregnancy prevention.

Though many parents might mistakenly believe that their teens have no interest in their opinions about issues such as dating, sex, and teen pregnancy, experts continue to advise that engaging in open and honest communication with your child on topics related to teen dating and pregnancy greatly increases the likelihood that they will make better decisions and engage in healthier behaviors.

Labels: communication, parental_involvement, teen_pregnancy

Canadian Reserves Experiencing Youth Suicide Wave

In recent months, three children in the Manitoba, Canada, area have committed suicide, and there is evidence that many more have tried to kill themselves. Government officials in the remote Indian reserve of Pukatawagan say more than two dozen other teens have committed suicide in the last year.

[Sandi] Rhodes [Pukatawagan Director of Education] along with Chief Arlen Dumas and the band council, wrote to Indian and Northern Affairs Canada and to Health Canada’s First Nation and Inuit Health Branch this month, begging for more access to long-term counseling, a suicide-prevention curriculum in schools, clinical experts, grief counselors, and training for teachers ... (Source: Winnipeg Free Press)

Federal and provincial governments in Canada had fast-tracked a suicide prevention program that included a healing center, but the program ended after two years, when funding ran out.

Teen suicide remains a problem in the United States as well as in Canada. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), suicide is the third leading cause of death for young people between the ages of 15 and 24, and is the fourth leading cause of death for children between the ages of 10 and 14.

Labels: suicide, teen_suicide

Early Intervention Helps Delinquency-Prone Teens

A program that teaches impulse control can help teens who have a gene linked to risky behaviors, according to a study that was published in the journal Child Development. People who have the 5-HTTLPR gene are twice as likely to have poor self-control, and engage in risky behaviors such as drug abuse and binge drinking, the study reported.

"The findings underscore that 'nurture' can influence 'nature' during adolescence," said Dr. Kenneth Warren of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA). The study was performed in conjunction with the University of Iowa and Vanderbilt University.

Researchers evaluated 641 families in rural Georgia, concentrating on 11-year-olds:

Some study subjects had the 5-HTTLPR gene.
A control group without the gene had no intervention.
After two and a half years, children with the gene who participated in the program were no more likely to engage in risky behaviors than were those in the control group.

As summer vacation approaches, many parents worry about the effect that excess free time and a lack of structured activities will have on their children. One option for potentially delinquent teens during the summer -- an option that can help improve their behavior year-round -- is to enroll the child in a reputable and effective therapeutic summer camp for trouble teens.

Labels: genetics, research, troubled_teenagers

Teens Praise Quality of Relationships with Parents

Contrary to popular belief, relationships between parents and teenagers are getting better. Results from surveys of 5,500 teens found that nine out of ten say their mothers carry a "high" level of influence and more than eight in ten say the same thing about their fathers. Both of these statistics are up by about ten percent since the 1980s.

Weekly arguments are down from 52 percent a decade ago to 42 percent, the survey shows. Teens are also reporting a greater degree of understanding between themselves and their parents: just 39 percent are troubled about not being understood, compared with 58 percent in 1992. (Source: The Vancouver Sun)

These results were released by sociologist Reginald Bibby of the University of Lethbridge in Alberta, Canada. Though the survey evaluated the quality of parent-teen relationships in Canada, experts estimate that the results are indicative of what would be found in the United States.

The survey statistics are good news for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is that effective parent-teen communication has been cited as a strong positive influence in the effort to keep kids from engaging in a wide range of dangerous teen behaviors.

Labels: communication, parental_involvement, relationships

Law Expands Parents' Accountability for Teen Drinking

Nearly two dozen cities in Minnesota have law about "social hosting." These laws hold adults accountable for providing alcohol to underage drinkers. But another Minnesota city may soon have a more serious regulation on the books.

Chaska was the first area city to pass such a law, in 2007. Adults there who host gatherings and "know or reasonably should know" that minors are drinking can be arrested.

But Minnetonka would prosecute adults who host gatherings where conditions are "ripe" for underage drinking but don't take steps to stop it." (Source: The Star-Tribune)

The challenge with the ordinance in Chaska, and others like it, is that the adult has to know an underage person could or would consume alcohol. The Minnetonka law removes that challenge, making adults easier to prosecute when they're complicit in allowing a situation to develop in which underage drinking is likely.

Though some parents mistakenly believe that alcohol is a relatively harmless substance, the truth is that teen drinking is a dangerous activity that puts young people at increased risk for a wide range of problems.

Labels: alcohol_abuse, laws, parental_involvement, teenagers

Viewing Adult TV Content Increases Odds of Early Sexual Behavior

Younger children who are exposed to adult content on television are more likely to have sex at earlier ages, according to a study presented at the meeting of the Pediatric Academic Societies.

Dr. Hernan Delgado and his colleagues at Children's Hospital in Boston studied 754 12-year-old children, and then followed up when the subjects were 18 years old. The children had kept diaries of the television they watched over two-day periods. Every hour of adult television they watched as 12-year-olds increased by 33 percent their chances of having sex at a young age.

"Television and movies are among the leading sources of information regarding sex and relationships for adolescents," Dr. Delgado explained.

In addition to unplanned pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections, sexual behavior by young people may also indicate problems related to self-esteem, self-image, and teen substance abuse.

Labels: children, sex, teens, television

Drinking, Depression, Raise Risk of Teen Suicide

Teens who drink when they are depressed are more likely to have suicidal thoughts, according to a study that was published in the Journal of Adolescent Health.

Dr. Elizabeth Schilling of the University of Connecticut Health Care Centerstudied 32,000 young people in grades three to 12. About 12 percent said they drank when they were depressed. Of this group, one in five had attempted suicide. "Drinking while down was associated with significantly greater risk of suicide attempts among those not reporting suicidal ideation in the past year," Dr. Schilling said.

With teen suicide rates remaining disturbingly high, experts advise parents to be on the lookout for any indications that their children are suffering from depression or are engaging in substance abuse as a means of dealing with stress and pressure.

Labels: depression, drinking, substance_abuse, suicide, teenagers

More Teens Literally Playing with Fire

When Assistant District Attorney H.C. Bright started working in Hamilton County, Tennessee, he was shocked at the number of juvenile arson cases. While it was rare in adult cases, it was almost "normal" in juvenile ones.

"Children younger than 18 set more than 17,000 of the 32,500 intentional fires in 2007, according to the U.S. Fire Administration. Juvenile arson and accidental fires result in more than 300 deaths and 2,000 injuries annually ...
(Source: Chattanooga Times Free Press)

While some kids start playing with fire out of mere curiosity, others do it as a way of acting out (which may indicate the presence of a conduct disorder or other mental health issue). Regardless of their motivation, few young people who start fires seem to be aware of the potential damage that their actions can cause to people and property.

Labels: behavioral_issues, conduct disorder

Juvenile Stalking is Form of Bullying

Juvenile stalking is a form of bullying, according to a new study in the British Journal of Psychology.

Although the popular perception is that young people stalk someone because they were rejected in love, this scenario accounted for only two percent of the cases in the study done at the University of Melbourne in Australia.

Dr. Rosemary Purcell studied 299 restraining orders that had been posted against young people, and found that the majority of stalkers were bullying their victims. More than 35 percent of the stalkers were females, and 75 percent of the victims had been threatened.

Juvenile stalking is characterized by direct, intense, overt threatening," Dr. Purcell wrote, adding that the behavior incorporates "violent forms of pursuit all too often."

Bullying has been associated with a variety of social, emotional, and developmental disorders, and can be damaging both to victims and perpetrators.

Labels: bullying, stalking

British Project Aims to Help Kids Avoid Gangs

A new program in Birmingham, England, is taking direct aim at the roots of gang activity. Called "Building Lives: Intensive Intervention Project" (BLIIP), the effort will provide mentoring and support services to vulnerable young people ages 10 to 19.

With a strong focus on achievement, the programmes will ensure young people are equipped with life skills and tools to become more independent and show them how they can regain control over their lives. Source: 24dash (UK)

The project will provide accredited personal development programs and creative activities. Young people will be involved with the program for six to 18 months, depending on the level of support they need. The Birmingham project is the latest in a long line of efforts in the UK and the United States to provide mentoring services for troubled teens.

Labels: gangs, mentoring

Ten Percent of Young Gamers Show Signs of Addiction

A study of 1,178 young people between the ages of eight and 18 years old found that 88 percent played video games, and almost one in ten shows several symptoms of being addicted to them.

The study, which was led by Dr. Douglas Gentile of the University of Iowa, found that 12 percent of the boys and 8 percent of the girls who played games had at least six out of eleven symptoms of addiction. Those who were addicted to the games were twice as likely to have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Children had signs of addiction if they agreed to the following statements:

They skipped homework to play games.

They played to escape their problems.

They were restless and irritable if not allowed to play.

They lied about how much they played.

They had stolen a game or stolen money for a game.

They had poor test scores because they neglected homework to play video games.

They had tried to quit and failed.

They thought excessively about gaming.

Though many enthusiasts incorrectly employ the word "addiction" when discussing the object of their passion, video game addiction has been identified as a legitimate mental health disorder that can be treated with effective professional intervention.

Labels: addictions, adolescent, teens, video_games

Researchers Warn of Dropout Crisis in U.S. Schools

Researchers with academic organizations in Massachusetts and Illinois have determined that the United States is in the throes of a "dropout crisis" that requires national attention. A May 5 article on the CNN website reported that the problem is particularly profound among male and minority students:

In 2007, 16 percent of U.S. residents between 16 and 24 years old were high school dropouts, said the report by the Center for Labor Market Studies at Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts, and the Alternative Schools Network in Chicago, Illinois. Among the dropouts, 60.1 percent were men, 30.1 percent were Latino and 18.8 percent were black.

"Because of the widespread, pressing nature of the crisis and the large numbers of young people who have already dropped out, a national re-enrollment strategy should be a fundamental part of America's national education agenda," the report says.

Experts estimate that an average high school dropout can expect to earn between $400,000 and $500,000 less than an average graduate will over the course of their working lives (between the ages of 18 and 64).

Labels: dropouts, education, high_school

Study: Father's Mental Health Impacts Kids

A study that was conducted at the University of Oxford (England) has revealed that children whose fathers suffer from depression are at increased risk of developing anxiety, depression, and substance abuse disorders. In a May 3, 2009, article on British news website Telegraph.co.uk, medical correspondent Kate Devlin reported the following about the Oxford study:

Children whose parents suffer from depression in the weeks after their birth are twice as likely to go on to develop behavioural and emotional problems.

Teenage children of depressed fathers are also more likely to go onto develop depression themselves and even consider suicide, while alcoholic fathers are more likely to have children who suffer from mood disorders, depression and get hooked on drink and drugs.

The report also shows that teenagers whose parents suffer from manic depression, also called bipolar disorder, are up to 10 times more likely than their classmates to develop the condition themselves and between three and four times more likely to develop other psychiatric illnesses.

Previous studies have noted that as many as 20 percent of all teenagers suffer from depression, with more than 70 percent of teen depression cases going undiagnosed or untreated.

Labels: depression, fathers, mental_health, mental_illness, teenagers

Teens Tell Researchers Civic Activity is 'Obligation'

A study of more than 300 white middle-class teenagers found that most believe participation in civic activities is an obligation. However, girls in the study believed it should take the form of volunteer service, whereas boys thought political involvement, such as voting and taking part in public demonstrations, was more important.

Dr. Aaron Metzger of the University of Illinois in Chicago performed the research, which was published in the journal Child Development.

Dr. Metzger said that adolescent involvement in civic and community activities is thought to lead to increased civic activity in adulthood. Teens who participate the most often usually come to believe that such activity is an obligation, not a personal issue.

Community service is a component of many wilderness programs and therapeutic boarding schools -- not as a punitive experience, but rather as a means of connecting struggling students with the world around them, and fostering a sense of service to others.

Labels: community, teenagers, volunteering

Study: No Such Thing as 'Safe' Teen Drinking

A study from Murdoch Children’s Research Institute in Australia has determined that there is no "safe and sensible" level of drinking for teenagers.

Elya Moore tracked 1,520 children for ten years, starting when the subjects were in their mid-teens. Moore's team discovered that even teens whose drinking would fall within the "low-risk" level for adults (no more than three drinks a day) were at increased risk for alcoholism, social and legal problems, and risky sexual behaviors.

Boys in particular were affected. The more a boy drank as a teenager, the more likely he was to develop alcohol-related problems as a young adult.

This is not the first research to establish a connection between teen drinking and other problems, as several studies have noted that relationship between teen alcohol use and depression. However, the Murdoch study emphasized the degree to which "safe" teen drinking may be little more than myth.

"We found that particularly for males that those who start drinking early had higher rates of alcoholic abuse and dependence, even if they started by drinking sensibly," said George Patton, director of adolescent health research at the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne, Australia.

This study appeared in the Australia and New Zealand Journal of Public Health.

Labels: alcoholism, research, teenagers

Friday, May 29, 2009

Teen Pregnancy Rate Continues to Rise

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Canadian Reserves Experiencing Youth Suicide Wave

Monday, May 25, 2009

Early Intervention Helps Delinquency-Prone Teens

Friday, May 22, 2009

Teens Praise Quality of Relationships with Parents

Thursday, May 21, 2009

Law Expands Parents' Accountability for Teen Drinking

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Viewing Adult TV Content Increases Odds of Early Sexual Behavior

Monday, May 18, 2009

Drinking, Depression, Raise Risk of Teen Suicide

Friday, May 15, 2009

More Teens Literally Playing with Fire

Thursday, May 14, 2009

Juvenile Stalking is Form of Bullying

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

British Project Aims to Help Kids Avoid Gangs

Monday, May 11, 2009

Ten Percent of Young Gamers Show Signs of Addiction

Friday, May 8, 2009

Researchers Warn of Dropout Crisis in U.S. Schools

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Study: Father's Mental Health Impacts Kids

Monday, May 4, 2009

Teens Tell Researchers Civic Activity is 'Obligation'

Friday, May 1, 2009

Study: No Such Thing as 'Safe' Teen Drinking

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