In recent years, cutting has gained more attention as teachers, parents, and psychologists began to realize that this form of self-mutilation was more common than many had believed. They've also found that it affects a very different group of kids than many had believed.

"Recent research by Dr. Madeline Levine, an American psychologist, found that children from affluent homes... were three times more likely to suffer anxiety and depression than ordinary teenagers. Bullying and anxiety about academic performance are cited as common reasons and the stress may manifest itself in anorexia, bulimia - or, increasingly, self-harming."

In years past, self-harm often took the form of hair pulling or eating disorders. But now, teachers and parents are seeing more kids who cut. As a result of the new data, the medical community has recommended that additional studies be done to determine which treatments are the most effective. Education is also considered key; so that parents and teachers know how to respond and kids feel comfortable telling someone they need help.

Cutting and other risky behaviors, such as teen drug use, are often symptoms of greater issues. Island View, an adolescent residential treatment center in Utah, can help by assessing your child's needs and then creating a treatment plan.

Labels: affluence, cutting, self-harm

The phrase "at-risk" usually conjures images of inner city environments; kids who grow up in poor or broken homes and turn to risky behavior in attempts to find acceptance and belonging. But recent studies have shown that the face of at-risk kids is changing and their geographic locations are shifting.

"Recent research shows that the highest rates of emotional problems can be found among upper middle-class children, whose parents have high levels of education and income. Affluent pre-teens and teenagers rate the highest for depression, anxiety disorders and substance abuse of any group of children in the United States."

Affluent parents often place high expectations on their kids. In and of itself, that's not a bad thing. But when the expectations aren't coupled with encouragement and help, a teen or pre-teen can quickly become overwhelmed, and thoughts like "I'm not good enough" start entering his head. Sadly, research has found that, on average, parents spend less than 5 minutes a week engaged in meaningful conversation with their kids, while the kids spend over 1,600 minutes a week watching television. Parental involvement is key for this new segment of "at-risk" kids.

Labels: affluence, at_risk, suburban_teens

The phrase "troubled teen" is most often associated with broken and underprivileged families, but for the last several years a new kind of troubled teen has been emerging from upper-middle class families. The stress of high expectations is pushing many teens over the edge.

"Twenty-two percent of girls from affluent families suffer from clinical depression, three times the national average, [Madeline] Levine said. And when [Denise] Pope researched her book, 'Doing School: How We Are Creating a Generation of Stressed-Out, Materialistic and Miseducated Students', she found that 75 percent of high school students said they had at some point cheated on a test, and 90 percent had copied homework."

While many parents push their kids academically, they simultaneously try to protect their kids from feelings of frustration, sorrow, or disappointment, which hinders the development of proper coping mechanisms in adolescents, causing them to resort to things like cutting, or substance abuse to deal with their stress. Read more at News-Service.Stanford.edu.

Labels: affluence, stress, substance_abuse