4 Troubled Teens Blog

The percentage of teenagers reporting that they experienced bullying, assaults, and other forms of victimization dropped between 2003 and 2008, according to a new study funded by the United States Department of Justice. The researchers believe that anti-bullying programs in schools were behind the decreases.

• Dr. David Finkelhor and his colleagues at the University of New Hampshire's Crimes against Children Research Center went through surveys filled out by children ages 2 to 17 years old in 2003 and again in 2008.
  
• The researcher found that the percent of children reporting bullying went from 22 percent to 15 percent, and the rate of those reporting assaults declined from 45 percent to 38 percent in that period.
  
• The study found declines in sexual assaults and emotional abuse by caretakers, but slight increases in robberies targeting children, children witnessing violence among family members, and dating violence.

The Olweus Bullying Prevention Program has been used in several thousand American schools. The program involves training staff members to deal with bullying immediately when they observe it. Much of decline in bullying occurred in low income schools using such programs.

"The decline is not happening everywhere," said Marlene Snyder of Clemson University's Institute on Family and Neighborhood Life and director of development for Olweus. "It is in schools where adults really understand how detrimental this conduct can be and have made a conscious effort to bring the numbers down."

The Finkelhor study appeared in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine.

Labels: bullying, prevention, awareness

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In the past six months, four students in Kaukauna (Wisconsin) High School committed suicide. In response to this ongoing tragedy, parents and community leaders are calling for heightened awareness of suicides warning signs.

In the Nov. 11 edition of the Post-Crescent newspaper, J.E. Espino reported on the schools efforts to raise awareness about teen suicide:

Because of the domino effect one suicide can have in a community, a growing chorus is calling for heightened awareness. Local suicide prevention advocates are forming coalitions. There is chatter at high schools, colleges and churches.

With suicide the third-leading cause of death among young people 15 to 19, the aim is to pierce the cloak of secrecy and stigma that surrounds it. &

We want to have it in the forefront so people are talking about it, said Mary Sullivan, a liaison for Community for Hope of the Fox Cities, a spin-off of the group in Oshkosh with the same name. The Fox Cities group is looking for volunteers and financial support to set up shop.

Labels: suicide, prevention, awareness

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The Alberta Teachers Association (ATA) has partnered with the Canadian Mental Heath Associations (CMHA) Alberta division to raise awareness about mental health issues among school-aged children, and raise money to support CMHAs programs.

An Aug. 14 release on the ATA website provides the following details about the effort:

"Mental illness, even in moderate cases, can affect a child's relationships with family and friends, their physical health and their school performance," says Jonathan Teghtmeyer, an executive staff officer with the ATA.

Teachers see many students suffering from stress, depression, eating disorders, self-abuse, and even thoughts of suicide, Teghtmeyer says. "While such problems are family and health issues, they're also educational concerns because they affect a child's ability to learn. Teachers play an important role because they'll often notice a student's mental health situation before the child's parents or medical practitioners."

The objective of the ATA campaign is to increase awareness of mental health concerns and to raise funds to support the work of the CMHA.

It's also hoped that the project will help teachers recognize the symptoms of mental illness in their students and learn how best to handle situations that arise in the classroom due to mental illness. Several ATA locals are already involved in activities to support the work of the CMHA.

Labels: schools, awareness, mental_health, students

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Two years ago, Troy Crites lost his 18-year-old daughter to suicide. Today, he shares his story, and an important message, with other parents:

"[Mr. Crites] says he regrets letting his troubled daughter quit counseling. 'I'd rather have a damaged relationship than a dead daughter,' he said. 'I just - you have to try to make sure that they're safe.'"

Joan Goodman, an adolescent psychologist, encourages parents to get professional help for teenagers who struggle with self-mutilation, addiction, or other disorders. With therapy and medication, she says, many teens can recover. Source: WJLA-TV (VA)

Labels: suicide, awareness, parents

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In 2005, Montana launched a campaign aimed at reducing meth use in the state by raising awareness about the drug's potentially fatal risks. Three years later, organizers of the Montana Meth Project are seeing - and celebrating - the campaign's impact.

"When the meth project first started its highly visible campaign in September 2005, Montana ranked fifth in methamphetamine abuse. Today, Montana is 39th. In 2008, teen meth use is down 45 percent from 2005... and meth-related crime has decreased by 62 percent."

The campaign was initially funded by an individual donor, but the goal has always been to make it self-funding, officials said. In 2009, organizers plan to push for a $2 million allocation from the state legislature, an amount that they say will be enough to fund the project for two more years. Source: Missoulian News

Labels: meth, awareness, decline

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A concerned mom recently wrote into a Southern Utah advice column seeking help with her teenage daughter. At 16, her daughter's attitude and friends are beginning to change. While she doesn't want to judge either her daughter or her friends, she wants to make sure she's okay.

"Kids do change at this age and sometimes for the worse. In many cases, it's a phase, followed by another phase, and then another, and so on, until your child finds who they really are... One of the main purposes of adolescence is to form a personal identity that one can claim as their own."

Advice columnist Dr. Scott Jakubowski acknowledges the mom may have valid reasons for worrying. He suggests that she watch for signs - change in appetite, drop in grades, isolation, or defensiveness - that could indicate a problem with drugs. If the mom has reason to suspect her daughter is experimenting with drugs, Dr. Jakubowski urged her to get professional help as soon as possible. Source: The Spectrum

Labels: awareness, advice, drug_use

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At a recent forum comprised of law enforcement officials, safe driving organizations, and others, parents were presented with information about new, risky trends of which they may not be aware. Hosted by the Tustin Unified School District and the Assistance League of Tustin, roughly 200 parents attended the forum.

"[Tustin parent Silvana] Difilippo was shocked when officers showed her gadgets that they have confiscated. There was a Pepsi bottle that twists open in the center to hide alcohol in the middle section. To the side was a CD case with a scale to weigh drugs."

Speakers included parents, police officers, sheriff's deputies, and California Highway Patrol officers. Read more at OCRegister.com.

To stay informed about teen trends and for parenting advice, sign up for the Parenting Tips Newsletter. This bi-weekly newsletter offers help for parents of troubled teens. Sign up here.

Labels: risky_behaviors, awareness, trends

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From 1995 to 2005, the number of drug-treatment patients who sought help for prescription drug abuse increased by over 300 percent. This is one of the statistics that has prompted the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy to initiate a $14 million campaign to raise awareness and educate parents about teenage prescription-drug abuse.

"The campaign began with television ads during this year's Super Bowl, and it will continue with broadcast, print, and online advertising, as well as community outreach and online research for parents."

In the latest study by Partnership for a Drug Free America, one in five teens admitted to abusing prescription painkillers, and one in five also admitted to abusing prescription stimulants and tranquilizers. Prescription drugs are more commonly abused by teenagers than cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine combined. Read more at DailyIowan.com.

Labels: awareness, treatment_programs, prescription_drug_abuse

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Lee County, in Southwest Florida, has released a list of "top 10 teens in trouble", in hopes of cutting down on juvenile crime in the area.

"In Lee County, the sheriff's office says six percent of criminals are responsible for close to half the crime. That is why the sheriff's office's new anti-crime unit constantly checks up on the teens on the new top ten list. The goal is to make sure they are staying out of trouble. But deputies say just letting the teens know they are being watched can also scare them away from breaking the law."

Teen are able to get off the list by improving their behavior and staying out of trouble. Read more at NBC-2.com.

Labels: juvenile crime, awareness, police

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In 2004, Ken Smith - president and CEO of Forest Hill - attended a program sponsored through St. Vincent's Center. It was there that he heard the tragic story of a family that had been devastated by child sexual abuse, and he decided that more needed to be done.

"Smith believed the problem needed high profile exposure to bring it to the forefront of society and that the first step to prevent child sexual abuse is public awareness. In order to bring the message to the public, a forum had to be found that would attract both children and adults."

Ken's brother and his son, Steve and Stevie, had very successful careers in sprint car-racing. Ken approached them about driving under the banner of the RAACE Foundation (Race Against Abuse of Children Everywhere), and TEAM RAACE was born. The foundation also holds events throughout the year in an effort to continue raising awareness about child sexual abuse. Read more at RAACE.org.

Labels: awareness, abuse, advocay

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Teens and their mothers overestimate the rate of teen sexual activity, according to a Canadian study.

Over 1100 teens and their mothers participated in the survey, and estimated that by ages 17 to 18 years old, 66% had had sexual experience. The actual figure is 42% for boys and 47% for girls.

"Teens talk about sex. That does not mean that they do it," said lead researcher Dr. Jean-Ives Frappier of Montreal's Sainte Justine University Health Centre.

This study appears in Pediatrics and Child Health.

The Academy at Swift River is a therapeutic boarding school for teens who may benefit from a private boarding school setting. Visit SwiftRiver.com for more information.

Labels: sex, awareness, perceptions

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"The Anne Arundel County Substance and Delinquency Prevention Coalition formed a youth committee to help plan the Anne Arundel County Teen Summit next year. The daylong event will discourage young people from using alcohol and drugs."

Twenty-six teens have already agreed to be part of the committee. The summit is being planned for May, 2008.

Labels: prevention, awareness, delinquents

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The latest numbers released by the Centers for Disease Control show a 67% increase in the rate of suicide among 10- to 14-year-old girls between 2003 and 2003. The rate among girls aged 15-19 rose 32 percent.

"Overall, there were 4,599 suicides among young people in 2004, making it the third-leading cause of death, surpassed only by car crashes and homicide... Males committed suicide far more often than females, accounting for about three-quarters of suicides in this age group."

Richard Lieberman, who coordinates the suicide prevention program for L.A. public schools, said that increased rates of depression may account for the suicide spike.

Youth Care offers programs for troubled teens at their therapeutic boarding school.

Labels: suicide, prevention, awareness

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In June, the House of Representatives heard testimony from - among others - singer/songwriter Jewel about the condition of homeless teens in America. Jewel, herself, was homeless as a teenager and knows firsthand the dangers of the streets and the difficulties of making a better life. The initiative to designate November as National Homeless Youth Awareness Month was launched in conjunction with Virgin Mobile's The RE*Generation campaign aimed at connecting at-risk and homeless youth with people who want to help.

"'A resolution and designated month will go a long way toward building awareness of the more than one million children and teens that are without homes and in crisis,' said Dan Schulman, CEO of Virgin Mobile USA. 'We trust November will serve as a call to action for Americans to learn more about this vital issue, as well as find ways to support the organizations working to help homeless youth in their own communities.'"

As part of the RE*Generation campaign, Virgin Mobile created the TXT2CLOTHE initiative which allows mobile phone users from any wireless carrier to send a text message that results in a piece of clothing being donated to a homeless teen.

Read more online.

Labels: awareness, homelessness, at_risk

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MySpace, the online social community that's wildly popular among adolescents, has joined together with the Inspire Foundation to raise awareness about youth suicide.

"Since Friday, the web community has featured banner advertisements linking to a site with information about issues including grief, depression, alcohol, drugs, and sexuality."

Inspire and MySpace have been working together for about 12 months. Both organizations are excited about the partnership and promise more opportunities for young people to reach and get help in the near future.

Read more at Inspire.org.au.

Labels: suicide, awareness, myspace

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Is your child a bully? If asked directly about their kids’ behavior, few parents would readily admit that anything’s wrong. But in surveys, more than 70 percent of teenagers say they’ve been bullied at school. Someone’s doing it. Could it be your child?

“The family is Ground Zero for learning about emotional responses and relationships. If a parent consistently yells or uses verbal threats, emotional blackmail or physical violence to manipulate family members, that’s what the child learns. And that learned aggression is likely to come to school with him/her.” [Source: More Marin (CA)]

Similarly, if your child is demanding, aggressive or otherwise unkind at home, chances are she’s like that at school, too. Be careful, however, not to label your child as a “bad kid”. Address his negative behaviors, but make sure he knows that you believe he can be a better person.

 

Labels: bullying, awareness

Posted By: Stefanie Hamilton 1 Comment

Country music star Jimmy Wayne can finally go home and rest. His seven-month journey, which spanned 1,700 miles ended on Sunday at HomeBase Youth Services in Phoenix.

“Wayne started the ‘Meet Me Halfway’ campaign Jan. 1 in Nashville with the goal of walking halfway across the country for at-risk youth, specifically for those in danger of aging out of the foster care system with no support or resources.” [Source: Associated Press]

Wayne was sporting a walking cast as he made his way into Phoenix, haven broken his foot earlier in his trek. The issue of youth homelessness is personal to Wayne, who grew up in the foster care system and endured a time of homeless himself.

Labels: awareness, homelessness

Posted By: Stefanie Hamilton 1 Comment