4 Troubled Teens Blog

In the Columbia Urban League's "State of Black South Carolina," Dr. Kenneth Campbell tells of his visit to a group discussion with 20 young men in an intervention program. The day's topic was "friends."

"When the facilitator asks, 'How many of you have friends,' the young men respond with silence - a deafening silence for this energetic group. Some look down, some look bewildered..."

This same group expressed disappointment in their parents' lack of involvement in their lives. Dr. Campbell goes on to cite a 2002 survey in which young people were asked why kids join gangs. Most said kids were looking for a place to belong because they didn't have a good family or home life. Read more at www.topix.net.

Labels: parental_involvement, gangs, friends

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Teens turn away when friends bring up dating violence, according to a new study from the University of Michigan and Wayne State University.

Researchers surveyed 224 high school students about whom they turn to with their problems involving romantic relationships. Most talked things over with friends rather than family members. However, the teens told researchers that if they tried to bring up dating violence, their friends would change the subject.

"Peers might feel threatened when hearing of severe violence because they might fear the abuser or might be reminded that they too are vulnerable to severe violence in their relationships," said the study's co-author, Professor Richard Toman at Michigan's School of Social Work.

This study appears in the Journal of Adolescence.

Worried that your teen is experimenting with drugs or alcohol? Visit Adolescent-Substance-Abuse.com to learn how to recognize the signs and learn how to help your teenager.

Labels: violence, dating, friends

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Most parents fear that when their teens reach the teenage years, they're going to develop relationships that lead them down destructive paths. Most teens have at least one friend that encourages bad behavior, but if things get out of control, what should parents do?

"One frequently useful stance is to focus less on the 'evil' friend, and more on the behavior that you want your teenager to avoid. Maybe Danielle's parents don't want her hanging out with Ariel - but more to the point, they don't want her drinking or staying out late."

Addressing the behavior rather than the relationship prevents the teen from becoming defensive about her friend. Through it, you're also communication not just about the types of friends you want her to have, but the way you want her to behave no matter who she's with. Read more at TheGlobeandMail.com.

Getting your child away from negative influences, like friends, TV, and the internet can help your child get to the root of their problems and discover a new way to live. A brat camp, like Sage Walk or Turn-About Ranch, have proven to help even the most difficult teen.

Labels: communication, influences, friends

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Yet more evidence of the benefits of healthy teen relationships: Students who get good grades tend to have friends at their schools, according to a new study from UCLA.

Dr. Melissa Witkow and her colleagues studied 629 high school seniors and found that "those with a higher portion of friends who attended the same school received higher grades."

"This is partially because in-school friends are more likely to be achievement-oriented and share and support school-related activities, including studying, because they are in the same environment," Dr. Witkow said.

The findings apply to all genders and ethnic groups.

The study appears in the Journal of Research on Adolescence.
 

Labels: schools, friends

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