4 Troubled Teens Blog

A new set of state and federal laws might improve the speed at which police departments file missing persons reports on runaway children.

The laws might help correct a problem in that police departments are failing to file missing person reports on 10 to 40 percent of runaway children within the first 24 hours of receiving notice that a child is missing.

• The reasons for delay can be complex.
  
• Youth shelters, for example, often want more time than just one day to gain the trust of a runaway child.
  
• Some children come from abusive homes, and it may not be in their best interest to go back to their parents.

U.S. Rep. Carolyn Maloney said the reporting failures, which average 16 percent nationwide, are "absolutely outrageous."

"It's absolutely inappropriate that many runaway children are missing not only from their homes but also from the very databases meant to help law enforcement find them," she said.

Rep. John Conyers of the House Judiciary Committee is sponsoring the new bill in Congress.

Labels: laws, teens, runaways

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The prevalence of suicide thoughts and attempts among teenagers remain distressingly high. Many suicide attempts are related to teen depression -- but there are steps parents can take to support their teens, and help them manage situations that can trigger depression.

The Mayo Clinic advises parents to take the following five steps to lessen the likelihood that their children will suffer from depression -- and to increase the odds of identifying and treating the disorder should it occur:

1. Praise your child's skills.
2. Encourage your child to participate in organized activities.
3. Encourage your child to stay physically active.
4. Provide emotional support and guidance to your child.
5. Talk to your child.

Studies have also found that children who struggle academically at a young age develop symptoms of depression early. Getting involved in your childrens education from the beginning, offering support and praise for areas in which they do well, can help reduce or eliminate depressive symptoms.

Labels: parental_involvement, depression, prevention, teens

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Researchers with Temple University have discovered that teenagers develop intellectual maturity before they become emotionally mature.

• Dr. Laurence Steinberg and his colleagues tested 935 people, ages 10 to 30 years old to determine how maturity levels differ and develop as people get older.
  
• Differences in cognitive capacity or intellectual maturity increased from ages 11 to 16 and then showed no improvements after age 16.
  
• However, the results were different when it came to psychosocial maturity.
  
• Compared to teenagers, adults were more likely to demonstrate psychosocial maturity, which enables them to control their emotions, resist peer pressure and appreciate the risk of certain situations.

Dr. Steinberg's research is used to justify the positions of the American Psychological Association about teen pregnancy and teen criminality. In two recent court cases, the APA filed briefs that said teenagers are capable of making informed decisions about whether to end pregnancies but they lack the maturity to be held to adult levels of responsibility if they commit violent crimes.

"It is very difficult for a 16-year-old to resist peer pressure in a heated volatile situation," Dr. Steinberg said. "Most times there is no time to talk to an adult to inject some reason and reality into the situation. Many crimes committed by adolescents are done in groups with other teens that are not premeditated."

When it comes to medical decisions, Dr. Steinberg said, "Adolescents can take the time to understand and weigh options provided by health care practitioners. Rarely are these decisions made in the heat of the moment without consultation with adults. Under such circumstances, adolescents exhibit adult maturity."

The study appeared in the journal American Psychologist.

Labels: emotional_issues, teens, maturity, development

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A study that was published in the Journal of Adolescent Health found that one in five teenagers has exchanged (loaned or borrowed) prescription drugs with friends.

Dr. Richard Goldsworthy interviewed 592 children ages 12 to 17 about their use of prescription drugs. The researchers found that 32 percent of teens do not tell their doctors when they have taken a borrowed medication.

Among the many dangers of teen prescription pill abuse is that the borrowed drugs can interact with one another or with alcohol or have side effects that the users are neither aware of nor prepared for.

Labels: teens, prescription_drug_abuse

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A study that was sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has revealed that fewer teenagers are able to buy cigarettes.

In 2008, fewer than 10 percent of retailers sold tobacco to minors, down from 40 percent in the mid-1990s.

Researchers believe the primary reason for the decrease in sales is more states are enforcing laws that are designed to keep minors from accessing tobacco.

In addition to the many health problems that are associated with teen tobacco use, researchers have also established a link between teen alcohol abuse and teen smoking.

Labels: teens, tobacco use

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Researchers at Temple University have found that teenagers who engage in heavy drinking are also more likely to smoke heavily.

Dr. Brian Daly and his colleagues used data from 2450 Philadelphia high school students in grades nine through 12. They asked the students how many cigarettes they smoked per day and how many times they had five or more drinks in a row during the last month, and found a link between binge drinking and heavy smoking.

"We can't just focus on educating adolescents about the dangers of smoking or drinking," Dr. Daly said in an Aug. 11 ScienceDaily article. "We need to address both as one health risk."

Dr. Daly's study was presented at the American Psychological Association's annual meeting.

Labels: research, teens, tobacco use, alcohol_abuse

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A teenager from North Carolina has been missing for more than a year, and the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children is asking for help in finding her:

Diana Hernandez Yanez, was 14 when she left her home on July 21, 2008. Neighbors told police that they saw her get into a red pickup truck that morning.

Friends say the truck, a red 2000 Chevrolet S-10 low-rider pickup, belonged to 19-year-old Andres Velasquez Tinoco, whom Diana reportedly met just a couple of weeks prior to her disappearance. (Source: The McDowell News)

Anyone who may have information about Yanez's whereabouts is asked to call the Marion Police Department at (828) 652-3231. Tips can remain anonymous.

Labels: teens, runaways

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People who call themselves video game addicts are more likely to be sleepy during the day, according to a new study from the University of Arkansas.

Dr. Amanda Woolems and her colleagues studied 137 students, of whom 12 percent classified themselves as being addicted to playing games on computers or consoles.

"Our statistics revealed that those who admitted addiction scored higher on the Epworth Sleepiness Scale," Dr. Woolems said during her presentation at the annual meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies. "It surprised us, however, that of the people who admitted being addicted to gaming, only about a third of them recognized it as an interference with sleep."

Failure to get adequate amounts of sleep and spending excessive amounts of time playing video games have both been associated with a number of unhealthy outcomes among adolescents and teenagers.

Labels: video_games, sleep, teens

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Many depressed teenagers do not seek treatment -- and a new study from the Rand Corporation indicates that they may be avoiding treatment for their depression because they are afraid of their parents' reactions.

According to details of the study that were published in journal Medical Care, Lisa Meredith and her colleagues studied 368 teens (half of whom suffered from depression) and their parents:

• The teens and their parents were asked to answer which of seven barriers to treatment were most important.
• Parents tended to answer that none of them were important, but the teens listed "not wanting family members to know about their depression" as significant.
• Other barriers such as cost, time constraints, problems finding a doctor, or just not wanting treatment were less important to teens.

Meredith pointed out that parents often have to become involved in treatment by providing transportation and paying for it, so it is important for "doctors to get a sense of not just what the teen thinks or the parent thinks, but what both think."

Teens with untreated depression are more likely to abuse drugs and alcohol, become parents at an early age, to have low grades and social problems, and commit suicide.

Labels: depression, teens, treatment_programs

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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: sex, children, teens, television

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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: video_games, addictions, teens, adolescent

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Researchers have developed a set of criteria that are proving effective in predicting the onset of psychosis in adolescents. The criteria are proving to be effective in 80 percent of the cases where psychosis is eventually diagnosed.

"If the findings are confirmed, the predication model could help doctors identify those at risk for psychotic illness much sooner so that these people can be monitored closely for signs of active psychosis."

The study's authors recruited 291 teens considered 'high-risk' for the development of psychosis. Several factors were taken into consideration when predicting the onset of psychotic illness, including; paranoid thoughts, hearing buzzing sounds, or seeing images that quickly disappeared. The study's authors are hoping to conduct a follow-up study that will research biological indicators as well.

An adolescent residential treatment center, like NorthStar Center, offers treatment for drug addiction to teens and young adults who are ready to get on with their lives in a healthy, positive lifestyle.

Labels: emotional_issues, psychiatric_illness, teens

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Teens that don't get enough sleep on a regular basis are at greater risk of having suicidal thoughts and attempting suicide, according to recent studies. Dr. Zianchen Liu of Arizona State University's Prevention Research Center analyzed survey results from 1,362 junior and senior high school students. The surveys questioned the teens about their sleep patterns and their suicidal behavior.

"The students generally reported getting about 7.6 hours of sleep each night. And, study findings show, the less sleep the adolescents had, the more likely they were to report having attempted suicide. Those who slept less than eight hours each night were about three times more likely to attempt suicide than those who slept a minimum of nine hours."

Nightmares also increased the likelihood that teens would have suicidal thoughts - they were twice as likely to consider suicide than teens that didn't experience nightmares. Ideally, adolescents should get nine hours of sleep each night. Parents who know their teens aren't getting enough sleep should watch for signs of depression or anxiety. A parent that notices suicidal warning signs - like a teen giving away prized possessions - should contact a psychologist or psychiatrist right away.

TeenBoardingSchools.com offers help for parents of children who are spinning out of control. Find private boarding schools and programs for troubled teens and get your child the help they need now.

Labels: suicide, sleep, teens

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Researchers at Ohio State University found that the impact of divorce on teenagers varies by their ethnic group.

Dr. Youngmin Sin studied 700 American high school students in grades 10 to 12 of Hispanic, European, Asian or African ethnicity. He and his colleagues found that European- and Asian-American teens experienced the most disruptive effects in terms of academic performance, behaviors, and psychological well-being. Hispanic- and African-American teenagers did not encounter as many problems because they are already facing so many disadvantages, Dr. Sin concluded.

This study appears in the Journal of Marriage and Family.

Labels: teens, divorce, ethnic_groups

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