Research shows that even good students from wealthy backgrounds go off track when they reach junior high. "They desperately want the approval of their friends, to be perceived as 'cool,' and they will do dangerous and just plain dumb things to gain that status" says Phyllis Ellickson, a senior RAND analyst. In high school, dangerous temptations arise from peers to use drugs, alcohol, and to engage in unsafe sex practices. These behaviors contribute to violence and emotional problems. Children between 12 and 18 are extremely vulnerable and have not developed the skills to cope with temptations that arise by this age.
Some of these temptations result in serious consequences, including death. Seventy-five percent of adolescent deaths are primarily caused by three things: automobile accidents, homicide and suicide. These are directly linked with risky behaviors, such as drug use (alcohol and other drugs). Twenty percent of high school seniors smoke and about 30% are binge drinkers. Such things often go together: drug usage increases the risk of unsafe behavior; teens with mental health problems often use drugs.
The problem is compounded by the limited ability to get help. About one-third of poor and near-poor teens have no medical coverage, and a surprisingly large portion of middle-income teens also lack coverage.
So, how do we prevent adolescents from potentially life threatening behaviors? Studys by Ellickson and others discovered that school-based prevention programs can curb drug use. These programs work best at delaying or reducing cigarette and marijuana use. These programs are most effective when continued throughout high school.
We can do better. Treatment plans need to be developed for adolescence that involve families, schools, and health professionals. "We need to promote community-based or school-linked systems of care that recognize the interrelatedness of many adolescent problems" says Ellickson. Better training in adolescent medicine would go a long way to helping health professionals identify with mental disorders and drug abuse in teens.
"Adolescence: Forgotten Age, Forgotten Problems." RAND Corporation Provides Objective Research Services and Public Policy Analysis. RAND, n.d. Web. 25 Jan. 2010.
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