There are many issues that the

adolescent faces in today’s American

society that could bring on anxiety,
present challenging problems, and/or
require difficult decision-making.

Each individual may deal differently with these

subjects. For some, the matter may be
insignificant, while it becomes a crisis for
others or their family.
 Swiss psychologist Carl Jung (pronounced ‘young’; 1875-1961)
theorized about personality and temperament. He defined
‘temperament’ as an individual’s true nature or disposition. It is
defined by genetics and our inborn reactions to our environment,
emotional and social situations.
Personality, or persona is how we present ourselves to the world. Persona
represents all of the different social masks that we wear among different groups
and situations, and involves our ego, or behaviors. The individual cannot
change inborn temperament … but might be able to revise personality. This
likely occurs during adolescence as part of identity development.
People with personality disorders have a restricted view of
the world and find it difficult to participate in social
activities. Numerous conditions have been identified:
Multiple Personalities, Borderline Personality, Bipolar, and
Attention-Deficit, Dissociative, and Obsessive-compulsive
Disorders, and Anti-social Behavior, etc.
 There are 9 identified
traits that characterize
• Activity Level (active vs. passive) ones temperament:
The proportion of active periods to inactive ones
• Adaptability
The ease with which a child adapts to changes in his environment
• Approach/Withdrawal (introvert vs. extrovert or assertive vs. unsure)
The response to a new object or person
• Distractibility
The degree to which extraneous stimuli affect behavior
• Intensity of Reaction
The energy of response regardless of its quality or direction
• Quality of Mood
Amount of time spent in friendly, pleasant, joyful behavior
• Persistence/Attention Span
The amount of time devoted to an activity and level of distraction
• Regularity/Rhythmicity (structured vs. disorganized)
Regularity of hunger, excretion, sleep and wakefulness
• Sensory Threshold (calm vs. anxious)
The intensity of stimuli required to evoke a discernible response
 Jung identified a number of archetypes (typical
examples) of personality. He suggested that this
list is not static or fixed. Instead, many different
archetypes may overlap or combine at any given
time. The following are just a few of the various
archetypes that Jung described:
The father: Authority figure; stern; powerful.
The mother: Nurturing; comforting.
The child: Longing for innocence; rebirth;
salvation.
The wise old man: Guidance; knowledge;
wisdom.
The hero: Champion; defender; rescuer.
The maiden: Innocence; desire; purity.
The trickster: Deceiver; liar; trouble-maker.
 Alfred Adler (1870-1937) believed that a person's behavior is motivated by
a desire to achieve success or superiority. This is often moderated by
social environments. According to his theory, all children feel
inadequacies when compared to others. He coined the phrase ‘inferiority
complex’ to describe that concept. Although he did believe that
personality is influenced in large part by heredity and the environment,
Adler believed that each person has his or her ability to create a distinct
personality in order to be successful and achieve full mental health.
Adler also theorized about birth order and personality. He believed
the order in which you are born to a family affects your personality.
First born children enjoy excessive attention until younger siblings
steal it, leaving them to have the greatest number of problems as
they get older. Adler believed middle born children have a high
need for superiority and are often able to seek it out through healthy
competition. The youngest children get pampered and protected more
than any other child did, which could leave them with a sense that he
cannot take on the world alone and will always be inferior to others.
 Building on the writings and observations of Jung during
World War II, Isabel Briggs-Myers and her mother, Katharine
C. Briggs, delineated personality types by constructing the
Myers-Briggs Type Indicator.

This model was later revised by David Keirsey with a different

understanding from Jung, Briggs and Myers. He called his test
the Kiersey Temperament Sorter.

Gallup, Inc. is an American research-based group that is

best known for conducting public opinion polls and then
using the findings to consult with businesses,
employers, political campaigns, etc.
They developed the Gallup Strengths Assessment, which some companies are
using to help identify possible employees, with strengths that meet their needs.
Internet Addiction, also known as computer addiction,
online addiction, or Internet addiction disorder (IAD),
can be categorized into 5 different areas…
Cybersex Addiction – compulsive use of Internet
pornography, adult chat rooms, fantasy sex, etc.
Cyber-Relationship Addiction – addiction to social
networking, chat rooms, texting, and messaging
Net Compulsions – such as compulsive online
gaming, gambling, stock trading, or use of online
auction sites
Computer Addiction – obsessive playing of off-line
computer games, or obsessive computer
programming.
Information Overload – compulsive web surfing or
database searching
 Spending a lot of time online or on the
computer is defined as ‘an impulse
control PROBLEM’ when it absorbs too
much of your time, causing you to neglect
your relationships, your work, school, or
other important things in your life.

People become addicted to the internet to

relieve unpleasant and overwhelming
feelings. Risk factors for Internet or
computer addiction include:
You suffer from anxiety, you’re depressed,
you have any other addictions (such as
drugs, alcohol, gambling, or sex), you lack
social support, you’re an unhappy teenager
(more so than other age groups), you’re
less mobile or socially active than you once
were, or you are stressed.
 Signs and symptoms of Internet
addiction vary from person to
person. There are no set hours per
day or number of messages sent
that indicate internet addiction, but
there are some general warning
signs that internet use may have
become a problem: Losing track of
time while online, having trouble Internet or computer addiction can also
completing tasks at work or home, cause physical discomfort such as: Carpal
increasing isolation from family Tunnel Syndrome (pain and numbness in
and friends, feeling guilty or hands and wrists), dry eyes or strained
defensive about your internet use, vision, back and/or neck aches, severe
or feeling a sense of euphoria while headaches, sleep disturbances, or
involved in Internet activities. pronounced weight gain/ loss.
 Young people use drugs, including nicotine and
alcohol, for similar reasons that adults do – to
change how they feel, because they want to feel
better or different. Reasons may include:
• Relaxation or fun
• Boredom
• Curiosity
• Socializing with friends, peer pressure or the
need to feel part of a group
• To escape from psychological or
physiological pain.
Adolescents are particularly susceptible to substance abuse due to their level of
brain development and cognitive thinking. They are still developing the skills
needed to make wise judgments, good decisions, and exercise self-control;
they are risk takers and don’t thoroughly understand the relationship between
actions and consequences; they experiment; they are heavily influenced by
mass media and peers; they seek excessive stimulation.
The more risk factors an individual has, the
greater the chance that taking drugs can lead
to addiction. Risk factors include:
Biology - genetics, gender, ethnicity, and
presence of other mental disorders
Social Environment - influences of family
and friends, socioeconomic status, quality of
life in general, peer pressure, physical and
sexual abuse, stress, and quality of
parenting
Age and Stage of Development - critical
developmental stages in a person’s life affect
addiction vulnerability; although taking
drugs at any age can lead to addiction, the
earlier that drug use begins, the more likely it
will progress to more serious abuse. PREVENTION IS THE KEY.
Illicit drug use includes the abuse of
illegal drugs and/or the misuse of
prescription medications or
household substances. These drugs
directly or indirectly cause a
pleasurable increase in the amount
of dopamine in the brain. As a person
continues to abuse drugs, the brain
adapts to the drug-induced surges in
dopamine by producing less
dopamine of its own. This decrease
compels the addicted person to keep
abusing drugs in an attempt to bring
the dopamine function back to
normal, but now larger amounts of
the drug are required to achieve the
same euphoric dopamine high—an
effect known as tolerance.
 Repeatedly seeking to experience that euphoric
feeling can lead to addiction, a chronic, often
relapsing brain disease that causes compulsive drug
seeking and use, despite harmful consequences to the
addicted individual and to those around him or her.

Effects experienced by abusing drugs range from heightened sensory

perception, euphoria, weight loss, increased alertness and energy, and ability
to sleep… to paranoia, hallucinations, seizures, memory loss, organ failure,
tooth decay, weight gain, cognitive impairment, and death.
 Illegal drug use may include
synthetic cathinone products
(marketed as bath salts, phone
screen cleaner, plant food,
jewelry cleaner), club drugs (date
rape drugs incl. ketamine,
rohypnol, GHB), cocaine,
hallucinogens (such as LSD and
PCP), heroine, inhalants (such as
spray paint, markers, glues,
cleaning fluids) , marijuana and
synthetic marijuana, MDMA
Commonly abused classes of prescription (Ecstasy), methamphetamine,
drugs include opioids for pain ( Vicodin, salvia, anabolic steroids, over-
Oxycontin, Darvon), central nervous system the-counter (OTC) drugs ( such
depressants for anxiety and sleep disorders as dextromethorphan found in
(Xanax, Valium), and stimulants for ADHD cough and cold medications),
and narcolepsy (Ritalin, Adderall). and prescription drugs.
 Ethyl alcohol, or ethanol, is an
intoxicating ingredient found in
beer, wine, and liquor.
It is produced by the fermentation of yeast, sugars, and starches. It is a central
nervous system depressant that is rapidly absorbed from the stomach and
small intestine into the bloodstream. Alcohol is metabolized in the liver by
enzymes; however, the liver can only metabolize a small amount of alcohol at a
time, leaving the excess alcohol to circulate throughout the body. The intensity
of the effect of alcohol on the body is directly related to the amount consumed.
 Individual reactions to alcohol vary,
and are influenced by factors
Alcohol affects every organ in such as: age, gender, race or ethnicity,
the drinker's body and can weight, fitness level, amount of food
damage a developing fetus. consumed before drinking, how quickly
Intoxication can impair brain the alcohol was consumed, use of drugs
function and motor skills; heavy or prescription medications, and family
use can increase risk of certain history of alcohol problems.
cancers, stroke, and liver
disease. Alcoholism is a
diagnosable disease
characterized by a strong craving
for alcohol, and/or continued use
despite harm or personal injury.
Alcohol abuse is a pattern of
drinking that results in harm to
one's health, interpersonal
relationships, or ability to work.
 Binge drinking has become
common among younger
drinkers. A single alcohol binge
may cause bacteria to leak
from the intestines and
increase levels of bacterial
toxins in the blood. Increased
levels of these bacterial toxins,
called endotoxins, were shown
to adversely affect the immune
system. Binge drinking
corresponds to consuming
about 5 or more drinks for
men, or 4 or more drinks for
women, in a 2 hour period.
Drinking too much too quickly can affect
breathing, heart rate, body temperature, gag reflex,
and potentially lead to coma and death. This is known as ‘alcohol poisoning’.
 Cigarettes and other forms of tobacco—
including cigars, pipe tobacco, snuff, and
chewing tobacco—contain the addictive
drug nicotine. Nicotine is readily absorbed
into the bloodstream when a tobacco
product is chewed, inhaled, or smoked.
Upon entering the bloodstream, nicotine
immediately stimulates the adrenal glands
to release the hormone epinephrine
(adrenaline). Epinephrine stimulates the
central nervous system and increases
blood pressure, respiration, and heart rate.
Nicotine also increases brain levels of the
neurotransmitter dopamine, which affects
the brain pathways that control reward and
pleasure. Long-term brain changes can
result in addiction to nicotine.
 Nicotine is addictive, but does not cause cancer.
Tobacco smoke is a mixture of chemicals such as
carbon monoxide, tar, formaldehyde, cyanide, and
ammonia—many of which are carcinogens (cancer-
causing). Carbon monoxide increases the chance of
cardiovascular diseases such as stroke, heart attack,
vascular disease, and aneurysm. Tar exposes the
user to an increased risk of lung cancer, emphysema,
and bronchial disorders. On average, adults who
smoke die 14 years earlier than nonsmokers.
Tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of
disease, disability, and death in the United States. It
kills more people than obesity, substance abuse,
infectious disease, firearms, and traffic accidents,
according to the Center for Disease Control (CDC).
Pregnant women who smoke cigarettes run an
increased risk of miscarriage, stillborn or premature
infants, or infants with low birth weight..
People begin smoking for a variety of
reasons: peer pressure, social bond
with other smokers, they like the risk
(adolescents), parental influence,
misinformation (‘light’ cigarettes),
genetic predisposition, advertising and
other media influences, self-medication
(for stress), oral satisfaction, and to
keep from over-eating or biting nails.
Secondhand, passive, or environmental smoke consists of exhaled smoke and
smoke given off by the burning end of tobacco products. Inhaling secondhand
smoke increases risk for disease, especially respiratory problems. Children
exposed to secondhand smoking are at an increased risk for sudden infant
death syndrome, ear problems, and severe asthma. Children who grow up with
parents who smoke are more likely to become smokers.
 Eating disorders are mental health disorders
falling under the headings of anxiety disorders
or OCD… Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder.
Obsessions are repetitive or persistent
behaviors, thoughts, impulses, or images that
are unwanted and cause anxiety or distress.
Compulsions are repetitive behaviors (like
throwing up after eating) or mental acts (like
avoiding food). Eating disorders may be a
combination of biological, behavioral, and social
factors. An adolescent with an eating disorder is
so preoccupied with food and weight that they
can often focus on little else.
About 1 out of every 100 adolescent females and 1 in 1,000 adolescent males
suffer from an eating disorder. Some teens may try to ‘be perfect’ or imitate
cultural images. Others fear becoming overweight or suffer from depression, low
self-esteem, feelings of emptiness, or feeling helpless and ‘out of control’.
 The three main types of eating disorders are:

1. Anorexia: refusal to eat adequate calories out of fear of becoming fat. It can
damage major organs, cause irregular heartbeat, low blood pressure, pulse,
body temperature, and breathing rates, cessation of menstrual cycle, infertility,
brittle hair and nails, and thinning of bones. It is fatal in about one out of every
10 cases, usually attributed to cardiac arrest, electrolyte imbalance, or suicide.
2. Bulimia: gross overeating (binging) and then
purging (getting rid of) the food. Feeling
disgusted and ashamed after overeating, bulimics
try to prevent weight gain by inducing vomiting or
using laxatives, diet pills, diuretics, or enemas.
Stomach acids from chronic vomiting can cause:
damage to tooth enamel, inflammation of the
esophagus, swelling of salivary glands in the
cheeks, and lower blood levels of potassium that
can lead to dangerous, abnormal heart rhythms.
 3. Binge eating disorder: a condition in which
a person may gorge rapidly on food,
but does not purge. The excess weight caused by
binge eating puts the individual at risk of: heart
Overweight and obese disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and
adolescents are more type 2 diabetes.
likely to be bullied than
their normal-weight peers.
10% of normal-weight
adolescents report being
bullied, compared to 15%
of overweight and 23% of
obese children. Obese
teens are nearly 3 ½ times
more likely to be excluded
from group activities.
Long-term treatment addresses psychological issues. Treatments include:
antidepressant medication, behavioral therapy, psychotherapy, support groups.
 Over 1/3rd of adolescents are
overweight or obese.
Obesity in adolescence can be Adolescents who are obese are likely to be
attributed to: obese as adults, and are therefore more at risk
Poor eating habits for adult health problems such as heart
Fast food diets disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke, several types
Overeating or binging of cancer, and osteoarthritis.
Lack of exercise
Family history of obesity
Medical illnesses
Medications
Stressful life events
Family and peer problems
Low self-esteem
Emotional problems
Depression
Overweight and obese adolescents are targets for bullying.
The Omaha Police Department reports nearly 80 gangs in the
city, with over 3,000 members. They identify with gang names,
colors, gang language or hand signs and a common philosophy.
Some gangs will mark an area or neighborhood with graffiti to
claim the territory for distribution.
The gangs pose gun, drug, and
violence problems for the city.

Some 33,000 violent street gangs, motorcycle

gangs, and prison gangs with about 1.4 million
members are criminally active in the U.S. today.
Many are sophisticated and well organized; all use
violence to control neighborhoods and boost their
illegal money-making activities, which include
robbery, burglary, drug and gun trafficking, fraud,
extortion, and prostitution rings.
 Adolescents are the most likely age group to join gangs. The
prefrontal cortex of the brain is still developing, so cognitive
skills involving judgment, decision-making, problem-solving and hypothetical
thought are last to develop. They also struggle with identity, and want to be
included by a social peer group. This can be especially true for minority teens.
Gang membership can enhance prestige or status among friends. An adolescent
is likely to have more freedom from parents than younger children.

Gangs provide attractive opportunities such as the chance for excitement, and
making money in selling drugs or prostitution. Protection from other gangs and
perceived ‘safety’ are key of minority youth serves to push them into gangs.
 • family instability or from single parent homes
• low economic or poverty status
An adolescent who is exposed • parents who are violent or gang-associated
to 7 or more risk factors by age • sibling antisocial behavior
12 is most likely to join a gang. • low educational aspiration
Risk factors include: • low commitment/attachment to school
• high levels of antisocial behavior
• low achievement test scores and/or grades
• the identity of being learning disabled
• associating with law-violating peers
• early use of alcohol and marijuana
• prior delinquency
• hyperactivity
• early sexual activity
• being male
• hostility, aggression and rule breaking
• feeling unsafe in your neighborhood
 Juvenile delinquency is defined
as the habitual committing of criminal
acts or offenses by a young person,
especially one below the age at which
ordinary criminal prosecution is
possible (usually 18, but as early as age
14, depending on the nature of the
crime). In Nebraska, community-based
services and programs designed to work
with youth who have committed a
delinquent or criminal act and their
families are overseen by the State
Department of Health & Human Services.
There are two youth correctional facilities in Nebraska, for females in Geneva
and for males in Kearney. The mission of the Youth Rehabilitation and Treatment
Center is to provide individualized supervision, care, accountability, and
treatment in a manner consistent with public safety to those youth in its care.
 Youth treatment and rehabilitation plans provide for
physical, emotional, religious, educational, and
social development. They provide the youth with
the following opportunities:
• drug and alcohol assessment/education/treatment
• pre-vocational exposure and training
• mental health/social services
• problem solving skills
• education
• social skills
• treatment for sexual trauma
• recreation
• spiritual development
Risk factors for juvenile delinquency:
• Low parental involvement
• Low parental education and income
• Parental substance abuse or criminality
• Poor monitoring and supervision of children
• Poverty
• High level of transiency
• Attention deficits, hyperactivity or learning disorders
• History of early aggressive behavior
• Involvement with gangs, drugs, alcohol or tobacco
• Low IQ or poor academic performance
• Poor behavioral control or emotional distress
• Association with delinquent peers
• Antisocial beliefs and attitudes or social rejection
• Exposure to violence and conflict in the family
• Harsh, lax or inconsistent disciplinary practices
 Self-injury is not a suicide attempt, although it might look
and seem that way. It's difficult for many people to
understand; self-injury is an unhealthy way to deal with emotional pain, intense
anger, or frustration. It is a secretive behavior, easily hidden under clothes. It
tends to start around age 14. There is a higher incidence in females than males.

Forms of self-injury include:

• Cutting, usually on the arms, legs, or torso
• Carving words or symbols on the skin
• Breaking bones
• Hitting or punching
• Piercing the skin with sharp objects
• Head banging
• Biting
• Pulling out hair
• Persistently picking at/interfering with wound healing
• Burning (with lit matches, cigarettes or hot sharp objects like knives)
 Self-injury may bring a momentary sense of calm and a
release of tension, but is usually followed by guilt and
shame and the return of painful emotions. And with self-
injury comes the possibility of more serious and even
Because self-injury is fatal self-aggressive actions.
often done
impulsively, it can be
considered an
impulse-control
behavior problem.
Self-injury may be
linked to a variety of
mental disorders,
such as depression,
eating disorders and
borderline
personality disorder.
Through self-injury, the person may be trying to:
• Manage or reduce severe distress or anxiety and provide a sense of relief
• Provide a distraction from painful emotions through physical pain
• Feel a sense of control over his or her body, feelings or life situations
• Feel anything, even if it's physical pain, when feeling emotionally empty
• Express internal feelings in an external way
• Communicate depression or distressful feelings to the outside world
• Be punished for perceived faults
 Teen depression is a serious medical problem that
causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of
interest in activities. It affects how the adolescent thinks,
feels and behaves, and it can cause emotional, functional
and physical problems. Depression is a mood disorder
with symptoms that ease with treatment such as
medication and psychological counseling. It cannot be
overcome with willpower.
Chemical imbalance in the brain,
hormones, inherited traits, early
childhood trauma, or learned
patterns of negative thinking. Also:
• Having an anxiety or eating disorder
• Having few friends/personal relationships
• Abusing alcohol, nicotine or other drugs
• Having low self-esteem or being overly dependent, self-critical or pessimistic
• Having self-esteem issues such as obesity, peer problems, long-term bullying
or academic problems
• Having a chronic medical illness such as cancer, diabetes or asthma
• Having been the victim or witness of physical/sexual abuse or violence
• Being a girl — depression occurs more often in females than in males
• Being gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender — becoming socially isolated or
experiencing bullying may increase the risk of depression
• Agitation or restlessness
• Use of alcohol or drugs
• Exaggerated self-blame or self-criticism
• Poor school performance or attendance
• Tiredness, loss of energy, insomnia or sleeping too much
• Feelings of sadness and/or crying spells for no apparent reason
• Irritability, frustration or feelings of anger, even over small matters
• Loss of interest or pleasure in normal activities, family and friends
• Feelings of worthlessness, guilt, fixation on past failures
• Trouble with memory, thinking, concentrating, decision-making
• Frequent thoughts of death, dying, suicide, or grim future
• Changes in appetite, dramatic weight loss or gain
• Frequent complaints of unexplained body aches and headaches
• Neglected appearance Disruptive or risky behavior
• Self-injury, such as cutting, burning, excessive piercing or tattooing
 Adolescents have trouble coping with the
stress of being a teen, such as dealing with
rejection, failure, breakups and family turmoil. They lack brain development,
maturity, and experience that would allow them to see that they can turn their
lives around — and that suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem.
Many teens who attempt or commit suicide have a mental health condition or
substance abuse problem.
 Factors that increase the risk of teen suicide include:
• Having a psychiatric disorder, such as depression
• A history of suicide attempts
• Family history of suicidal behavior
• Family history of mood disorder
• History of physical or sexual abuse
• Exposure to violence, such as being injured or
threatened with a weapon

Other factors, when combined with the above,

can also increase the risk, including:
• Access to means, such as firearms
• Use of alcohol or drugs
• Becoming pregnant
• Social isolation
• Exposure to suicide
• Loss or conflict with close friends or family members
• Talking about or hinting at suicide
• Talking about or writing about death
• Increased use of alcohol or drugs
• Feeling purposeless or hopeless
• Withdrawing from social contact
• Mood swings
• Changing normal routine, including eating or sleeping patterns
• Acting recklessly or aggressively
• Giving away belongings or getting affairs in order when there is no other
logical explanation for why this is being done
• Developing personality changes or being severely anxious or agitated
• Unexplained cuts or burns caused by self-injury
 About 8 out of 10 pregnancies among
adolescents are either unplanned or occurred
before the adolescents were ready to be
parents. One in six (18%) 15-year-old females
in the U.S. will give birth by her 20th birthday.
Abstinence from sexual intercourse is the most
effective way to prevent unplanned
pregnancies. In order to avoid unplanned
pregnancies, it is essential for adolescents who
are sexually active to use effective
contraceptives every time they have sex. But
only about 1/4th of teens use contraceptives the
first time they have sex… because that would
be an indication or admitting it was ‘planned’.
Out of all teen pregnancies, 57% end in birth.
Another 14% end in miscarriage (self-abortion).
29% end in abortion (medical termination).
Pregnant teens and their unborn babies have unique
medical risks, so are considered high-risk pregnancies:
• Lack of early prenatal care
• No pre-pregnancy prenatal vitamins, increasing
incidence of neural tube defects.
• Higher risk of pregnancy-induced hypertension and
preeclampsia (dangerous medical condition combining
high blood pressure with excess protein in the urine…
causes swelling and organ damage)
• Higher risk of Caesarian section delivery, since pelvic
bones do not reach their maximum size until about the
age of 18, and vaginal delivery is not possible
• Babies of teen mothers have a higher mortality rate in
the first year of life
• Higher rates of premature births and low birth-weight
babies (under 5.5 pounds), increasing risk of digestive,
respiratory, vision, cognitive, and other problems.
 Statistically, adolescents who have a baby are
less likely to finish high school, more likely to be
Children of teen parents have: poor as adults, and more likely to rely on public
Poorer cognitive and assistance than those who do not have a teen
educational outcomes, birth. Social circles change, and there is a higher
such as a lower likelihood risk of post-partum depression. The majority of
of completing high school adolescent mothers live with one of their parents.
and lower test scores;
more behavioral problems,
including higher levels of
fighting, delinquency, and
early sexual experience;
and poorer health
outcomes, such as a low
birth weight. They are not
being raised by mature
adults with experience in
good decision-making.
• Eight out of 10 teen dads don’t marry the mother
of their child.
• Only 1 in 5 mothers receive child support from a
teen father, statistically less than $800 annually.
• Teen fathers earn 10 to 15 percent less annually
(life-long) than men who wait to have children.
• Teen dads are less likely to finish high school than
their peers.
• Teen fathers are more likely to get involved with
criminal behavior, including alcohol and drug
abuse.
• Children who don't live with their fathers are five
times more likely to be poverty-stricken than
children with both parents at home.
• Unmarried fathers have rights and responsibilities
concerning custody, visitation and child support
until the child is 18, but they will need to take legal
action to obtain these rights and responsibilities.
There are almost twice as many deaths in the first year of life than there are in
the next 13 years total. Then, the death rate rises rapidly following puberty
because of the top 3 causes of death: deadly accidents, homicides, and
suicides. Automobile accidents account for the largest number of accidental
deaths, followed by drowning, fire, falls, and poisoning.
• Teens drivers tend to underestimate dangerous
situations or not be able to recognize hazardous
situations.
• Teen drivers are more likely to speed and allow
shorter distances between their car and the one
in front of them. Male drivers and the presence
of teenage passengers increases the likelihood
of risky driving behavior.
• Among adolescent male drivers involved in fatal
accidents, over 1/3rd are speeding and 1/4th have
been drinking.
• Compared with other age groups, teens have the
lowest rate of seat belt use.
• Half of teen deaths from motor vehicle crashes
occurred between 3 p.m. and midnight and over
half occur on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday.
• Newly licensed drivers are at a higher risk
among teen drivers.
Adolescents may be more accident prone. This could
be a physical, emotional, or social issue. Influential
factors:
• Teens tend to be impulsive, stressed, and easily
distracted, which could lead to accidents.
• Some are pushing themselves physically, in order to
excel in sports, etc. This can lead to poor judgment,
over-extending themselves, and sports injuries.
• Some teens deal with growth spurts that leave them
feeling clumsy and uncoordinated… and prone
to accidents.
• Adolescents are risk takers.
• Adolescents imagine that they are the center of
attention, and that everyone is watching them.
This causes some teens to take more risks, in
order to impress their peers.
Bullying includes harassment, physical harm,
repeatedly demeaning speech and efforts to
ostracize another person. Bullying is active, and is
done with the intention of bringing another person
down. There are different kinds of bullying:
Physical bullying: domination by kicking,
punching and other physically harmful activities,
designed to instill fear or coerce the victim to do
something.
Verbal bullying: using demeaning language to
tear down another's self-image; teasing, belittling,
and using sarcasm to hurt the other person's
feelings or humiliate them in front of others.
Emotional bullying: often subtle; aimed at getting
someone else to feel isolated, alone and depressed.
Electronic or cyber bullying: using instant
messaging, cell phone text messages and online
social networks to humiliate and embarrass others.
 Nearly 30 percent of teenagers in the U.S. have been involved
in bullying, either as a bully or as a victim of bullying.

Effects of teenage bullying:

• Obvious physical problems
and injuries that can result
from physical bullying.
• Emotional, verbal and cyber
bullying can deeply affect
teens, leading to depression,
suicide, drug use, isolation,
and long-term stunted social
development.
• In some cases, bullied teens
have violently reacted to
their tormentors in
retaliation.
 Why Do People Bully?
• In a culture fascinated with winning, power, and
violence, bullying is an acceptable way of
getting what you want.
• If the home, the school, or the workplace does
not have high standards for the way people treat
each other, then bullying may be more likely.
• Mass media promotes a lack of personal and
social skills, and turns them into comedy and
reality TV.
• Home environments that are not warm and
loving, that don’t encourage sharing of feelings,
or one in which discipline and monitoring are
inconsistent are perfect for raising bullies.
• Children who experience social rejection or
academic failure themselves are more likely to
"pass it on" to others.
• Some people bully others to have power.
 Many youth begin paid employment by age 12 in their own neighborhoods,
shoveling snow, mowing yards, babysitting, and doing odd jobs. By age 16 they
may have more formal jobs, working in fast food restaurants, in retail and
service sectors, and grocery stores.
Researchers across disciplines have studied
adolescent employment, including psychologists,
sociologists, and economists. There appears to be
pros and cons to that employment.

Youth themselves report that employment is good for

them, citing the acceptance of responsibility,
development of time-management skills, overcoming
shyness with adults, and handling money. Employment
makes them feel more like adults.
 Parents appear to support the idea of their adolescent children holding jobs.
While the minority of teens give their earnings directly to their parents, they do
use their money for clothes, food, gas, music, and more expensive leisure
activities. Some save a portion of their earnings for larger purchases or college.
In the long run, they do help their family economics by financing some of their
own needs and activities.
Critics of adolescents holding jobs
point out the fact that teens working
long hours at a job tend to have lower
school performance, lower career
aspirations, are less likely to go to
college, associate at work with adults
in entry level jobs who might not value
education, drink and smoke more, and
exhibit more behavioral problems.
 Teens entering adolescence
and high school with strong
Educators complain that teens often work too academic interests and
many hours at jobs. They come to school tired, goals tend to work fewer
have poorer academic performance, don’t have hours than those who
enough time for homework or to meet with express less interest in
teachers after school for extra help, have higher school and school
absenteeism and dropout rates, and avoid activities. These students
extracurricular activities. tend to be from higher
socioeconomic
backgrounds, and schedule
work around school,
extracurricular activities,
and family events.
The key to successful teen employment appears to be a healthy balance
between school, work, and family, as well as money management advice,
including the importance of saving.
 One of the most visible signs of changing cultural norms
for today's adolescents has been the movement of body art
into the mainstream. Once considered a mark of a rebel or
outcast, tattoos and numerous body piercings have become
very common, almost a rite of passage for teenagers.

The adolescent concepts of

‘personal fable’ and ‘imaginary
audience’ are strongly
supported by a teen’s
expression through body art.
Teens use body art for social
bonding with a peer group,
identity formation, or to
commemorate a friend or loved
one. They view tattoos and body
piercings as true beautification.
 Body art has some correlation to at-risk teens, with some
studies reporting a significant relationship between piercing
and substance abuse.
Other studies of high school youth have found that tattooing was significantly
associated with other high-risk behaviors, including sexual intercourse, binge
drinking, smoking, marijuana use, gang membership, truancy, and school failure.
Among college students, this frequency of high-risk behavior did not exist.
Since adolescent brain
development involving
judgment, decision-making, and
understanding of consequences
may not yet be fully developed,
teens may not understand that
some careers/professions
would not be suited to visible
body art. It could stand in the
way of some jobs or honors.

Another form of body art is
"gauging," which is the
insertion of progressively
larger circular discs into the
pinna of the ear, resulting in a
larger and larger opening that
can be filled with objects
ranging from corks to coins.
Piercing, tattooing, and guaging can cause a
variety of adverse reactions, depending on
body part. Tongue piercing may cause
damage to teeth and gums, including dental
fractures and changes in mastication and
speech. Permanent nerve damage can occur
with piercing of any body part, as can
scarring, rejection, and possible keloid
formation. The possibility for transmission of
hepatitis and HIV also exists.
In 1992, Jean S. Phinney developed the 3-stage theory of ethnic
development:
1. Unexamined ethnic identity – characterized by a lack of
interest or exploration; general acceptance of others opinions
2. Ethnic identity search – starts to think about, research, and
develop an ethnic identity, often due to a harsh or indirect event
3. Ethnic identity achievement – individuals have a clear sense of
their ethnic identity, and can navigate their bicultural identity
The adolescent compares themselves to others
in and out of their peer groups, and discover
their similarities and differences. Ethnic identity
represents the values of the culture, ethnic, or
racial group to which the person belongs. A
minority teen may find their ethnic standards
and values contradict those of majority peers.
Teenagers who are members of ethnic/racial minorities are the most vulnerable
to cultural conflicts.
They may be ‘stereotyped’: a widely-held but over-simplified image or idea of a
particular type of person.
They may be the target of ‘prejudice’: a preconceived opinion or bias that is not
based on reason, fact, or actual experience.
They may experience ‘discrimination’: unjust or prejudicial treatment of various
categories of people on the grounds of ethnic background, race, age, or sex.
 Ethnic identity refers to ‘country of origin’,
religious origin, where your ancestors lived, etc.
Examples: American, Canadian, German, Irish,
Chinese, Jewish, Christian, Muslim, etc.
Racial identity may be the same as ethnic
identity, but includes definite phenotypes:
observable characteristics of an individual, such
as skin color, hair type and color, eye shape, etc.
Examples: Black, Caucasian, Hispanic, Asian,
American Indian, etc.
Children become aware of their ethnic/racial
differences, but maturing adolescents express
pride in their heritage and comfort in their sense
of belonging to a group. An acceptance and
appreciation of diversity and all cultural
differences is the key to avoiding conflict and
being respectful of all people as individuals.
 Sexual orientation is part of the identity ‘crisis’ of adolescence, and is a term
frequently used to describe a person’s romantic, emotional or sexual attraction
to another person. A person attracted to another person of the same sex is said
to have a homosexual orientation and may be called gay (both men and women)
or lesbian. Individuals attracted to persons of the other sex are said to have a
heterosexual orientation. Individuals who are attracted to both men and women
are said to be bisexual. Same sex behavior has always existed; it is not a mental
illness. Reasons for it are still unknown. Sexual orientation does develop across
a person’s lifetime. Individuals maybe become aware at different points in their
lives that they are heterosexual, gay, lesbian, or bisexual.
“Coming out” is the term used to describe
the experience in which a person identifies
himself or herself as gay, lesbian or bisexual. Fears
and misunderstandings about homosexuality
present challenges to the development and
maintenance of a positive self-image in gay,
lesbian and bisexual persons and often to
their families as well. “Homophobia” is a term
that refers to the irrational fear and prejudice
against homosexual persons. Hate crimes are
prevalent. Gay and lesbian adolescents are often
taunted and humiliated in their school settings.
Many professional persons and employees in all
occupations are still fearful of identifying as gay or
lesbians in their work settings. Some states are
now legally recognizing gay rights and marriages.
 The concepts of egocentrism and imaginary audience
may be illustrated best by an adolescent’s appearance.
The teenager is very conscious of how others view
them. They believe they are on display for everyone to
see. It is important that they dress and groom
themselves in a manner acceptable to their peer group.
In a typical week, the average adolescent
spends more than 40 hours with some form
of mass media. As they are confronted with
bombarded with the stylish and popular
cultural icons, the adolescent struggles to
establish their OWN style and identity.
They revise their look to duplicate the ideal
appearance they and their peer group
admire. It is important to them to appear
‘up to date’ with fashion trends or to be
deliberately ‘retro’, not old-fashioned.
 Adolescent choices in
appearance might include
Clothing fashions
Accessories
Hair styles
Nail art
Body art
Shoe styles
Cosmetics
Skin tones, etc.