NCJ Number
175424
Editor(s)
R J DiClemente,
W B Hansen,
L E Ponton
Date Published
1996
Length
463 pages
Annotation
This book describes the epidemiologic trends associated with specific adolescent risk behaviors, assesses a broad array of preventive strategies, and evaluates the efficacy of treatment modalities.
Abstract
A multidisciplinary group of researchers and clinicians, all with extensive experience working with adolescents, offers a variety of perspectives with direct relevance, implications, and practical strategies for promoting the health and well-being of adolescents. The introductory chapter provides an overview of the impact of adolescent risk behaviors on health and well-being, and assesses the role of prevention and treatment interventions for reducing these behaviors. This is followed by a paper that analyzes temporal trends in adolescent morbidity and mortality, and another paper that describes a biopsychosocial model for understanding the factors that influence adolescent risk-taking behaviors. The next group of chapters addresses specific adolescent risk behaviors. Each chapter follows a similar format; it describes the scope of the problem and the epidemiology associated with a particular risk behavior, assesses prevention strategies, and describes and evaluates treatment modalities. The health issues addressed are tobacco use, disordered eating, alcohol use, drug use, suicide and suicidal behavior, unintentional injury, delinquency, violence, adolescent pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, runaway and homeless youth, and academic underachievement and school refusal. The concluding chapter examines new directions for adolescent risk prevention and health-promotion research and interventions. Chapter references and a subject index