Youth (Teens & Adolescents) KNR 365

Disabilities or Issues

• Conduct disorders• Behavioral

disorders• Learning disorder• AD/HD• Autism Spectrum• PTSD• Anxiety disorders

• Reactive attachment disorder

• Depressive disorders

• Psychotic disorders

• Eating disorders• Oppositional

defiant disorder

Disabilities or Issues

• Adjudicated• Abuse & neglect• Substance abuse• Youth at risk• More…

Youth At RiskRobertson & Long, 2008

• At risk denotes a set of presumed cause-effect dynamics that place an individual child or adolescent in danger of future negative outcomes.

• At risk designates a situation that is not necessarily current but that can be anticipated in the absence of intervention

» McWhirter et al., 2004, p. 6

Youth At RiskRobertson & Long, 2008

• Teen pregnancy• Risky sexual

behavior• Youth gang

involvement• Poverty• Crime• Drug use• Social isolation

• Physical violence• Poor access to

health care• Physical inactivity• Obesity• Depression• Plus more

At-risk ContinuumMinimal Risk

• Favorable demographics– Higher socioeconomic status

• Positive family, school, and social interaction

• Limited psychosocial stressors

At-risk ContinuumRemote Risk

• Negative demographics

• Less positive family, school, and social interaction

• Some stressors

• Experiences of marginalization, oppression, racism

At-risk ContinuumHigh Risk

• Negative demographics• Negative family, school, and social interaction• Numerous stressors• Development of personal at-risk markers.

Negative attitudes, emotions, and skill deficiencies– Aggression, anxiety, conduct problems, mental

illness, hopelessness– Deficits in social skills & coping skills

At-risk ContinuumImminent Risk

• Negative demographics• Negative family, school, and social interactions• Numerous stressors• Development of personal at-risk markers.

Negative attitudes, emotions & skill deficits• Development of gateway behaviors & activities

– On brink of adopting deviant behaviors– Aggression toward other children & authority– Behaviors that can lead to juvenile delinquency

At-risk ContinuumAt-risk Category Activity

• Negative demographics• Negative family, school, and social interaction• At risk for more intense maladaptive behavior• Activity places them solidly in at-risk category• At risk for other categories• Their children will be at-risk

– More intense problems & maladaptive behaviors– Regularly truant from school– At risk of academic failure– Lack skills for advancing in life

Settings

• Inpatient & outpatient psych.– Lurie’s Children’s

Hospital of Chicagohttps://www.luriechildrens.org/en-us/Pages/index.aspx

– Highland Park Hospitalhttp://www.northshore.org/Psychiatry-Behavioral-Sciences/Clinical-Services/

– The Pavilionhttp://www.pavilionhospital.com/adolescent.html

• Residential– Cunningham

Children’s Homehttp://www.cunninghamhome.org/

– Epworth Children & Family Serviceshttp://www.epworth.org/

– Lawrence Hallhttp://www.lawrencehall.org/programs

Settings

• Criminal justice– Juvenile Justice System– Youth Detention Centers

• Foster care• School or alternative schools• Parks & recreation/SRA

– Teen Centers– Teen Programs

• Wilderness / outdoor – http://www.suws.com/

• More

Developmental Assets ModelWitt & Caldwell, 2005

• Search Institute

• 40 assets (20 internal & 20 external) deemed necessary for youth to move to adulthood

External Assets

• Support– Family Support: Family life provides high levels of

love & support– Positive Family Communication: Young person &

parent(s) communicate positively, and YP is willing to seek advice & counsel from parents

– Other Adult Relationships: YP receives support from 3 or more nonparent adults

– Caring Neighborhood: YP experiences caring neighbors

– Caring School Climate: School provides a caring, encouraging environment

– Parental Involvement in Schooling: Parent(s) are actively helping YP succeed in school

External Assets

• Empowerment– Community Values Youth: YPR perceives that adults

in community value youth– Youth as Resource: YP are given useful roles in the

community– Service to Others: YP serves in the community 1 hour

or more/week– Safety: YP feels safe at home, at school, and in the

neighborhood

External Assets

• Boundaries and Expectations– Family Boundaries: Family has clear rules &

consequences & monitors the YP’s whereabouts– School Boundaries: School provides clear rules &

consequences– Neighborhood Boundaries: Neighbors take

responsibility for monitoring YP’s behavior– Adult Role Models: Parent(s) & teachers encourage

the YP to do well– Positive Peer Influence: YP’s best friends model

responsible behavior– High Expectations: Both parent(s) and teachers

encourage the YP to do well

External Assets

• Constructive Use of Time– Creative Activities: YP spends 3 or more hours/week

in lessons or practice in music, theater, or other arts– Youth Programs: YP spends 3 or more hours/week in

sports, clubs, or organizations at school &/or in the community

– Religious Community: YP spends 1 or more hours/week in activities in a religious institution

– Time at Home: YP is out with friends “with nothing special to do” 2 or fewer nights/week

Internal Assets

• Commitment to Learning– Achievement Motivation: YP is motivated to do well in

school– School Engagement: YP is actively engaged in

learning– Homework: YP reports doing at lease 1 hour of

homework every school day– Bonding to School: YP cares about his/her school– Reading for Pleasure: YP reads for pleasure 3 or

more hours/week

Internal Assets

• Positive Values– Caring: YP places high value on helping other people– Equality & Social Justice: YP places high value on

promoting equality & reducing hunger and poverty– Integrity: YP acts on convictions & stands up for

beliefs– Honesty: YP “tells the truth even when it is not easy”– Responsibility: YP accepts & takes personal

responsibility– Restraint: YP believes it is important not to be

sexually active or to use alcohol or other drugs

Internal Assets

• Social Competencies– Planning and Decision Making: YP knows how to plan

ahead & make choices– Interpersonal Competence: YP has empathy,

sensitivity, & friendship skills– Cultural Competence: YP has knowledge of and

contact with people of different cultural/racial/ethnic backgrounds

– Resistance Skills: YP can resist negative peer pressure & dangerous situations

– Peaceful Conflict Resolutions: YP seeks to resolve conflict nonviolently

Internal Assets

• Positive Identity– Personal Power: YP feels s/he has control over

“things that happen to me”– Self-Esteem: YP reports having a high self-esteem– Sense of Purpose: YP reports that “my life has a

purpose”– Positive View of Personal Future: YP is optimistic

about personal future

Relationship Between Assets & Negative & Thriving Behaviors

Number of Assets

Negative Behaviors 0-10 11-20 21-30 31-40

Problem alcohol use 49% 27% 11% 3%

Violence 61% 38% 19% 7%

Illicit drug use 39% 18% 6% 1%

Sexual activity 32% 21% 11% 3%

Relationship Between Assets & Negative & Thriving Behaviors

Number of Assets

Thriving Behaviors 0-10 11-20 21-30 31-40

Succeeds in school 8% 17% 30% 47%

Maintains good health 26% 47% 69% 89%

Values diversity 36% 57% 74% 88%

Exhibits leadership 50% 65% 77% 85%

Casey Life Skills (CLS)http://www.casey.org/cls/assessments/LifeSkills.pdf

• Is a free tool that assesses the behaviors and competencies youth need to achieve their long term goals.

• It aims to set youth on their way toward developing healthy, productive lives.

• Examples of the life skills CLS helps youth self-evaluate include:– Maintaining healthy relationships– Work and study habits– Planning and goal-setting– Using community resources– Daily living activities– Budgeting and paying bills– Computer literacy– Their permanent connections to caring adults

Interventions

• Anger management

• Life skills• Drug & alcohol

programs• Coping skills• Relationship skills

• Cooperative games

• Sports• Sexual behaviors• Facebook &

social networking• Adventure

therapy– Teams course– Low & high ropes

Interventions

• Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans Midcourse Report (2013)– Intervention strategies for increasing physical activity

among youth aged 3-17 years

• http://health.gov/paguidelines/midcourse/

Skills

• Conflict resolution• Youth development• Behavior management• Ability to develop rapport• Ability to set boundaries• Process & debriefing skills

Self Harm

• What is self harm?

• Video

• Group work– Identify causes/reasons– Identify agencies with TR/RT– Identify interventions– Identify evidence-based practice