Reluctant teens need brief intervention to deal with stresses of modern life

Main Category: Public Health
Article Date: 17 May 2004 - 0:00 PDT


Brief intervention is the best way to help teenagers cope with the stresses and strains of modern life, according to UK child adolescent psychotherapist Rachel Pick.

Based on her work in a university health centre, Ms Pick said that teenagers tended to be uninterested in going into psychotherapy and were reluctant to acknowledge that they needed help during this intense period of change.

Support was about understanding the teenager and 'getting into their mind', she said. 'They need time and space to grow and be listened to… we need to understand more.'

Adolescents and their parents were living at a time of rapid social change and had to cope with a combination of internal and external pressures.

'Teenagers are in a physical, emotional and sexual whirlwind. It's a time of experimenting, sorting out an identity and trying out different friendships and peer groups.'

At this time of challenging and questioning authority, it was important that parents and schools maintained a firm line, giving young people consistent boundaries for behaviour, but allowing some leeway.

'Teenagers swing from one emotion to another, from extreme independence to being very needy and vulnerable,' said Ms Pick. Those dealing with them needed to be aware of this swing.

Parents needed to be made to realise the extra pressure they could unwittingly put on their teenagers by wanting them to be responsible, hardworking, and successful like their siblings.

Environmental pressures of a 'work-dominated culture' and constant exams were already tough on this age group. Peer groups added extra pressure to conform, be 'cool' and experiment with drink, drugs and sex. Many teenagers had financial worries about not getting a job and there was pressure from the media to be thin, beautiful, rich and maintain a certain lifestyle.

Educating parents and keeping an open dialogue with teenagers was a practical way of supporting teenagers, said Ms Pick. 'Examine the meaning behind their behaviour - remember your own teenage years,' she suggested.

Schools had a central role to play, by providing pastoral care systems and peer support, good school-home contact, a supportive environment and an effective anti-bullying policy.

'Particularly, they need to give the message that it's not uncool to get help,' she said. Young men were particularly vulnerable, 'as they don't talk to each other as much as girls and have higher suicide rates'.

Increasing emotional literacy within schools was proving an effective initiative, through training year heads and learning mentors as well as health visitors and school nurses, to give 'easy access to services, in a palatable form'.

Source: http://www.publichealthnews.com

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