Reference no: EM133485599
During times of stress, adolescents frequently regress to earlier stages of development (e.g., reading books from an earlier period of childhood, organizing or assessing a doll collection).
Short-lived patterns of regressive behavior (i.e., less than a few weeks) do not warrant particular clinical attention.
Becoming increasingly engrossed in more childlike activities does not necessarily represent a significant problem but may be viewed as a marker for additional attention.
Adolescents often experiment with edgy topics and behaviors, but clinicians are obliged to understand teen pop culture to assess the degree of pathology associated with a particular form of interest or behavioral manifestation.
Sexual behavior is a huge part of adolescence; ergo, experimentation is normal and expected.
Clinicians are encouraged to assist teens to understand the risks of their behavior and to serve as a nonjudgmental source of information and guidance.
Be aware of the distinction between intermittent experimentation and enduring patterns of problem behavior.
Investigate whether problem behavior began in adolescence.
Most of the problems experienced in adolescence will be resolved by early adulthood.
Understand that problem behavior does not result from adolescence itself.
Distinguish adolescents who display only one type of problem behavior from adolescents who display multiple or co-occurring problems.
Determine if an adolescent's behaviors are defined as problems by parents but not peers or by both parents and peers"