Community based programmes for adolescents receiving mental health services have been previously linked with the effective acquisition of knowledge, change in perceptions and attitudes, as well as change in behaviours. This article will detail how the new Teen Life Skills Programme was able to address some of the barriers and equip the…

The present study examined whether emotional abuse and neglect differentially predicted decreases in emotional clarity, and whether emotional clarity, in turn, predicted increases in depressive symptoms. Participants included 204 early adolescents (52% African American; 54% female; M age = 12.85 years) who completed four assessments with measures…

Recent findings suggest that perfectionism is highly prevalent among children and adolescents, and perfectionism can be quite destructive in terms of its links with anxiety, depression, and suicide. In this article, we provide an overview of recent research illustrating the costs and consequences of perfectionism among children and adolescents. We…

Lower socioeconomic status (SES) is widely accepted to have deleterious effects on the well-being and development of children and adolescents. However, rigorous meta-analytic methods have not been applied to determine the degree to which SES supports or limits children's and adolescents behavioural, cognitive and language development. While…

The current study examines longitudinal associations between light and heavy sexual experiences and psychiatric symptoms in African American adolescent girls receiving mental health care. Research supports bidirectional associations between adolescent romantic and sexual behaviors and depression and other mental health problems, but this finding…

Adolescent mothers and their children are at risk for a myriad of negative outcomes. This study examined risk and protective factors and their impact on a sample (N = 172) of impoverished adolescent mothers. Multiple regression analyses revealed that depressed adolescent mothers report higher levels of parenting stress and that their children are…

An empirically-guided program designed to empower at-risk youth through increased knowledge of depression and prevention resources was developed and implemented. Ninety-three court-involved adolescents participated in the "Moods Matter" project, a four-part psycho-educational group experience rooted in the principles of Rational Emotive Behavior…

Transdiagnostic approaches for treating multiple problems within a single protocol are novel but gaining support. This report describes initial efforts to adapt reconceptualized behavioral activation (e.g., Jacobson, Martell, & Dimidjian, 2001) to a group format suitable for young adolescents, plus add a powerful exposure component to accommodate…

Although widely available, little is known about the effectiveness of youth cessation treatments delivered in real-world settings. The authors recruited a nonprobability sample of 41 community-based group-format programs that treated at least 15 youth per year and included evidence-based treatment components. Data collection included longitudinal…

Describes University of Michigan's Child and Adolescent Mood Disorder Program (CAMDP), a program developed in 1988 and based on a medical specialty clinic model. Explains CAMDP staffing and patient identification; discusses assessment procedures, illustrated by case examples; and considers a variety of treatment options, including medication,…

Group CBT programs are widely used for assisting teenagers with anxiety, depression and other psychological problems. The majority of reported programs have targeted school or clinical populations however few have specifically targeted adolescents from highly troubled and disadvantaged backgrounds. This paper describes a group CBT program that was…

This paper describes the development of one high school peer counseling program created in response to a number of adolescent suicides and attempted suicides. The formation and activities of the interdisciplinary team (school social worker, school psychologist, school guidance counselor, health education teacher, and students) to develop and…

Four issues of the newsletter of the Hill Top Preparatory School (Rosemont, Pennsylvania) which provides secondary educational services to learning-disabled adolescents are presented. Issues typically have one or two major articles. Article titles and authors are as follows: "The Parents of Exceptional Children: What Helps Them Cope with…

This volume consists of 10 chapters which emphasize the latest research and theories about family, school, and community prevention programs and health promotion programs to improve the health status of children during the next decade. The goal of the volume is to influence the nation's policies and practices regarding children's health by raising…

This opening chapter provides an overview of the book. Chapter 2 of the book summarizes current data for problem behaviors among adolescents across five areas including: (1) substance abuse; (2) sexual behavior; (3) delinquency and violence; (4) depression and suicidal ideation; and (5) school failure. Next, chapter 3 addresses the efforts to stem…