News, Advice, and Tips for Parenting Teenagers

Children and teenagers who are attacked by their peers are less likely to be victimized again if they undergo training in how to avoid conflicts, according to a study from the Johns Hopkins University Children's Center.

Dr. Tina Cheng and her colleagues studied 113 children ages 10 to 15 years old who had been treated for assault injuries in hospitals, including gunshot and knife wounds. Half received six sessions of counseling and three home visits; the other half was referred to community services.

The ones who received counseling, including advice on how to avoid triggering anger in others and how to get out of dangerous situations, had 25 percent fewer fights and 42 percent fewer fist injuries over the following six months compared to the control group.

"When we see youth with assault injuries in Emergency Rooms, we have a golden opportunity to step in and interrupt this cycle," Dr. Cheng said.

This study appeared in the Journal of Pediatrics.

Teen Suicide Linked to Losses Related to Family, School, Romance

The common denominator of teen suicide is loss, according to a new study from Hawaii. Hawaii has the highest rate of teen suicide - twice the national average.

Dan Galanis, author of the study, said that parents and teachers need to be alert when a teenager talks about committing suicide. Over 40 percent of those in the study talked about it before actually killing themselves.

Galanis found that boys commit suicide at three times the rate of girls, and that 75 percent of those who kill themselves have mental problems. The most frequent reason for teen suicide is a sense of loss - usually related to family, romance or school.

Labels: violence, counseling, therapy

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Let's face it: We live in a world where bad things happen. If something traumatic happens to your family, or in your neighborhood, your kids will need to process their emotions - and they may need some help from you.

"Stick to routines. It is easiest for children to deal with stress when they feel comfortable and know what to expect. Minimize exposure to the media. Do not let children repeatedly view footage of traumatic events, and avoid letting them watch footage alone."

Take some extra time to reassure your child that she is safe, and talk about what happened in terms your child can understand. Because children process trauma at differing rates, be sure to give your child plenty of opportunities to ask questions and talk about how they're feeling. Source: WISinfo

Labels: trauma, stress, therapy

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Children who have been sexually abused benefit from psychological interventions, although many can improve on their own, according to a new study from Western Illinois University and Northern Illinois University.

Professors Melanie Hetzel-Riggins, Amy Braugh, and Brad Montgomery analyzed the results of twenty-eight studies on sexually abused teenagers and children. They concluded that those who undergo cognitive-behavioral therapy or abuse-specific therapy achieve the best results, especially if it is a long-term therapy. Therapies ideally tailored to each individual work best. If the abuse occurred within the child's family system, it is harder to treat.

This study appears in the August 2007 issue of Child Sexual Abuse and Neglect.

Equine therapy or Animal assisted therapy can reach kids who haven't responded to traditional talk therapy. Visit Animal-assistedTherapy.com to learn more.

Labels: research, abuse, therapy

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Maybe you have heard the buzz about brat camp and wonder what exactly a brat camp is. Last summer ABC produced a show called Brat Camp and followed students at a wilderness therapy program in Oregon as they went through the therapeutic experience in the outdoors. Brat Camp might sound a bit derogatory, but that's just television for you - sensationalizing for the biggest impact. In actuality these are very serious therapeutic programs that have been shown to be highly effective in helping all types of teens who might be struggling at home or at school.

A conclusive study on the effectiveness of wilderness programs in treating substance abuse issues was published in 2007.

So if your teen is struggling in school or showing other signs of behavioral or emotional problems, you may want to learn more about brat camp by visit www.bratcamps.com.

Labels: therapy, wilderness programs, brat camp

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