Psychosocial Problems in Adolescence

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Psychosocial Problems in Adolescence

• Internalizing Problems

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Psychosocial Problems

• Externalizing
• Problems directed outward, rather than inward
  toward the self
• Internalizing
• Distress is turned inward on the self
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Eating disorders

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Quiz

• Name, class time, date
• How is control related to externalizing problems?
• To internalizing problems?

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Control

• Externalizing
• Lack of parental control, monitoring
• Lack of self-control

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Control

• Internalizing
• Overcontrol
• Self-punishing
• Parents too enmeshed

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Comorbidity of Internalizing Problems

• Depression
• Distress, anxiety
• Eating disorders
• Most difficult when both external-internalizing
  problems

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Problems Gender

• Internalizing more common among females
• Externalizing more common among males

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Internalizing Problems

• Depression-general term sad
• Depressed mood-sadness alone
• Depressive syndrome-sad with symptoms
• Depressive disorder-clinical diagnosis

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Internalizing Problems

• Depressive disorder-clinical diagnosis
• Sad one year
• 2 or more symptoms
• Significantly impaired functioning
• Rare in adolescence, 3-7

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Internalizing Problems

• Depressed mood peaks in
• mid adolescence
• 35 in last 6 months
• Rises 10-17
• Declines 17 through 20s

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4 Depression Symptom Types

• Emotional
• Cognitive
• Motivational
• Physical

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More Vulnerable to Stress When

• Multiple stressors
• No other resources
• Use poor coping strategies

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Internalizing Problems

• Diathesis stress model
• Genetic or biological vulnerability for X can
  be exacerbated by situational factors

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Internalizing Problems

• Depression situations
• Parents unemotional
• High family conflict
• Money problems
• Parents divorce
• Little time with friends
• Rejected by peers

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Internalizing Problems

• Eating disorders situations
• Parents warm but very controlling
• Sexual abuse
• Cultural emphasis on slimness
• High exposure to media
• Food only thing can be controlled
• Desire to please

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Suicide
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Suicide

• 1 in 3 teens report suicidal thoughts
• 1 in 6 teens report an attempt
• Common causes of death 15-19
• 1 Auto accidents
• 2 Homicide
• 3 Suicide

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Suicide

• Small number of teen suicides, about 2000/year,
  but
• Teen suicide 4x higher than 1950s
• Underestimate, some accidents were suicide

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Suicide Gender

• Females attempt suicide 4x more than males
• Males complete suicide 4x more than females

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4 Risk Factors for Suicide

• 1 Psychiatric problem
• Depression
• Substance abuse
• 2 Family history of suicide

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4 Risk Factors for Suicide

• 3 Family problems
• Conflict, disruption
• Parental rejection
• 4 Stress
• Achievement
• Sexuality

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Suicide Warning Signs

• Communicates intention
• Previous attempt
• Gives away possessions
• Sudden improvement in mood
• Unusual changes in behavior
• Changes in sleep patterns
• Sloppy appearance if unusual

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Suicide Warning Signs

• Humiliating event
• Feel guilty
• Feel hopeless
• Suicide plan
• The more specific, the more dangerous
• Homosexual

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Principles

• Occasional vs. enduring patterns
• Problems originate in adolescence vs. earlier
  ages
• Many adolescent problems are transitory
• Problem behavior is virtually never due to
  normative changes of adolescence

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The End