Adolescent Risk Behaviors: Why Teens Experiment and Strategies to Keep Them Safe / Edition 1

by David A. Wolfe, Peter G. Jaffe, Claire V. Crooks

Overview

This book focuses on the crucial role that relationships play in the lives of teenagers. The authors particularly examine the ways that healthy relationships can help teens avoid such common risk behaviors as substance abuse, dating violence, sexual assault, and unsafe sexual practices. Addressing the current lack of effective prevention programs for teens, they present new strategies for encouraging healthy choices.
The book first traces differences between the "rules of relating" for boys and girls and discusses typical and atypical patterns of experimentation in teens. The authors identify the common link among risk behaviors: the relationship connection. In the second part of the book, they examine the principles of successful programs used by schools and communities to cultivate healthy adolescent development. An illuminating conclusion describes the key ingredients for engaging adolescents, their parents, teachers, and communities in the effort to promote healthy, nonviolent relationships among teens.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780300110807
Publisher:	Yale University Press
Publication date:	05/28/2006
Series:	Current Perspectives in Psychology
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	292
Product dimensions:	6.12(w) x 9.25(h) x (d)

About the Author

David A. Wolfe is Royal Bank of Canada Chair in Children’s Mental Health, director of the CAMH Centre for Prevention Science, and professor of psychology and psychiatry, University of Toronto. Peter G. Jaffe is professor and academic director, Centre for Violence Against Women and Children, University of Western Ontario. Claire Crooks is assistant professor, faculty of education, University of Western Ontario.

Editorial Reviews

"The authors focus on adolescent relationships, a wise choice but a daunting domain, and these authors are up to the challenge. Their perspective on intervention offers promise that will hopefully turn into evidence."—Kenneth A. Dodge, Duke University

Kenneth A. Dodge

"An important work focusing on how we might more practically and effectively promote well-being among adolescents."—Patrick Tolan, Institute of Juvenile Research, Chicago

Patrick H. Tolan

"From the first sentence to the last, this book demonstrates a blend of intellect and compassion. It is well grounded, with one foot in the world of rigorous research guided by developmental theory, and the other in a keen appreciation for the realities of prevention and intervention programming with adolescents and families."—James Garbarino, PhD, author of Lost Boys and See Jane Hit

James Garbarino