The amount of truancy cases processed by juvenile courts increased by a steep 67 percent between 1995 and 2007, as detailed by the American Bar Association. In short, this type of absenteeism is a common and widespread issue for the country’s youth. Learning key information about truancy and what causes this behavior can provide people […]

Through a sense of personal identity and a goal-oriented structure, teens who have classified themselves as “straight edge” have also found a healthy lifestyle practice that extends beyond its musical roots. In the 2012 article, “‘We Sing For Change’: Straight Edge Punk & Social Change,” Francis Stewart, Ph.D., from the University of Stirling defined straight […]

Cellphones with internet access and more advanced capabilities, also known as smartphones, have quickly become the centerpiece in many people’s lives. While this technology has helped connect countless individuals with others and sources of information across the world, many critics and studies cite cellphones as a major contributor to an increasing trend of mental distraction, […]

While teens have a general idea of what a bully is, they may still lack the practical knowledge of how to deal with it directly in day-to-day life. Fortunately, numerous academic observations have helped outline what bullying behavior looks like and how to address it effectively. Prominent aspects of a bully Dartmouth College provided a […]

When people consume an illicit drug, their brains experience powerfully euphoric feelings due to the chemical release of dopamine. The pleasure that dopamine causes can establish a repetitive and possibly abusive relationship with that form of stimulation, whether it is drugs or another rewarding experience. Growing research is beginning to show a similar process that […]

Similar to how parenting styles can determine how a growing child behaves during his or her developing years, siblings can similarly affect actions as well. Related research supports that adolescence may be a vulnerable period for siblings to negatively influence each other’s behavior, as teens have shown to be more biologically susceptible to risky and […]

In the 2011 publication, “Hovering Too Close: The Ramifications of Helicopter Parenting in Higher Education,” the term helicopter parenting is characterized by a strict pattern of behavior committed by parents that involves various forms of excessive guidance throughout their child’s development. Beginning from birth, parents will continue hovering over their offspring during their teen years […]

The reasons why alcohol abuse and alcoholism are strongly tied to traumatic life stressors are varied. Equipping oneself with effective coping skills is one particular step a teen must take as he or she gets closer to adulthood. Sometimes, certain negative experiences can leave one disarmed and susceptible to self-destructive coping mechanisms instead. Teens cite […]

There are common priorities that teenagers hold to high social standards. Two of the top goals include learning how to drive and fitting in with their peers. Unfortunately, when fitting in leads to experimenting with alcohol and is combined with driving under the influence, the consequences can be dire and even fatal. There is a […]

Getting a driver’s license is a common coming-of-age ritual for adolescents across the United States, but road accidents are also the leading cause of teenage mortality. According to a recent experiment in 2015, teens were observed throughout a 35-minute driving simulation, which put participants through 22 different scenarios. Lead Researcher Catherine McDonald, Ph.D., R.N., from […]