OVERVIEW

This handbook provides parents with information to distinguish between normal behavior and serious disorders. "Getting through adolescence is one of the most difficult challenges children and their parents face." So goes the opening line on the jacket of this book, a book that because of its content, wisdom, and insight can, in fact, make a difference to the futures of countless teens.

Surviving Adolescence is a wonderful contribution to both the parent and adolescent for understanding, perceiving, explaining, and offering solutions to problems that seem to mark the adolescent years. It helps to distinguish the fine line between normal and abnormal behavior. The areas addressed often involve loss, transition, family dysfunction, or extreme stress—all of which can evolve to actual disorders with shattering consequences.

The first two chapters of the book describe the norms of today’s adolescents. The next eight chapters delve into troubled teens’ scenarios by addressing such topics as depression, substance abuse, learning disabilities, conduct, eating, anxiety disorders, and suicide. The final chapters explore treatment options and conclude with the hope, through prevention, of a "happy ending" for both the teen and the parents.

The pages are packed with charts that provide the reader opportunities to measure themselves and interact with the material being presented. The book clearly and concisely presents statistics and information. The national resource list in the appendix is an added bonus to the information offered.

CONCLUSION

This book would be at least recommended reading if not required textbook reading for courses on troubled youth. Readers will be able to identify normal youth behavior in today’s world and will learn how basic teenage turmoil can take root. It will help one recognize the symptoms of a teen in pain and further give one the confidence that something can be done about it. "To grow without fear, without pain, to understand and accept our problems and learn more realistic and better ways to cope, is the goal not only for my treatment program, but for every teen and every adult. The bottom line is always growth. And as William Safire once said, ‘Below the bottom line is freedom’ " (p. 230).

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION AND DISCUSSION

1. What would be a good working definition of a troubled teen?
2. Are there guidelines to know when kids are struggling with regular adolescent stuff or when one’s situation needs professional discernment? What are some of these guidelines?
3. What kinds referrals would appear on a list that could serve your church or community and help people with a troubled teen?

IMPLICATIONS

1. Adolescence is an interesting period of time. Many events and situations, combined with physical growth and new feelings, can make it difficult and confusing.
2. Resources such as this book are important. It peers into the heart and soul of a teen and helps adults understand and guide those for whom they are responsible.
3. There are many situations in a teen’s life that balance the "fine line". This book offers ways of recognizing those situations and suggests how caregivers can influence kids toward positive directions, saving them from potentially negative, destructive consequences.

Anne Montague cCYS