Published in 1983. Adolescence is a period of change for all and turmoil for some. Many adolescents have problems which are easily identified but for others the problems are more subtle. There is an interaction between their own difficulties and the systems of home, school and their own society. In this case, problems, which are very real, are more difficult to define and to deal with. This book aims to help teachers to recognise and understand the common problems of adolescents, as they are relevant to their schooling. In addition, suggestions are made to help both teachers and adolescents overcome these difficulties. Besides the more immediately obvious issues of learning and behaviour, there is also discussion of sexual behaviour, vandalism and substance abuse. Throughout the book the common theme is that all problem behaviour must be understood and acted upon within a context, and not regarded as examples of individual delinquency. Finally, the implications of the 1981 Education Act and its impact on teachers is considered. Under this law, a much wider range of young people will be deemed to have special educational needs. Consequently, all teachers of adolescents will need to be aware of the issues raised and discussed in this book.

Adolescenceâ€"beginning with the onset of puberty and ending in the mid-20sâ€"is a critical period of development during which key areas of the brain mature and develop. These changes in brain structure, function, and connectivity mark adolescence as a period of opportunity to discover new vistas, to form relationships with peers and adults, and to explore one's developing identity. It is also a period of resilience that can ameliorate childhood setbacks and set the stage for a thriving trajectory over the life course. Because adolescents comprise nearly one-fourth of the entire U.S. population, the nation needs policies and practices that will better leverage these developmental opportunities to harness the promise of adolescenceâ€"rather than focusing myopically on containing its risks. This report examines the neurobiological and socio-behavioral science of adolescent development and outlines how this knowledge can be applied, both to promote adolescent well-being, resilience, and development, and to rectify structural barriers and inequalities in opportunity, enabling all adolescents to flourish.

In Massachusetts, a 12-year-old girl delivering newspapers is killed when a car strikes her bicycle. In Los Angeles, a 14-year-old boy repeatedly falls asleep in class, exhausted from his evening job. Although children and adolescents may benefit from working, there may also be negative social effects and sometimes danger in their jobs. Protecting Youth at Work looks at what is known about work done by children and adolescents and the effects of that work on their physical and emotional health and social functioning. The committee recommends specific initiatives for legislators, regulators, researchers, and employers. This book provides historical perspective on working children and adolescents in America and explores the framework of child labor laws that govern that work. The committee presents a wide range of data and analysis on the scope of youth employment, factors that put children and adolescents at risk in the workplace, and the positive and negative effects of employment, including data on educational attainment and lifestyle choices. Protecting Youth at Work also includes discussions of special issues for minority and disadvantaged youth, young workers in agriculture, and children who work in family-owned businesses.

Adolescence is a time when youth make decisions, both good and bad, that have consequences for the rest of their lives. Some of these decisions put them at risk of lifelong health problems, injury, or death. The Institute of Medicine held three public workshops between 2008 and 2009 to provide a venue for researchers, health care providers, and community leaders to discuss strategies to improve adolescent health.

The articles in this volume illustrate how development is propelled by the bidirectional relations that occur between the person and all levels of the context. The authors argue that adolescent life is embedded in a complicated developmental system involving multiple features of the individual (e.g., biology, emotions, personality, and cognition) and the multiple levels of his or her social ecology (e.g., peers, family, school, the workplace, and the public policy and legal systems that structure and impact behavioural opportunities for and the actions of adolescents). These articles have important implications for the design of interventions aimed at adolescent problem behaviours.