At the forefront of adolescents are what everyone views and judges’ teenagers by which is their behavior. Underlying that behavior is known as psychosocial problems. This behavior is viewed as drug use, defiance, criminal behavior, or depression. Psychosocial problems in adolescents consist of three broad groups, which are substance abuse, externalizing problems and internalizing problems. For the most part psychosocial problems during adolescents are a transition period and do not create long-term conflicts during adulthood. The psychosocial problems in adolescence vary widely with different areas and factors, and do not necessarily start during the adolescent years, but at an early age. The theories that have been …show more content…
In other words without a strong bond with parents or authority figures an individual can lose sense their of direction, and go down a different path. This path is not socially acceptable by society, and can cause unnecessary trouble for the individual.
Differential association theory expounds that negative behavior that an adolescent learns through their interactions with other people. This theory is most commonly found in criminal situations. Another example of differential association theory is found amongst gangs. A totally emotionally healthy adolescent can “run with the wrong crowd,” and learn and act out negative behavior. This falls in line with the model that adolescent’s need to be liked and will take risks to fill that need.
Problem behavior theory is thought to have resulted from an underlying trait of unconventionality. Problem behavior can surface when a teenager is externalizing their behavior. The problem behavior theory stems from an underlying trait and the social environment working together. These two combinations can be more difficult to recover from to find the road to a normal …show more content…
While we have discovered possible causes that the adolescents act in the manner they do, it is important to investigate further on how to prevent adolescents from going down this lonely, dark path. In the culture today both parents are forced to join the workforce leaving teenagers without proper supervision. When the parents are home they are too tired, and overworked to maintain proper supervision. In determining what would save adolescents from the life of crime or long-term problems, much attention must be focused not only by the parent, but the community as a whole.
References
Church II, W. T., Jaggers, J. W., & Taylor, J. K. (2012). Neighborhood, poverty, and negative behavior: an examination of differential association and social control theory. Children and Youth Services Reivew, 34(5), 1035-1041. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2012.02.005
Mares, S. H., van der Vorst, H., Engels, R. C., & Lichtwarck-Aschoff, A. (2011). Parental alcohol use, alcohol-related problems, and alcohol-specific attitudes, alcohol-specific communication, and adolescent excessive alcohol use and alcohol-related problems: An indirect path model. Addictive Behaviors, 36(3), 209-216. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2010.10.013
Steinberg, L. (2014). Adolescence. (10th ed.). New York, NY: