Continuing Nursing Education
Problem Behaviors in Adolescents
Robin Bartlett, Diane Holditch-Davis, and Michael Belyea
A fifth or more of a nationally representative sample of school-attending adolescents report engaging in problem behaviors such as
skipping school, using alcohol, fighting, shoplifting, and stealing. A
smaller but significant number of adolescents report engaging in
risky sexual behaviors. All of these behaviors have potentially serious
consequences for adolescents, their family and friends, their
school, and society. Nurses are in a unique position to help identify
these behaviors in adolescents, educate school personnel about the
behaviors, educate adolescents about the risks they face when they
engage in these behaviors, and assist parents to access the
resources they need to help children who may be engaging in these
problem behaviors.
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