NCJ Number
134689
Journal
Journal of Adolescent Chemical Dependency Volume: 1 Issue: 4 Dated: (1991) Pages: 25-47
Date Published
1991
Length
23 pages
Annotation
Pathological gambling is an increasing problem among adolescents and, like drug abuse, requires appropriate treatment by professionals who clearly understand issues of normal and abnormal adolescent development, adolescents from dysfunctional families, and drug abuse and other addictive behaviors.
Abstract
Adolescent development is influenced by relationships and environments and will be helped or hindered through the interactional process involving the youth, family, friends, and institutions. Anna Freud has defined the issues of adolescence as the task of dealing with impulses. Children of abusive and chemically dependent parents are at particular risk of becoming drug abusers or pathological gamblers. In addition, society's emphasis on excessiveness, externals, and the easy life makes the increasing numbers of adolescent behavior problems, psychological problems, and suicides unsurprising. Treatment using a cognitive behavioral, relapse prevention model seems best suited to the adolescent addictive experience because it focuses attention on the primary aspects of the disorder while helping to address the adolescent's developmental need. Crucial elements of successful treatment include an accurate and comprehensive family assessment and a detailed cognitive and behavioral assessment of the addicted adolescent. 47 references