NCJ Number
191230
Date Published
2001
Length
14 pages
Annotation
In this introductory article, Elena O. Nightingale and Baruch Fischhoff introduce the subject of adolescent risk and vulnerability. They summarize the papers presented in this volume.
Abstract
This volume described the workshop entitled Adolescent Risk and Vulnerability: Setting Priorities, which drew experts ranging from health to economics, decision science, and psychology, in order to apply these multiple perspectives to improving the well-being and future prospects of adolescents in the United States. The following provides brief summaries of the papers. Perceptions of Risk and Vulnerability examines the beliefs underlying adolescents’ decisions, with particular attention to how to evaluate their competence. The authors found that the scientific literature did not support the notion that adolescents viewed themselves as uniquely invulnerable to harm. Vulnerability, Risk, and Protection presents a model for understanding the vulnerability of adolescents to undesirable outcomes, from the individual to the macro level. Using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health), the authors applied the model to evaluating the effects of protective factors on risky behaviors, such as violence, cocaine use, and sexual intercourse. Meaningful interventions require understanding of the interactions and complexities of these processes. Modeling the Payoffs of Intervention to Reduce Vulnerability emphasized that adolescents establish behavior patterns and activities such as smoking and sexual activity that affect their lifetime well-being. These long-term consequences can be ignored, leading to insufficient investment in adolescents. Adolescent Vulnerability: Measurement and Priority Setting discussed adolescents’ concerns about their future well-being, reflecting concerns about their own invulnerability. An understanding of adolescents requires knowing their total burden as well as the size of the component parts. References