Teens with Mental Disorders at Risk for Sexual Acting Out

If doctors and mental health professionals used a screening tool called the adolescent risk inventory (ARI), they could easily identify teens at risk for self-destructive behaviors, a new study indicates.

Researchers at Brown University administered the ARI to 134 teenagers with psychiatric disorders. The ARI has questions about sexual history, self-harm habits such as cutting, and attitudes about anger and acting out. They found that teens seen for mental health issues also have behavior risk issues that are neglected during routine exams.

Dr. Celia Lescano, author of the study, said there were intriguing relationships between emotional distress and high-risk sexual behavior. Teens who had suicidal thoughts and self-cutting habits were more likely to engage in risky sexual behaviors.

This study appears in Child Psychiatry and Human Development.

Adolescent Girls More Likely to Abuse Prescription Drugs

Boys use street drugs because they want to get high, but girls are more likely to abuse prescription drugs because they want to cope with problems or lose weight.

A new analysis of data by government researchers shows that teenage boys used substances like marijuana and cocaine at higher rates than girls. However, nearly one in ten adolescent girls reported using a prescription drug at least once in the past year compared to one in 13 of the boys.

Girls accounted for 55% of emergency room visits involving prescription drug abuse and for the majority (56%) of those treated for dependence on sedatives and antidepressants.

John Walters, Director of National Drug Control Policy, said that the study indicates that girls use drugs and alcohol to increase confidence, reduce tension, cope with problems, and to lose weight. However, boys typically abuse drugs and alcohol for "sensation-seeking" purposes.

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Sexual Harassment by Co-Workers Common Among Working Teens

Teens who take summer jobs are more likely to be subject to sexual harassment than older workers, according to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Inexperience, youth and low status on the job puts teens more at risk, and yet they are less likely to report incidents.

In fact, many parents file sexual harassment complaints with the EEOC in behalf of their teens. Last year complaints ranged from lewd comments to actual assaults by co-workers, employers and customers. About half the complaints were about co-workers. Females reported that other employees bit them, watched them change clothes, lifted up their skirts, etc.

About seven million teenagers are in the workforce.