People face numerous psychological and developmental challenges across their lifespan. As a unique stage in human lifespan development, adolescence involves multiple changes in the child’s emotional, physical, and cognitive domains that often lead to crises and risky behaviors. The active phase of integrating into the society, the acquisition of social norms, self-control, and accomplishment among peers and institutions imposes significant challenges on teenagers. Therefore, in the process of acquiring the coping mechanisms with these challenges, a number of behavioral problems such as deviation, risky sexual behaviors, alcohol consumption, smoking, drug abuse, narcissism, and aggression occur. Such behavioral issues require competent therapeutic approaches capable of achieving effective results necessary to resolve the issues and contribute to a healthy and content life in the later stages of adulthood. Providers must cultivate effective communication in their relationships with adolescent patients to ensure the most beneficial therapy outcomes. The adequacy of communication strategy choices, cultural competence, and compliance with ethical principles applicable to the work with the identified group are pivotal aspects of qualified delivery of care.
Adolescence as the stage of transition from childhood to adulthood entails numerous behavioral issues. This phase of the life span is often referred to as “an emotionally charged, tumultuous time in one’s social, emotional, and physical development” that is dependent on peer influence and social environment (Kay & Wolf, 2017, p. 26). Under the strong influence of peers, adolescents engage in risky health-related behaviors, including substance abuse, risky sexual behaviors, smoking, or alcohol intake. Insecure position in social life contributes to teenagers’ strong connection with peers who constitute the core of their support. Similarly, emotional and cognitive development at the stage of adolescence implies puberty-related changes in the body, hormonal composition, and emotional control. Therefore, such behavioral issues as deviant behavior, narcissism, and aggression are commonly reported to be problematic in teenagers (Barry et al., 2017). Despite the fact that these issues occur naturally and are frequent for the majority of the representatives of this age group, the traumas and incapability to cope with the challenges might result in adverse outcomes at the later stages of life.
Indeed multiple research studies and statistical data demonstrate that childhood and adolescent experience have a major impact on the well-being and emotional development of individuals in their adulthood. According to Kay and Wolf (2017), there is a strong correlation between childhood trauma and the quality of life in adulthood. The researchers found that “of the 17,000 surveyed, approximately two-thirds of the adults had experienced one or more” of the adverse childhood experiences and were “likely to show medical, mental, or social problems as adults” (Kay & Wolf, 2017, p. 26). The same patterns in relationships between adolescent experiences and adulthood have been identified by Magai et al. (2018), who claims that the behavioral challenges encountered in teenage years lead to difficulties in employment, professional accomplishment, family life, mental health, and education. Therefore, it is essential to ensure that timely, relevant, and competent care is provided to adolescents in an attempt to help them resolve their behavioral issues. Such interventions might be effective and productive only if appropriate communication strategies capable of overcoming the relationship barriers are applied.
For a health care provider to deliver competent therapy, specific communication strategies should be applied to foster effective relationships with the clients within the group. Since the relationships with peers are vital for adolescents, it might be useful to initiate group therapy to engage teenagers in therapeutic activities that would interest the clients (Barry et al., 2017). The vulnerability of the emotional domain and the insufficient integration into the social life might be addressed by the provider’s ability to listen, express empathy and understanding, as well as encourage adolescents to share their feelings. It might be approached by the strategies of mirroring the non-verbal behavior of the client to demonstrate that a provider is a human being alike. Moreover, as claimed by Kay and Wolf (2017), an artful approach and creating coalitions might be useful communicative strategies to engage with adolescent clients. Indeed, the therapeutic relationship might be fostered through art activities that will help resolve behavioral issues.
Importantly, when delivering services to adolescents, particular cultural competence is required to ensure sensitivity and adequacy of care. The growing cultural and ethnic diversity of the population leads to emerging particularities specific to children and teenagers of different cultural groups. In the process of establishing culturally sensitive relationships with the identified age group, a provider should investigate and explore the general particularities of the culture and religion from which the client comes and the specific family-based values and beliefs. Furthermore, ethical considerations also apply to the validation of appropriate communication strategies in work with adolescents and their practical implementations. Each client should be treated with respect to their personality, dignity, and confidentiality of their data. The problems and behavioral challenges should be approached from the perspective of the solutions and the potential benefits of therapeutic care. The compliance with these cultural and ethical guidelines will ensure the effective therapeutic effect of the implemented interventions.
Conclusively, the provision of health care to the patients in adolescence requires professional knowledge of particular behavioral issues, the approaches to tackling those issues via communicative strategies, cultural competence, and ethical principles. Teenagers are prone to aggression, narcissism, emotional instability, deviant behavior, substance abuse, and other risky health and social behaviors. Competent care should be based on adequately chosen approaches to finding a personalized solution that integrates the psychological particularities of this age group.
References
Barry, C. T., Lui, J. H., & Anderson, A. C. (2017). Adolescent narcissism, aggression, and prosocial behavior: The relevance of socially desirable responding. Journal of Personality Assessment, 99(1), 46 – 55.
Kay, L., & Wolf, D. (2017). Artful coalitions: Challenging adverse adolescent experiences. Art Education, 70(5), 26 – 33.
Magai, D. N., Malik, J. A., & Koot, H. M. (2018). Emotional and behavioral problems in children and adolescents in Central Kenya. Child Psychiatry & Human Development, 49(4), 659 – 671.