Adolescents and Their Families

This comprehensive book introduces and integrates adolescent developmental themes and family system theory into a coherent assessment and intervention model. Author Mark Worden views the adolescent as active in shaping the family interactions as much as the family is influential in shaping the adolescent’s behavior. He takes a pragmatic approach to therapy, emphasizing what best explains the clinical phenomena and what works best for change. To this end, a heavy emphasis is placed on the process of evaluation and intervention of adolescents and their families with typical therapeutic dilemmas. This practical book is organized to take the reader through the first evaluation interview, through the planning of intervention strategies, and through the beginning, middle, and termination phases of treatment. Case examples bring Adolescents and Their Families to life, highlighting conceptual discussions. Topics discussed in this important book range from the integration of adolescent and family psychology, to the employment of a contextual-dialectic (“goodness-of-fit”) paradigm to evaluate adolescent-family interface, to matching the intervention with the family. A step-by-step discussion of the first interview and diverse intervention strategies are discussed, as are frequent clinical syndromes--acting-out, underachievement, eating disorders, divorce/single parenthood, depression, and suicide. Graduate students and clinicians will find this appealing book an ideal resource, as will experienced therapists beginning to work with adolescents and families. The book will also serve as an excellent primary or ancillary text for graduate courses in psychotherapy with adolescents and in family therapy courses. High school guidance counselors, social workers, and psychologists will also find many valuable applications in this timely book.