What Are the Most Common Problems Facing the Family of a Drug-Abusing Adolescent?
The makeup and dynamics of the family are discussed in terms of the adolescent’s symptoms and the family’s problems. The Family Profile of a Drug-Abusing Adolescent Research shows that many adolescent behavior problems have common causes and that families, in particular, play a large role in those problems in many cases (Szapocznik and Coatsworth 1999). Some of the family problems that have been identified as linked to adolescent problem behaviors include: • Parental drug use or other antisocial behavior • Parental under- or over-involvement with the adolescent • Parental over- or under-control of the adolescent • Poor quality of parent-adolescent communication • Lack of clear rules and consequences for adolescent behavior • Inconsistent application of rules and consequences for adolescent behavior • Inadequate monitoring and management of the adolescent’s activities with peers • Lack of adult supervision of the adolescent’s activities with peers • Poor adolescent bonding to family • P
