The Promise Of Adolescence

Adolescenceâ€"beginning with the onset of puberty and ending in the mid-20sâ€"is a critical period of development during which key areas of the brain mature and develop. These changes in brain structure, function, and connectivity mark adolescence as a period of opportunity to discover new vistas, to form relationships with peers and adults, and to explore one's developing identity. It is also a period of resilience that can ameliorate childhood setbacks and set the stage for a thriving trajectory over the life course. Because adolescents comprise nearly one-fourth of the entire U.S. population, the nation needs policies and practices that will better leverage these developmental opportunities to harness the promise of adolescenceâ€"rather than focusing myopically on containing its risks. This report examines the neurobiological and socio-behavioral science of adolescent development and outlines how this knowledge can be applied, both to promote adolescent well-being, resilience, and development, and to rectify structural barriers and inequalities in opportunity, enabling all adolescents to flourish.

Adolescenceâ€"beginning with the onset of puberty and ending in the mid-20sâ€"is a critical period of development during which key areas of the brain mature and develop. These changes in brain structure, function, and connectivity mark adolescence as a period of opportunity to discover new vistas, to form relationships with peers and adults, and to explore one's developing identity. It is also a period of resilience that can ameliorate childhood setbacks and set the stage for a thriving trajectory over the life course. Because adolescents comprise nearly one-fourth of the entire U.S. population, the nation needs policies and practices that will better leverage these developmental opportunities to harness the promise of adolescenceâ€"rather than focusing myopically on containing its risks. This report examines the neurobiological and socio-behavioral science of adolescent development and outlines how this knowledge can be applied, both to promote adolescent well-being, resilience, and development, and to rectify structural barriers and inequalities in opportunity, enabling all adolescents to flourish.

Adolescence is a critical growth period in which youth develop essential skills that prepare them for adulthood. Prevention and intervention programs are designed to meet the needs of adolescents who require additional support and promote healthy behaviors and outcomes. To ensure the success of these efforts, it is essential that they include reliably identifiable techniques, strategies, or practices that have been proven effective. Promoting Positive Adolescent Health Behaviors and Outcomes: Thriving in the 21st Century identifies key program factors that can improve health outcomes related to adolescent behavior and provides evidence-based recommendations toward effective implementation of federal programming initiatives. This study explores normative adolescent development, the current landscape of adolescent risk behavior, core components of effective programs focused on optimal health, and recommendations for research, programs, and policies.

Our nation's youth hold the key to our future well-being. Investing generously in them will create a "more perfect union." That is the central message of this consensus report on the "promise of adolescence" sponsored by the Funders for Adolescent Science Translation, a consortium of foundations that came together with the aim of using science to produce more equitable and positive life outcomes for youth. This report takes its place in a sequence of National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine reports exploring the science of child and adolescent development that began with From Neurons to Neighborhoods, the path-breaking Institute of Medicine study on the science of early childhood development published in 2000.

Adolescence is a time of major transition, however, health care services in the United States today are not designed to help young people develop healthy routines, behaviors, and relationships that they can carry into their adult lives. While most adolescents at this stage of life are thriving, many of them have difficulty gaining access to necessary services; other engage in risky behaviors that can jeopardize their health during these formative years and also contribute to poor health outcomes in adulthood. Missed opportunities for disease prevention and health promotion are two major problematic features of our nation's health services system for adolescents. Recognizing that health care providers play an important role in fostering healthy behaviors among adolescents, Adolescent Health Services examines the health status of adolescents and reviews the separate and uncoordinated programs and services delivered in multiple public and private health care settings. The book provides guidance to administrators in public and private health care agencies, health care workers, guidance counselors, parents, school administrators, and policy makers on investing in, strengthening, and improving an integrated health system for adolescents.

This book is intended for prospective secondary teachers, university education and human development faculty and students, and in-service secondary school teachers. The text focuses on the current environment of adolescents. Physical growth, sexuality, nutrition, exercise, and substance abuse receive attention. Social development depends on consideration of advice given by peers and adults. Neuroscience insights are reported on information processing, attention and distraction. Detection of cheating, cyber abuse, and parental concerns are considered. Career exploration issues are discussed. Visual intelligence, creative thinking, and Internet learning are presented with ways to help students gauge risks, manage stress, and acquire resilience. Peers become the most prominent influence on social development during adolescence, and they recognize the Internet as their greatest resource for locating information. Teachers want to know how to unite these powerful sources of learning, peers and the Internet, to help adolescents acquire teamwork skills employers will expect of them. This goal is achieved by implementing Collaboration Integration Theory. Ten Cooperative Learning Exercises and Roles (CLEAR) at the end of chapters allow each student to choose one role per chapter. Insights gained from these roles are shared with teammates before work is submitted to the teacher. This approach enables students to select assignments, expands group learning, and makes everyone accountable for instruction. The adult teacher role becomes more creative as they design exercises and roles that differentiate team learning. Using Zoom or other platforms a teacher can observe or record cooperative team sharing. Involvement with CLEAR can enable prospective teachers to apply this system to empower their secondary students.

Adolescent Literacy discusses issues such as including English language learners, struggling readers, technology in the classroom, multimodal literacy, compelling writing instruction, teaching in a "flat world," engagement, and young adult literature. In addition Adolescent Literacy's assessment rubrics for teachers, administrators, and staff developers make it a resource for schoolwide and districtwide professional development, while its accompanying study guide is designed for small-group discussions. --From publisher's description.

Adolescence is a dynamic time for both brain development and social pressures, making it a critical period to understand mental, emotional, and behavioral health, yet it is often overlooked in terms of policies and service interventions, which makes many young people feel unheard when communicating their own challenges. To explore best practices in providing and supporting adolescent health services and key messaging and communication strategies related to the mental, emotional, and behavioral health of adolescents, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine's Forum for Children's Well-Being held a workshop on May 5, 2020. The workshop featured a panel of youth representatives who shared their own experiences related to mental, emotional, and behavioral health. This publication summarizes the presentation and discussion of the workshop.