Adolescence: Contemporary Issues and Resources Paper

Adolescence: Contemporary Issues and Resources Paper

Adolescence: Contemporary Issues and Resources Paper

            The adolescence period marks the transition between childhood and adulthood with ages between 12 and 20 as the hallmark. This period is marked by changes in various aspects of life that determine behavior and interactions. Some of the noticeable changes in adolescence include physical, psychological, sexual, cognitive, and emotional changes that may cause anxiety and anticipation for both the family and the individual (Bernaras et al., 2019). These changes further affect the behavior and thinking of adolescents and can result in various contemporary issues. Among the many contemporary issues, teenage depression is a common issue yet given minimal attention in various settings (World Health Organization, 2021). Addressing teenage depression is paramount to prevent reoccurrence as well as improve the health of teenagers as they transform into adulthood. Therefore, this current paper will address various issues regarding teenage depression including a description of the issue, external stressors, assessment strategies, and support options for adolescents with depression.

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Teenage Depression

            Depression is among the major contemporary issues affecting teenagers as much as it is affecting many people worldwide. Teenagers with depression often feel sad, lose interest in pleasurable activities, loss of energy, reduced self-esteem, and are at increased risk of committing suicide. In addition to feeling sad, depression affects the functional, physical, and emotions of an individual. Depression continues to affect many people with over 300 million people affected worldwide as presented in the World Health Organization report (WHO, 2021). Furthermore, a report by Mental Health America indicates an increase in the prevalence of depression among youth to 9.7% from 9.2% in 2020; with around 3.2 million teens experiencing an episode of major depressive episodes. Sadly, up to 60% of teens with depression are not receiving any form of treatment with most youths defaulting to the treatment options available (Selph & McDonagh, 2019). These trends indicate the risk of increasing the prevalence as well as poor health outcomes if the issue is not addressed sufficiently. According to America`s Health Rankings (2021), cases of suicide due to depression are likely to increase in the future among teens.

External Stressors.

            Several external stressors have been identified to e associated with depression in teenagers. Bullying which can occur in the form of an emotional or physical kind is one of the external stressors. Teenagers especially those with issues such as obesity, disability, gender minority groups, or minority ethnics face either verbal or physical bullying each day (Selph & McDonagh, 2019). Additionally, the rise of the use of the internet has also contributed to more cases of bullying with cyberbullying becoming a menace in society. Regardless of either form of bullying experienced, the victims are usually deeply, increasing their risk of developing depression (Bernaras et al., 2019). Family crisis in the form of parents` separation, divorce, or violent livelihoods. Any form of family disharmony affects the teenagers most and acts as a stressor to depression. Finally, other stressors include peer pressure, pressure for excelling in academics, drug abuse, and stigma stressors contributing to depression.

Assessment Strategies

            Like assessments for other conditions, assessing depression is no different. The head-to-toe assessment in terms of history and physical examination is followed. History will help the nurse in identifying the various stressors, effects, and potential complications that accompany depression (Bernaras et al., 2019). Using the best communication strategy and active engagement of the patient will help in finding a good history. Sometimes, close family members are included to corroborate the history. In addition to history, a head-to-toe assessment should follow to highlight various issues that may present in depressed individuals. Keen observation of the mood, behavior, interactions, and conversation. Checking for vital signs and other problems related to physical, emotional, and functional should be assessed. Conducting a mental status examination will enable the nurse to identify the various aspects of health in teenagers with depression. Features of depression such as low mood, suicide ideation, impaired judgment, slowed thinking and speech, and troubles in thinking and concentration which are common in depression can be assessed during a mental state exam.

After completing the assessment, the patient should be educated about confidentiality affirming the need to keep patient information private. Confidentiality is among the ethical principles that protect sharing of information without patient consent. Both guardians and patients should understand its importance (Bernaras et al., 2019). However, a breach of confidentiality may happen in the case of depressed individuals’ intent to harm themselves or harm others. Committing suicide is the most common self-harm activity among teenagers with depression and a major cause of death in this population. Patients should be made aware of instances when information could be disclosed without their consent.

Support Options

Enhancing education and the development of skills are major support options for adolescents. Developing programs at the school or society level that educate teenagers on how to deal with various stressors is important (Vidal et al., 2020). Such education help teenagers cope with stressors such as bullying and prevent cases of depression. Besides, the education sessions help in the identification of at-risk populations who can benefit from early interventions. Parents and teachers should also be included in the education sessions to enhance their understanding of depression which will enable them to assess teenagers suffering from depression. In addition, the provision of peer support through social groups can enable teenagers to learn from the experiences of others and help them cope with depression when it happens (Vidal et al., 2020). Such sessions help victims access quality care that helps in attaining speedy recovery. 

References

AHR. (2021). Explore depression in Florida. America’s Health Rankings. https://www.americashealthrankings.org/explore/annual/measure/Depression_a/state/FL

Bernaras, E., Jaureguizar, J., & Garaigordobil, M. (2019). Child and adolescent depression: A review of theories, evaluation instruments, prevention programs, and treatments. Frontiers in Psychology, 10, 543. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00543

Selph, S. S., & McDonagh, M. S. (2019). Depression in children and adolescents: Evaluation and treatment. American Family Physician, 100(10), 609–617. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31730312/

Vidal, C., Lhaksampa, T., Miller, L., & Platt, R. (2020). Social media use and depression in adolescents: a scoping review. International Review of Psychiatry (Abingdon, England), 32(3), 235–253. https://doi.org/10.1080/09540261.2020.1720623

World Health Organization. (2021). Adolescent mental health. Who.int. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/adolescent-mental-health

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Assessment Description
Research the range of contemporary issues teenagers face today. In a 500-750-word paper, choose one issue (besides teen pregnancy) and discuss its effect on adolescent behavior and overall well-being. Include the following in your submission:

Describe the contemporary issue and explain what external stressors are associated with this issue.
Outline assessment strategies to screen for this issue and external stressors during an assessment for an adolescent patient. Describe what additional assessment questions you would need to ask and define the ethical parameters regarding what you can and cannot share with the parent or guardian.
Discuss support options for adolescents encountering external stressors. Include specific support options for the contemporary issue you presented.
You are required to cite a minimum of three peer-reviewed sources to complete this assignment. Sources must be published within the last 5 years, appropriate for the assignment criteria, and relevant to nursing practice.

Prepare this assignment according to the guidelines found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center.

This assignment uses a rubric. Please review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion.

You are required to submit this assignment to LopesWrite. A link to the LopesWrite technical support articles is located in Class Resources if you need assistance.

Rubric Criteria

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Contemporary Issue and Associated External Stressors
22.5 points

Assessment Strategies to Screen for the Issue and External Stressors
22.5 points

Support Options for Adolescents Encountering External Stressors
18 points

Thesis, Position, or Purpose
6.3 points

Development, Structure, and Conclusion
6.3 points

Evidence
5.4 points

Mechanics of Writing
5.4 points

Format/Documentation
3.6 points