Why Some Teen Brains May Be Hardwired To Make Risky Choices
Individual differences in the brain's working memory could help explain why some teens are especially impulsive about sex. Having engaged parents helps reduce the risk.
teenagers
Sex Ed Works Better When It Addresses Power In Relationships
Most school sex education programs stick to the nuts and bolts of biology. Teenagers who also talk about what makes for a good relationship are more likely to avoid pregnancy and STDs, a study finds.
In Palo Alto's High-Pressure Schools, Suicides Lead To Soul-Searching
The competitive California school district has seen four students take their own lives since October. One junior talks about reactions to the deaths, pressures students face and hopes for the future.
Use Of E-Cigarettes Triples Among U.S. Teens
Even as the use of traditional cigarettes and most other tobacco products dipped or stayed the same from 2013 to 2014, the use of e-cigarettes climbed among students in high school and middle school.
Tweeners Trust Peers More Than Adults When Judging Risks
We all tend to adjust our opinions based on what other people think. But young teenagers pay far more attention to other teens than they do to adults, a study finds. That explains a lot, doesn't it?
New York City To Teens: TXT ME With Mental Health Worries
In an effort to connect teenagers with mental health services, New York is testing counseling via text for high school students. They join a growing trend.
For Young People In Rural Areas, Suicide Poses A Growing Threat
Young men are twice as likely to die by suicide if they live in rural areas rather than cities, and that disparity is widening. Lack of mental health services is a factor; access to firearms is, too.
Pot Can Trigger Psychotic Symptoms For Some, But Do The Effects Last?
Scientists are sharply divided on whether the disordered thinking and paranoia sometimes caused by marijuana is just a temporary thing or the start of long-term disorders like schizophrenia.
College Help For Students Cuts Drinking, But Not For Long
Most colleges offer some sort of alcohol education. One-time interventions do reduce drinking, but the effect is short-lived. Women have better results. There's no benefit for men in frats.
Hammered And Heedless: Do Dangerous Drinking Videos Harm Teens?
Being falling-down drunk is often played for laughs on YouTube videos, but those videos don't show the downside of getting trashed. That can't be good for teenagers and young adults, researchers say.