Adolescents at Risk: Shaping Programs to Fit the Need

This article analyzes data revealing that about one-third of teenagers are at extremely high risk because they 'do it all,' one-third are involved in several high-risk behaviors, and one-third are at relatively low risk. Because adolescents have different needs for support, the author suggests that (a) prevention programs focus on the common characteristics of high-risk youngsters, not on separate substance, sexual, and delinquent behaviors; and (b) programs dealing with families, schools, and community institutions incorporate individual attention, enhancement of basic cognitive and social skills, exposure to career choices, and other known common elements of successful interventions. Comprehensive school-community partnerships are proposed to package all the requisite elements