Mental Health in the Attention Models for Juvenile Offenders. The Cases of Colombia, Argentina, United States and Canada

Objective: To investigate how mental health is understood and approached in the attention models of detention centers for the convicted underage population in Argentina, Colombia, United States and Canada. Methodology: A literature search was conducted using the following key words: adolescence, mental health, juvenile justice, juvenile delinquency, risk factors, and interventions. Searches were done through the search engine Pubmed. Additionally, public institution websites for each country were consulted. Conclusions: Juvenile delinquency is now understood as a multi-factorial phenomenon with multiple areas of intervention within which economic, domestic and social factors are considered relevant, since these favor the development of criminal behavior. A similarity was found between Colombian and Argentinian systems; both are based on restorative justice that seeks reparation and not punishment; which is why there are no punitive measures. When comparing Canada and the United States, it can be seen that Canada is more similar to Latin-American countries than to the United States, given that the latter uses punitive measures focused on the offender.

Causas y consecuencias en el consumo de drogas: un estudio de casos en estudiantes de bachillerato

Este artículo tiene como objetivo proporcionar una revisión de los principales factores psicosociales relacionados con el consumo de drogas en la adolescencia. Para la puesta en marcha de esta experiencia se analizaron estudios de casos desarrollados con estudiantes que consumían drogas en el Colegio Nacional Portoviejo, así como entrevistas al personal del Departamento de Consejería Estudiantil. Los resultados del cotejo probaron que existe una relación significativa entre consumo sistemático de drogas y algunos factores de riesgo presentes en el entor bano familiar y social de los adolescentes. El presente estudio subraya que en relación a una intervención adecuada, debe existir un fortalecimiento en los agentes sociales, familiares, educativos, institucionales, que intervienen en la formación integral de los jóvenes. Causes and consequences in drug consumption: a study in students 0f Junior High School Palabras clave: adolescencia, adicción, drogas, familia, comunicación intrafamiliar. Abstract This article aims to provide a review of the main psychosocial factors related to drug use in adolescence. For the implementation of this experience were analyzed case studies developed with students who use drugs at the “Colegio Nacional Portoviejo“, as well as interviews with the staff of the Department of student counselling. The results of the comparison showed that there is a significant relationship between systematic consumption of drugs and some risk factors present in the family and the social environment of adolescents. The present study stresses that in relation to an appropriate intervention, there must be a strengthening of the social partners, family, education, any social institutions, involved in the integral formation of young people. Key words: Adolescence, addiction, drugs, family, risk factors.

THE INFLUENCE OF RISK AND PROTECTIVE FACTORS ON TOBACCO, ALCOHOL AND DRUGS IN ADOLESCENCE

The purpose of this study is to analyse the relation between risk and protective factor and substance use in adolescence, including tobacco use, drunkenness and consumption of illicit drugs. The sample included 3494 students, mean age 15 years old, in the 8th and 10th grades from the public school system, of primary and secondary schools in Portugal. Data collection was held within the HBSC (Health Behavior in School-aged Children) survey from 2010. For the purpose of this specific study, the questionnaire includes questions about risk and protective behaviors and substance use, namely tobacco, drunkenness and illicit drug consumption. Results confirmed that adolescents with higher levels of protective factors seem to consume fewer substances and adolescents who present higher levels of risk factors are more likely to consume all the substances in the study. There were statistically significant differences for the majority of risk and protective behaviours regarding tobacco, drunkenness and illicit drugs. Although risk factors have a higher impact on substance use, the existence of protective factors seems to fade such impact. Key words: adolescence, risk and protective factors, substance use.

Adolescenza in psicoterapia

- A. Freud e D. Meltzer both suggested a "turmoil" model of development which was also supposed to be a normative one. Hoffer's and Rutter's studies in non clinical populations have underlined also the presence of less conflictual models of development. Beside this attachment theory has given a great importance to early experiences so that both continuity and discontinuity of the development are at the moment taken into consideration .The author makes a brief summary of the various developmental tasks the adolescent has to confront with. and makes some considerations about the new neurobiological data (Weinberger,Elvevag e Giedd) on the adolescent brain .Some notes on setting and a posttraumatic stress disorder clinical case conclude the paper. Key Words: Adolescence, Developmental Models, Developmental Tasks, Setting, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder.

I disturbi dell'adolescenza in una prospettiva sistemica

- In this article the authors show the systemic approach to the adolescence disorders. In particular they put on evidence the family relational dynamics and the identity process of the adolescence inside the family life cycle. We can see the emergency of the symptoms in adolescence as a stop in the family life cycle. The authors recognize in this process not only the dimension of the cycle phase but also the connections with the family history and the social culture. Key Words: Adolescence, Systemic Approach, Identification Process, Family Life Cycle.

La valutazione diagnostica in adolescenza

- The diagnosis is treated strictly related to psychoanalytic assumptions that Author reformulates in the light of adolescence clinic specificities. As Author underlines, adolescence marks the beginning of a subjective autodiagnostic activity and implies the formulation of a "secret diagnosis" in an adolescent's mind. In this view diagnosis is an attempt of discovery and sharing of patient secret Self and there is not interruption between diagnostic and therapeutic phase, given that therapy is nothing else than the evolution of the adolescent self representation from secret diagnosis to shared diagnosis. Key Words: Adolescence; Psychoanalysis; Secret Diagnosis; Shared Diagnosis.