Psychological disturbance in adolescence

Clrmcai Printed

P,_ycholopy Rw10, in the USA.

Vol

13, pp

All rights

203405,

O272-i358193

1993 Copyright

reserved

0

$6.00

1993 Perg-amon

+ .OO

Press

Ltd.

BOOK REVIEWS Psychological

Disturbance

1992. 478 pp. $49.95 According

in Adolescence

(2nd ed.). By I. B. Weiner. New York: Wiley,

hardcover.

to Weiner, this book was written “for clinicians,

who are concerned

with identifying

and ameliorating

educators,

psychological

and social scientists

disturbance

in adoles-

cence” (p. ix). As such, this book provides the reader with a broad, comprehensive overview of eight different areas of concern for adolescents. The book is organized into 11 chapters. The first 2 chapters contain introductory material regarding normative chapter presents information

adolescent development and classification systems. The first regarding the “myth” of normative adolescent turmoil and

empirical evidence that contradicts this myth. This is an important chapter in that it alerts the reader to ways in which this myth may influence clinical practice with adolescents, and provides a frame of reference for the content chapters that follow. The next 8 chapters address specific psychopathologies (schizophrenic, derline,

and anxiety

disorders)

and behavior

problems

(academic

affective,

bor-

underachievement,

delinquent behavior, suicidal behavior, and substance abuse) frequently seen in adolescents or responsible for adolescent referrals to mental health professionals. Information regarding epidemiology, clinical characteristics, and intervention is provided. These chapters provide the reader with an appropriate blend of empirical data and clinical case examples. Furthermore, an extensive list of references is provided that will aid the reader who desires a more in-depth coverage of any particular area. The Intervention section of each chapter presents general information that appears to cross a broad range of therapeutic modalities. The final chapter is on psychotherapy

with adolescents.

Unlike the broad-based,

non-

theoretical approach to intervention taken in previous chapters, this chapter focuses on individual, dynamically oriented outpatient treatment. Similar to the treatment sections of the previous chapters, however, comments regarding intervention techniques are general and not prescriptive. Although

Weiner did an excellent job of presenting

a comprehensive

overview of some

psychological disturbances specific to adolescents, two other disorders/problem behaviors, eating disorders and disturbances secondary to maltreatment, appear noteworthy for their absence from this book. Furthermore, Weiner’s presentation of material assumes the existence of a developmental stage called adolescencethat is distinct from childhood and adulthood. Yet, when developmental comparisons are made, it is between adolescents and adults, with minimal or no commentary regarding differences and changes from childhood to adolescence. Finally, it should be noted that although Weiner’s introductory comments suggest that this book would be useful for identifying and ameliorating different adolescent disorders, this claim may be somewhat misleading. The book provides general information and does not appear to be specific enough to aid in diagnoses, or in the design and implementation of treatment. In summary, this book will be extremely useful for graduate students or professionals who are interested in a broad overview of some disorders and behavioral problems specific 203

to adolescents, and shouid be included as required concerned with adolesceni psycho~at~oI~g~

Family L~sues in Pediatric Psychology. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum, 1992. 2’5’ pp.

rea&ng

IBy M, C, Roberts

for any graduate

course

and J. L. Wallander

(Eds.).

In this text, Roberts and Wallander present a collection OE 14 peer-reviewed articles previously published in the~~~~~~ t2f ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~. The artictes pmvidea sampiing of current research by pediatric psychologists specificalty addressing research on family issues in children with a variety of medical and ~hys~ol~g~cal disorders. The text begins with an excellent overview by Roberts and Wallander outlining the role pediatric psychoi~~~ists play in addressing

family needs within the context ofboth

historical

trends and theoretical paradigms. They clearly emphasize that pediatric psychology “recognizes the family, in whatever constellation of actors, as an important context” (p 5). Thus, they argue that to adequately address the psychological needs ofchildren, clinicians and researchers in the field must better understand the influence offamily, contextual, and environmental variables that impact a child’s adjustment. An excellent commentary is provided on methodological issues such as subject sampling, comparison groups, and statisticd testing that confront ail researchers attempting to study complex family selationships in pediatric patients. The book is arr
and Cohen);

psychological

dimensions

of children

with recurrent

abdominal pain and their parents (Walker and Greene); the family environment in children with nonorganic failure to thrive (Dmtar and Eckerle); AIDS and ~CXIIOand family variables and philia (Mason, Olson, Myers, t-tuszti, and Kenning); management of juvenile arthritis (Chaney and Peterson). 2. Noncategorical disorders, representing articles on family resources and psychological adjustment in children with chronic illness and handicaps (~~~~l~l~er~ Varni, Rabani, Banis, and Wilcox); the social ~~~~~ro~~~n~ and maternal adaptation of mothers of physically handicapped children (~~allar~d~~~Va~ni, Rabani, DeHaan, Wilcox, and Ranis); adjustment of siblings of handicapped children (Dyson); and the role of maternal

employment

and depression

in the ~syc~~ological adjustment

of children

with chronic illness or mental retardation (Walker, Qrtiz-Valdes, and Newbrough). 3. intervention research, addressing the effects of a multifamily intervention in families of adolescent diabetics (Satin, La Greta, Zigo, and Skyler); changes in family variables caused by participating in a cardiovascular health promotion program (Patterson, Sallis, Nader, Kaplan, Rupp, Atkins, and Senn); and anxiety in parents seeking pediatric care (Hatcher, Richtsmeir, and Westin). 4. A transactional perspective of tile family context in pediatric

psyckoi~~gy (Fiese and

SamerofQ Of note is that many of the articles are co-written

by welt-knowa

cli~c~an-researchers

in pediatric psychology such as Dennis I&tar, Annette LaGreca, Lizette Peterson, James Varni, and Lynn Walker. The inclusion of such authors and their colleagues provides