Examining the Effect of Marijuana in the School
Adolescence is a time for experimentation. High school and middle school students are exposed to many opportunities to engage in risky behavior. They are often first introduced to drugs, alcohol, and sex during these socially challenging years. Marijuana is one common drug that teens experiment with. Many of them see this as a harmless drug and do not associate it with the negative consequences attached to other drugs, such as heroin, opioids, or cocaine. However, it is well established that marijuana use can decrease a student’s academic... Read More
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I recently found myself in a multicultural group setting, listening to a young White American woman share some of her concerns. Most of the members of the group were either immigrants or first-generation Americans, hailing from South America, China, and the Middle East. The American was pregnant with her first child, and she was sharing with the group about her difficulties finding a name that both she and her husband could agree on. The Indian gentleman said that in his country, an aunt or cousin names the baby and announces it on the child’s 6th day of life. I rather like that idea, but it... 
Hopelessness describes an individual’s feelings related to expected failures or negative outcomes. Many studies have examined how a mother’s psychological state affects the mental well-being of her child, but few of them have focused specifically on hopelessness. For socially disadvantaged children, and in particular, African American 
There are many benefits for teens and youths who participate in team activities. Organized activities and team organizations teach youths how to interact with one another in a cooperative way and foster harmony, unity, and other valuable skills. In addition, teens who are involved in team activities guided by a competent adult tend to have higher rates of 
There is an abundance of research that demonstrates a clear link between childhood trauma and adult depression and anxiety. There are also many studies that show a relationship between adolescent and young adult stress and later psychological problems. The existing research on adolescent stress and future mental health challenges is broad but limited because of its retrospective nature. Human stress is usually classified as either abuse or trauma, and because of its sporadic and often brief nature it is difficult to measure accurately. Therefore, to draw a clearer picture of how the timing of stress... 
Children with social, emotional, and behavioral difficulties (SEBD) often exhibit speech, language, and communication needs (SLCN) as well. Clinicians and educators who work with these children have the challenge of identifying which type of treatments will best serve the needs of these special children. SEBD has been shown to be linked to communication deficits, but this relationship has not been fully explored. Gender, social conditions, intelligence, and relationship styles are factors that contribute to both SLCN and SEBD. Most children with these problems are not identified until they enter... 
Acceptance of lesbian, gay bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) individuals has grown over the past decade. However, LGBTQ people still face many challenges. For LGBTQ high school students, those challenges are even more magnified. When sexual minority students face problems with 
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Famine and hunger are worldwide concerns. Nations that have faced droughts, economic hardship, and other conditions that affect access to nutritionally balanced meals have high rates of childhood malnutrition. In previous years, malnutrition has been linked to a host of medical and psychological problems, such as mood problems, antisocial tendencies, and academic difficulties. Protein and iron deficiencies have also been found to increase the risk of attention deficits and hyperactivity. But in recent years, advances in outreach programs have provided rehabilitation to children who were once malnourished.... 
Proper sleep is necessary for our mental health, but for many of us, a good night's sleep remains elusive. New parents especially are known to have sleeping issues and even expect them when they decide to become parents. For new parents and their children, experts have a variety of suggestions on how to get the best sleep possible. Keep in mind there are many theories, methods, and ideas in regard to best sleeping practices for young children, infants, and even adults.
One website devoted to attachment parenting, www.AskDrSears.com, has a whole section about sleep problems that infants and toddlers... 
One of the original criteria for the diagnosis of 
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"My parents want me to defeat Einstein." "My parents want me to be more educated than they are." "My parents want me to make them proud." "My parents want me to have the best score on the National Exam." "My parents want me to be an important person." These are some of the responses to my curiosity about what my Indonesian 6th-grade students think their parents want for them. Because I teach English, lots of good discussion topics come up. When I next asked these students what they wanted for themselves, they were in strong agreement with what their parents wanted for them. "How do your parents... 
