August Newsletter

In recent years, exposure and awareness regarding the issue of teen dating violence have increased markedly. Sadly, dating violence has become a pervasive adolescent issue. Experts define dating violence as not just physical abuse, but it may also be perpetrated through emotional or psychological abuse. Although not an exhaustive list, dating violence behaviors can include hitting, slapping, pinching, hair-pulling, non-consensual sexual activity, rape, controlling behaviors, stalking, tracking whereabouts, rage, demonstrations of jealousy, yelling, screaming, and name-calling.

In the past, it was more common to frame dating violence in terms of abuse largely committed by males upon females. But recent studies indicate that this is a misunderstanding. Nearly one in five female and male teens say they have been the victims of physical and sexual abuse in dating relationships. And when pinpointing psychological abuse, researchers have found the percentages jump remarkably to more than 60 percent of both female and male teens. Shockingly, the number of female and male teens admitting to being both perpetrators and victims of psychological abuse is also 60 percent!¹

With dating violence occurring both in person and through digital media, it is estimated that twenty-five million teenagers in the United States are victims of abuse and some twenty-three million teenagers are perpetrators of abuse.²

 

What Parents Can Do About Dating Violence
• Talk with your teen about healthy dating relationships. Be sure to have a discussion with your teen on the importance of respect in a dating relationship, so that she can recognize quickly if she is not being shown the respect she deserves.
• Get to know your teen's date. Use a similar strategy that you employ when getting to know your teen's other friends by being friendly and asking appropriate questions. The more you know about who your teen is dating, the better your perceptions will become about the type of person he or she is. If your teen's date makes you feel uncomfortable, don't overreact, but don't ignore your gut feelings either. Share your concerns with your teen.
• Make your teen aware of behaviors that would indicate dating violence. Some teens may not naturally grasp the nuances of emotional and psychological abuse. Discuss these types of behaviors with your teen.
• Help your teen understand that abuse doesn't get better over time. If physical or psychological violence is not stopped immediately, it will almost always progress to worse forms of abuse over time.
• Consider the possibility that your teen may be a perpetrator of dating violence. No parent wants to believe that their child is an abuser. I understand this instinct. Yet, with teens of both genders saying they are abused in dating relationships, take some time to think through the possibility (as objectively as possible) whether your adolescent has the potential for being an abuser. If she is easily jealous, controlling in her friendships, if she lashes out (verbally or physically) when frustrated or angered, she may be more likely to be abusive in a dating relationship. If she has some of these traits, consider how can you help her address these issues before she enters into dating relationships.

 

Excerpted from Understanding Your Teen: Shaping Their Character, Facing Their Realities by Jim Burns.

¹NORC at the University of Chicago, Preliminary Results in Landmark National Survey on Teen Dating Violence Finds Disturbingly High Rates of Victimization and Perpetration by Both Girls and Boys. October 23, 2014. Accessed online April 19, 2016 at http://www.norc.org/NewsEventsPublications/PressReleases/Pages/preliminary-results-in- landmark-national-survey-on-teen-dating-violence-finds-disturbingly-high-rates-of- victimization.aspx

²ibid.

In recent years there has been a considerable focus on the dangers and consequences of concussions, particularly those associated with athletics. While much of the spotlight has fallen on professional sports and athletes, plenty of information has also been revealed about teen sports and concussions. A recently released study by data examiners at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of over 900,000 medical claims found that concussion diagnoses for patients between the ages of 10 and 19 rose by 71% from 2010 to 2015.

Two new studies published in 2017 have revealed several new findings:
• A longitudinal study among men who graduated from Wisconsin high schools in 1957 found that on average, there was no statistical or clinical harmful association between playing high school football and cognitive impairment or depression in later life. As most high school football athletes do not go on to play college or professional football, these findings may serve to alleviate some parents' concerns over whether they should allow their kids to play high school football.
• A Canadian study has reported that for college athletes participating in high contact and collision sports, participants did show altered brain structure and function (via brain scans), but that participants did not report impairment in day-to-day functioning. The researchers remained concerned about the cumulative effects of repeated head impacts over time.

From other recent research, here are some of the findings when it comes to teens and concussions:

• Concussions are the most common injury among teen athletes.
  • Teenage brains are particularly vulnerable to concussions.
  • Teen athletes may hesitate to report concussion symptoms.
  • Teen concussions increase risk for depression.
  • Teenage concussions can produce negative effects on academic performance.
  • Teenage concussions can result in persistent attention and memory problems for up to a year.
  • Kids with a history of previous concussions take longer to recover.
  • Second concussions can be devastating to teens.

What Can Parents Do?
• Parents should become familiar with the signs and symptoms of concussions (Google these!).
• If your teenager has suffered a concussion, seek medical attention right away.
• If your teenager has had a recent concussion, take the initiative to ensure that he/she takes the needed time to heal. Consult with your health provider and follow instructions for your teen's recovery. Limiting exercise and activities that require concentration is typically part of the recovery process.
• Consult school officials to develop an appropriate plan before your teenager returns to school.
• Consult with coaches to develop an appropriate timetable for your teen's safe and healthy reentry back into the sport.
• If the sport in which your teenager suffered a concussion is particularly prone to multiple concussions, by all means, consider whether or not your teen should continue participating in the sport. Investigate the current state of available protective measures and the concussion protocols taken by coaches and team staff. Reevaluate the risks and rewards of participation. Be sure to include your teen in this process.
• Have a conversation with your teen about any previous concussion symptoms she or he may have had experienced in prior seasons or sports, and about the importance of reporting all concussion symptoms in the future.