Social workers play a critical role in assessing and treating individuals and families with mental health and addiction concerns. Although social workers are key professionals in the mental health workforce, there are gaps in the training and education of mental health, addictions, and suicide, and many students are inadequately prepared for field…

Runaway behaviors among teenagers have been studied for some 40 years. Still, because runaway and homeless youths have often been confounded, little is known about what really defines a runaway adolescent. This study targets three objectives in a mixed-method design relying on data from official files and interviews: the descriptions of teenagers…

Federal and other studies have noted that exposure to violence and substance abuse make Native American youth susceptible to becoming involved with the justice system. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) was asked to examine federal and tribal efforts to address juvenile delinquency and the barriers tribes face in doing so. This report…

This book reviews the theoretical underpinnings and practice of dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), a radical treatment developed by Marsha Linehan to treat borderline personality disorder (BPD). DBT has proven to be effective with a wide range of mental health problems, including self-harm, suicidality, substance abuse, and eating disorders that…

In this article I discuss the benefits of using road drawings in art therapy for the specialized treatment needs of women in a gender-specific residential substance use treatment center. Gender differences in substance use treatment are explained and the benefits of using art therapy in the treatment of substance use disorders are reviewed. The…

Though considerable research links both a lack of self-control and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) to a variety of negative health and behavioral outcomes, few studies to date have explored whether ACEs are associated with deficits in self-control. Using data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (FFCW; n = 3,444) and a life…

This study examined why students with disabilities have a strong presence in the juvenile justice system and measures to prevent or reduce the school-to-prison pipeline. The study utilized a Teacher Questionnaire on Delinquency to compare middle and high school teachers perceptions' of risk factors of delinquency for students with disabilities.…

Changes to the Council on Social Work Education's Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards encourage students to develop competencies in empirically supported treatment models. Although there is discretion in how educators build such competencies, studies on training suggest combining didactic and interactive classroom techniques with…

Utilizing a school-based sample of 895,218 students aged 10-18 years old, we examine differences in students' school functioning, substance use, and mental health in schools with and without Gay-Straight Alliances (GSAs). In addition, we examine whether GSA presence is associated with these outcomes for students of color and LGBTQ students.…

Background: Approximately 8.8% of US high school students attended private schools in 2015. Few studies have characterized health risk behaviors among these students or compared prevalence of behaviors between students in private and public schools using a contemporary, nationally representative sample. Methods: Pooled 2007-2017 national Youth…

Homophobic name-calling and sexual violence are prevalent among US high school students and have been associated with a host of negative consequences including anxiety, depression, and substance use disorders, especially among sexual and gender minority youth. Although homophobic name-calling and sexual violence are linked to common risk and…

Minority stress research has demonstrated negative health outcomes in sexual minority populations. However, the influence of sex education on these outcomes remains unclear. In the current study, the Perceived Inclusivity of Sex Education Scale (PISES) was developed and administered to sexual minorities (N = 263) to assess the associations between…

The present study expanded our current understanding of leadership among academically gifted seventh-grade students by examining peer-identified leaders of naturally occurring social groups in a mixed ability setting. Three consecutive cohorts of seventh-grade students (N = 474; 57% female; 43% European American) attending a public magnet…

Preventive behaviors established during adolescence can reduce cancer throughout the life span. Understanding the combinations of multiple behaviors, and how these behaviors vary across states, is important for identifying where additional interventions are needed. Using data on 2011-2015 vaccination, energy balance, and substance use from…

The impact of substance-use disorders on families is well documented in the literature, with families experiencing physical, emotional and psychological stress. Also documented is the perceived stigma experienced by those living alongside family members with substance-use disorders. This paper focuses on the help-seeking behaviour of those…