Born to Be Wild

June 15, 2017

Adolescent psychiatrist Shatkin (child psychiatry & pediatrics, New York Univ. Sch. of Medicine) argues that our understanding of teen risk-taking behavior is completely wrong, having resulted in programs that simply don't work (think D.A.R.E.). Essentially, according to the author, we are fighting evolution, which has selected adolescents, whose brains and hormones all scream and encourage risk at every turn, to embrace a certain amount of danger in life. All is not lost, however, because teens do respond to positivity and immediate rewards. In other words, Shatkin suggests that instead of saying, "If you don't study hard, you won't get into a good college," try, "Study hard in school so that you can apply to any college you like." The author makes a strong case for not only understanding a teen's "natural state" but also for intervening in situations in which mental illness or instability are at play, advocating for increased mental health services in schools. For example, one reason anxiety and depression skyrocket during adolescence is the "relative hyperactivity of the amygdala, which induces fear, and the relative passivity of the prefrontral cortex, which exerts emotional control." Shatkin's readable style, complete research, and useful case studies all combine cohesively to help parents sort out what's normal, what's a stage, and what's cause for greater concern. VERDICT Recommended for both public and academic collections.

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