Mental Health Teens and Mental Research Proposal

By not complying with the medical treatment, they are making a statement about their own identity and how it is in their hands, not in their parents or the doctors'. Thus, compliance becomes associated with giving in. Moreover, many teens are worried about the medication itself. For example, "A teen may be wary of the side effects from the prescribed medication, and taking the prescribed medication may validate the teen's condition," (MassGeneral Hospital for Children 2009). By taking the medication, they are validating their disorder, which they may want to ignore. Thus, noncompliance serves as a method of denial -- denying the existence of the very disorder itself.

There are several ways that compliance can be increased. All parties involved should hold some responsibility for increasing compliance with treatment. Therefore, doctors especially should take time to adjust treatment to the teen's life in order to provide the greatest level of compliance. For example, "A medication regiment that is simple and does not interfere with a teen's lifestyle is very important," (MassGeneral Hospital for Children 2009). Therefore, healthcare professionals and insurance agencies should be receptive to treatment options that blend harmoniously into the lifestyle of teens and young adults. Additionally, side effects should be discussed with the teen up front, as a way to show how involved they are in the decision making process. Research states that "Teens should be enlisted in the treatment of their problem," (MassGeneral Hospital for Children 2009). Thus, healthcare professionals need to involve them in the process, make their opinions count and schedule appointments when it is convenient for them. Drug companies have begun working on new treatments that will help increase compliance within teens. For instance, "in 2006, patch for the treatment of attention deficit disorder was under review by the Food and Drug Administration," (MassGeneral Hospital for Children 2009).

Thus it is clear that everyone involved must work together to provide the greatest environment for teen compliance with medication strategies. The goal of the healthcare professional is to ease the stress of such mental disorders so that the teen can live a normal life during adolescence. Therefore it is important to work within the boundaries of what that teen considers to be normal.

References

Graham, Jennifer. (2009). Recognizing and treating teen mental health issues. Teens and Depression. Retrieved December 26, 2009 from http://chronicillness.suite101.com/article.cfm/teens_and_depression

MassGeneral Hospital for Children. (2009). Compliance. Adolescent Health. Retrieved December 26, 2009 from http://www.massgeneral.org/children/adolescenthealth/articles/aa_compliance.aspx

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. (2009). Common mental health problems. Teens and Mental Health. Retrieved December 26, 2009 from http://www.4parents.gov/sexrisky/mentalhealth/mentalhealthproblems/index.html