title: The assessment of the identified substance-abusing adolescent.
abstract: When an adolescent has been identified as abusing drugs, alcohol, or both, a complete assessment of this young person must be completed by qualified health professionals before the level of treatment is chosen. With our present state of knowledge of substance-abusing adolescents, this assessment must focus on every sphere of the child's life, not just the quantity and frequency of the drug use. Most substance-abusing young people have experienced deep psychological trauma that must be identified and eventually treated. A family evaluation and psychological testing are crucial to the evaluation of these adolescents. When choosing a treatment facility for a substance-abusing adolescent, it is best to select a treatment program that requires family involvement. An adolescent treatment program should include treatment of both the family and the child, and it must include the goal of abstinence from mood-altering substances as a major component of recovery.
authors.affiliation: Division of Adolescent/Young Adult Medicine, T. C. Thompson Children's Hospital, Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA.
authors.forename: P D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Rogers
authors.forename: S R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Speraw
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ozbek
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods*; D008487:Medical History Taking; D011581:Psychological Tests; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology