title: Adolescent perceptions of relevant social problems.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Social problems can be a significant stressor for adolescents. Disturbed youth often experience negative outcomes to social problems, solve problems poorly, and display distortions in reasoning about social problems.
  
  
  METHODS
  A series of focus groups was conducted with adolescents (N = 36), and the data was analyzed inductively. Activities to increase the rigor of the study data (establishing credibility, trustworthiness, and transparency) were incorporated into the phenomenological research design.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Five social problem themes with critical attributes were perceived to be relevant to teenagers in today's society.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Adolescents' social problems shift in response to a changing society. Findings from this study can be used to help target assessments and treatment plans when working with disturbed youth.
authors.affiliation: University of Virginia School of Nursing, Charlottesville, USA. ehe7e@virginia.edu
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Erwin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010379:Peer Group; D011340:Problem Solving; D000297:Psychology, Adolescent; D012922:Social Change; D012938:Social Perception; D014754:Violence / Q000523:psychology