title: Principles of psychopharmacology for the adolescent patient.
abstract: Physicians are presented with great challenges when attempting to integrate information from multiple sources, often with conflicting recommendations, to meet the present and future needs of adolescents and the expectations of their families and caregivers. For this reason, this article attempts to outline a general strategy in assessment and use of information. General history of presenting symptoms, results of examination details, and additional history from family or other contexts lead to the development of a reasoned hypothesis. The working hypothesis is the basis for subsequent treatment. Revisiting the ongoing data, including response to therapeutic intervention, leads to revised hypotheses that provide the basis for the new treatment formulation. Patients and their families become informed self-advocates and partners in achieving improved outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Psychiatry, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA. areeve@salud.unm.edu
authors.forename: Alya
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Reeve
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D041923:Adolescent Development; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D011600:Psychopharmacology
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents