Providing anticipatory guidance and counseling to the adolescent male

Most primary care providers already have many of the skills necessary to work successfully with adolescent males. For adolescents of both genders, the health care provider's personal characteristics greatly influence decisions to seek care. Adolescents want providers who are competent, warm, kind, and willing to communicate clearly and maintain confidentiality. They also want their provider to be a good listener, not to appear rushed, to have good patient education skills, and to be supportive of one's sexual orientation. ^26,62 A developmental approach to providing anticipatory guidance and counseling helps the primary care provider to connect with the adolescent male and help him to feel comfortable engaging in health services, opening up, and successfully moving toward behavior change.