Talking with Adolescents and Their Families about Emotional and Behavioral Concerns

Up to one quarter of US adolescents are thought to have mental health problems, a proportion that seems to be increasing. Only a minority of these adolescents reportedly receive treatment, but of those who do, for many it is in the context of primary care. This article addresses 4 challenges commonly encountered by primary care providers who treat adolescents: (1) working with/responding to adolescents' potentially limited or biased knowledge of mental health problems and their treatment; (2) balancing adolescents' desire for confidentiality with families' interests in being involved in the adolescents' care; (3) managing encounters with families and adolescents together, especially when the adolescent is a reluctant participant; and (4) working with families who are discouraged or feel hopeless.