Developmental vicissitudes that promote drug abuse in adolescents

Adolescence is a time of significant developmental transformation during which the teenager may be susceptible to experimental behaviors such as illicit drug use. This risk-taking proclivity may arise because the adolescent is just beginning to consolidate the skills of formal operations thought, including abilities to predict behavioral outcomes, weight options, select alternatives, and adopt the perspective of others. Lacking these skills, teenagers may have difficulty adjusting to pubertal status and family conflict. One technique for overcoming this cognitive deficit is previewing, which focuses the teenager on imminent outcomes. A case history concerning a teenager abusing marijuana illustrates how previewing may help overcome maladaptive patterns.