Contemporary Issues and Resources – Teenage Anxiety

Contemporary Issues and Resources – Teenage Anxiety

Addressing Anxiety in Teenagers: A Nursing Perspective

Adolescence is yet another developmental stage associated with numerous changes that touch on life’s physical, emotional, and social realms. Although there are several social concerns that affect teenagers in the modern world, anxiety disorders have emerged as being rather common. These disorders affect the performance of adolescents in school, their interaction with other people, and their total health status. This essay will look at anxiety in teenagers, possible external stressors, screening and assessment tools, how to form a therapeutic relationship, legal and ethical considerations when dealing with patient information, and support available for the patient and the family.

Teenagers’ anxiety is a prevalent issue that can be expressed as extreme concern, fear, or nervousness in relation to events in life, such as performance at school, interactions with other people,e or the future in general. It is important to understand and consider the various external stressors that lead to teenage anxiety. School-related pressures constitute a leading cause of stress due to students’ demands to excel academically and secure good grades as well as good colleges. It has been observed and documented that the competitive climate in education causes chronic stress and anxiety (Hickman et al., 2021).

Another important external stressor can be distinguished as social media. Social media has made teenagers become more exposed to social values such as beauty and success without capturing the realistic view, hence making them develop an inferiority complex and anxiety disorders (Jiotsa et al., 2021). Furthermore, social media also presents a platform on which cyberbullying transpires, which is also associated with anxiety and inevitably impacts one’s overall well-being.

There are also roles associated with family and peer interactions. Family expectations, especially from parents, and a lack of good relationships between parents and children can lead to anxiety. Likewise, the problems involving peers, like being bullied or experiencing social isolation, cause considerable emotional problems.

Screening and Assessment Tools

It is crucial to employ proper tools in the process of screening and assessment to help teenagers cope with anxiety. The Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7 (GAD-7) questionnaire is a validated tool commonly used to identify symptoms of anxiety (Dhira et al., 2021). The GAD-7 includes questions about feelings of nervousness, worry, and physical symptoms related to anxiety. During assessments, specific questions to ask might include:

• “How often do you feel excessively worried or anxious about various things?”
• “Do you find it difficult to control your worry?”
• “Do you experience physical symptoms such as restlessness, fatigue, or muscle tension?”

These questions assist in determining the optimum level of anxiety that the teenager is experiencing and whether there is a need for an intervention.

Establishing a Therapeutic Relationship

Forming a professional rapport involves developing an environment that is user-friendly, accepting, and free from bias and any invasion of privacy. Several of the strategies include listening, gaining trust, honouring self-determination, and understanding cultural differences (Bolsinger et al., 2020). Engagement is the demonstration of interest and understanding without interjecting, which includes allowing the teenager to be heard. Trust is crucial; what can or cannot be kept private depends on it, although it is important to keep confidential information private as much as possible. Further, honouring the teenager’s right to self-determination by including them in decisions about their care configures power in positive ways. Additionally, being aware of and respecting the cultural background and beliefs of the teenager is crucial in providing culturally sensitive care.

Legal and Ethical Parameters

It is especially important for a nurse to know the legal and ethical guidelines of patient confidentiality. In most cases, the information a teenager reveals during a health consultation cannot be released to parents or guardians without the teenager’s consent unless the following situations occur:

Risk of Harm

If the teenager poses a risk to themselves or others, confidentiality can be breached to ensure safety.

Abuse or Neglect

Suspected abuse or neglect must be reported to the appropriate authorities. Understanding these parameters ensures that the teenager’s privacy is respected while also adhering to legal and ethical obligations (Jeremić Stojković et al., 2020).

Support Options

Having options available is very important for assisting teenagers in overcoming anxiety. They include counselling services, support organizations, and helplines. The counselling services provided at the school or from outside by a psychologist can provide the required support and treatment. Online or offline support groups are a great source of information where teenagers can gather together and discuss what they went through with others who experienced the same (Bhave et al., 2022). Additionally, hotlines such as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-8255) and the Crisis Text Line (text “HELLO” to 741741) provide immediate support for teenagers in distress.

Conclusion

Treating anxiety in teenage clients involves screening for clients, developing rapport with them, understanding the legal and ethical considerations for their age, and identifying the correct option to offer them. Thus, if such strategies are used, nurses will be able to significantly support adolescents in managing their anxiety and enhancing their mental health.

References

Bhave, S. Y., Sovani, A. V., & Shah, S. R. (2022). Role of Psychologist in Adolescent Medicine. Pediatric Clinics of North America, 69(5), 847–864. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pcl.2022.05.001

Bolsinger, J., Jaeger, M., Hoff, P., & Theodoridou, A. (2020). Challenges and Opportunities in Building and Maintaining a Good Therapeutic Relationship in Acute Psychiatric Settings: A Narrative Review. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 10(10). https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00965

Dhira, T. A., Rahman, M. A., Sarker, A. R., & Mehareen, J. (2021). Validity and reliability of the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) among university students of Bangladesh. PLOS ONE, 16(12), e0261590. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0261590

Hickman, C., Marks, E., Pihkala, P., Clayton, S., Lewandowski, R. E., Mayall, E. E., Wray, B., Mellor, C., & van Susteren, L. (2021). Climate anxiety in children and young people and their beliefs about government responses to climate change: A global survey. The Lancet Planetary Health, 5(12). https://doi.org/10.1016/s2542-5196(21)00278-3

Jeremić Stojković, V., Cvjetković, S., & Matejić, B. (2020). Physicians’ Attitudes toward Adolescent Confidentiality Services: Scale Development and Validation. Slovenian Journal of Public Health, 59(2), 99–107. https://doi.org/10.2478/sjph-2020-0013

Jiotsa, B., Naccache, B., Duval, M., Rocher, B., & Grall-Bronnec, M. (2021). Social Media Use and Body Image Disorders: Association between Frequency of Comparing One’s Own Physical Appearance to That of People Being Followed on Social Media and Body Dissatisfaction and Drive for Thinness. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(6). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18062880

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Research the range of contemporary issues teenagers face today. Select one issue (besides teen pregnancy) that a teenager might come to discuss with a nurse in a health clinic at a local high school. In a 500-750-word paper, include the following:

Teenage Anxiety

Describe the contemporary issue and explain what external stressors are associated with this issue.
Identify specific questions or an assessment tool you would use to screen for this issue.
Outline strategies you, the nurse, would use to establish a therapeutic relationship with the teenager.
Define the legal and ethical parameters regarding what you can and cannot share with the parent or guardian.
Identify specific support options you will provide for your patient and/or their family to access. Include the contact information for the support option.
You are required to cite a minimum of three peer-reviewed sources to complete this assignment. Sources must be published within the past 5 years, appropriate for the assignment criteria, and relevant to nursing practice.

Prepare this assignment according to the guidelines found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center.