The Good Teen Rescuing Adolescence from the Myths of the Storm and Stress Years

Who says the teen years have to be terrible? Although the word teenager has become synonymous with trouble, the evidence is clear: Adolescents have gotten a bad rapand this according to a landmark eight-year study of 4,000 teens from twenty-five states. InThe Good Teen, acclaimed researcher Richard M. Lerner sets the record straight. The book: Explores the academic origins of "the troubled teen," dismantling old myths and redefining normal adolescence Presents the five characteristics of teen behavior that are proven to fuel positive developmentCompetence, Confidence, Connection,Character, and Caringand specific ways parents can foster them Envisions our children as resources to be developed, not problems to be fixed Clearly shows parents what to do when things really go wrongall teens, no matter how troubled they seem, can be helped Encourages new thinking, new public policies, and new programs that focus on the strengths of teens "There is no one in America today who understands teenagers better than Richard Lerner." William Damon, author ofThe Moral Child, professor of education, and director of the Stanford Center on Adolescence, Stanford University

RICHARD M. LERNER, Ph.D., is the Bergstrom Chair in Applied Developmental Science and the director of the Institute for Applied Research in Youth Development, Eliot-Pearson Department of Child Development, Tufts University.


From the Hardcover edition.