Exemplary topics of conversations with adolescents at risk

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

How do psychologists communicate with children and adolescents at risk? What are they talking about? How effective are these conversations? Can a specialist “get through” to a child, or is this communication carried out solely in order to “put a tick”? Are these conversations necessary? What is meant by the term “risk group”?

It would seem that such questions are of interest only to a narrow circle of people who directly encounter "difficult teenagers" - the parents of their friends, teachers, school psychologists and educators. But in fact, this topic is relevant for every person, because one cannot remain indifferent to how the next generation grows.

What are these conversations for?

It is unlikely that a conversation with at-risk adolescents of a psychologist working at a school pleases or inspires. However, they must be carried out by a specialist. What are these conversations for?

According to social statistics, the number of children in difficult life circumstances is steadily increasing every year. This is quite paradoxical, if we take into account the fact that family values, a he althy lifestyle and the upbringing of two or more children, instead of one, are now “in vogue”. You can verify this by turning on the TV or browsing the pages on social networks.

That is, it seems that there should be no problems in the life of children and adolescents. Now it is not considered normal for a man to leave a family, most of the women are housewives, and in schools a lot of time is devoted to various thematic activities that instill in children the values and traditions accepted in society.

But, despite this, the number of those who are called "difficult teenagers" is steadily increasing. It is helping children in difficult situations that is the primary task of such conversations. And the topics of conversations with adolescents at risk are selected in accordance with this goal. Of course, in a global sense, such conversations are necessary in order to improve statistics, stop the growth in the number of "difficult children".

What is a "risk group"?

This is a common expression known to every person. It can be heard in television programs, films, in ordinary conversations. Parents of schoolchildren often come across this expression, as it is often used by teachers at meetings. The term is familiar, but what does it mean?

In sociology, this name is used as a generaldefinitions for designating persons who are vulnerable in something or are prone to unacceptable actions, actions that are contrary to the law, morality, norms accepted in society.

What is meant by the term "teenager risk group"?

When choosing the topics of conversations with teenagers at risk, you need to clearly understand who you have to communicate with. If there is an individual conversation, then the task of the psychologist is simplified. After all, studying the “personal file” of one person is much easier than being able to reach several people at the same time.

Of course, at-risk teens share certain life circumstances, types of emotional responses, and more.

Traditionally, this social group includes children and adolescents:

• from dysfunctional and incomplete families;
• having problems in learning, communication, development;
• prone to defiant, atypical behavior.

However, thinking about the topics of conversations with adolescents at risk, do not limit yourself to these characteristics.

What to consider when choosing a topic for conversation?

Traditional perception of the factors by which children are at risk has developed a very long time ago. Accordingly, it does not take into account actual contemporary social problems.

For example, in the United States, the risk group primarily includes children prone to unmotivated aggression, massacres and suicide. How relevant are these problems for Russian teenagers?

In other words, in addition to general, traditionally accepted factors, the topics of psychologist's conversations with adolescents at risk should also take into account current modern problems that exist both in a particular region and in the world as a whole. This will help make the conversation lively and interesting, important for children, and not empty and carried out "for show".

An example of building a conversation with a group of teenagers, taking into account local characteristics

For example, if you have to talk about organizing free time, finding something to do, then you should take a closer look at exactly how and where teenagers spend their leisure time. There is no need to immediately tell children fiery monologues about the benefits of volunteering or try to captivate them with the possibility of free classes in the sports section. Any campaigning is perceived by adolescents as an "act of violence", children see this only as an infringement of their freedom. Moreover, they are initially set up to be told how bad they are and explain how to become good. That is, the teenagers who came to the lecture are ready to “defend themselves.”

How to overcome this barrier? First, you need to immediately break the stereotype of the conversation. What are the children waiting for? A monologue from a psychologist addressed to their company. And what happens if, after the greeting, you start asking questions and waiting for answers? Teenagers will be confused and their minds will be freed from the "stereotype armor".

In other words, the lecture should be turned into a conversation. What to ask children? About what matters to them. For example, if there is an old abandoned building near the school and everyone knows thatteenagers gather there, you need to ask why they like it there.

While conducting a conversation in this way, the psychologist will build "bridges of trust" and learn a lot about the inner world of adolescents and their interests, worries, problems. And the same volunteering or sports sections can be mentioned by chance, for example, to talk about the fact that I recently had to visit a similar place. Thus, the specialist will "sow the seeds" in the minds of adolescents, who will definitely "sprout".

That is, the topics of conversations with adolescents at risk should include local realities, build on them, the conversation should be specific, not abstract.

What is written in methodological manuals for school psychologists?

There are many different teaching aids that explain what to talk about with difficult, problem teenagers. As a rule, the same topics of conversations with teenagers at risk and their parents are mentioned in these books.

Why is there no difference? Because the list of topics is initially given generalized, exemplary. This means that the directions that should be followed when choosing topics for conversation are listed.

These areas cover important and significant topics that do not lose their relevance over time. For example, awareness of one's own "I", the role in the life of the team and society, personal responsibility for actions, words and deeds, resistance to pressure from strongerpersonalities. These questions were important in the past, and they will not lose their relevance in the future.

What do you usually talk about with teenagers? List of sample topics

Preventive conversations with adolescents at risk should cover the following topics:

• empathy;
• self-esteem;
• friendship;
• building relationships with other people;
• the influence of one personality on another;
• motivation of actions;
• finding a common language with parents;
• leisure activities;
• interest in learning;
• failures and how to deal with them;
• doping harm;
• he althy lifestyle;
• compliance with social norms and rules;
• personal, family and human values;
• stress, depression.

Of course, each of the topics should affect teenagers. That is, to be close and understandable to them. And for this, one should take into account local characteristics and general trends, fashion.

For example, the topic of the dangers of doping. What is it customary to talk about? The vast majority of experts talk about the dangers of smoking and drinking, casually touching on issues related to substance abuse.

But how many children smoke, drink alcohol or retire with toxic substances? Most of them don’t even think about it, because they spend their time mainly on the Internet and at McDonald’s, and not in doorways, as it was at the end of the last century. But it's enough to go outside and walk past popular with teenagersfast food establishments to notice that almost all of them consume energy drinks and smoke "vapes". And this is doping, and much more terrible than drugs, cigarettes or alcohol, since there are no problems with their acquisition.

Such nuances must be taken into account when preparing a conversation with at-risk adolescents.

How and what to talk about with parents?

School psychologists, like teachers, communicate not only with children, but also with their parents. Moreover, conversations with the older generation are much more difficult than with teenagers.

Conversations with parents of at-risk teens should cover the same thematic areas as conversations with children themselves. But, of course, building a dialogue should be different. It is very difficult to talk with parents who initially boast of their own "knowing" and hostility. It is extremely difficult to overcome such “protection”, and there is no single template for conversation. You need to try to find topics that are close to parents, and not let them understand that they are to blame for something, that they missed something in their upbringing.

It is even more difficult to communicate with parents who come "for show". This type of adult is characterized by:

• agree with each statement;
• nod vigorously, sigh;
• asking rhetorical questions with extreme concern on their faces;
• can take notes;
• do not interrupt or argue.

For such parents, the child is a priori “bad”, and the essence of their behavior is expressed as follows - “tell me, teach,what should I do . If the conversation is held together with the child, then such parents can give him a symbolic cuff on the head.

The problem is that as soon as they leave the school threshold, their behavior changes. These people don't take psychologists seriously and just show the right reaction to get left behind.

Thus, the specialist's task is to ensure that parents take him seriously, do not see him as an enemy and support his efforts. There is no need to explain to adults “what is good and what is not”, they themselves know this very well.

How to build individual communication with a difficult teenager?

Individual conversation with a teenager at risk is, on the one hand, much easier than communicating with a group of children, and on the other hand, it is more difficult.

The task of a specialist in this situation is to identify those problems that push the child to inappropriate actions, antisocial behavior, violation of the rules. If the child is prone to excessive gloominess, not very sociable, and in general gives the impression of a person who is depressed, then the task of a specialist is further complicated by the fact that it is possible to identify the presence of a tendency to suicide or harm others.

You need to build a conversation in the form of a dialogue. You should not read moralizing to a child, it will be possible to reach him only if he feels respect from a specialist.

How to achieve this? We should start by recognizing the fact that a teenager has every right to experience negative emotions,be offended, angry. As soon as the child understands that he is not judged and is not trying to “teach” anything, he will open up and talk about everything that is a problem for him.

What is a "conversation protocol"?

Every school psychologist is required to make a protocol of a conversation with a teenager at risk. What it is? This is a document in which the specialist records the content of the conversation with the child.

Typically, the standard protocol includes the following items:

• subject;
• F. Acting child and specialist;
• date;
• target;
• summary;
• conclusions.

Of course, the name of the educational institution or social center is also indicated. There are no uniform requirements for the protocol, so additional items may be included in it.