This report constitutes one of the first activities of the Forum on Adolescence, a cross-cutting activity of the Institute of Medicine and the National Research Council of the National Academies. Established under the auspices of the Board on Children, Youth, and Families, the forum's overaching mission is to synthesize, analyze, and evaluate scientific research on critical national issues that relate to youth and their families, as well as to disseminate research and its policy and programmatic implications. The goals of the forum are to: (1) review and establish the science base on adolescent health and development and make efforts to foster this development; (2) identify new directions and support for research in this area, approaching research as a resource to be developed cumulatively over time; (3) showcase new research, programs, and policies that have demonstrated promise in improving the health and well-being of adolescents; (4) convene and foster collaborations among individuals who represent diverse viewpoints and backgrounds, with a view to enhancing the quality of leadership in this area; and (5) disseminate research on adolescence and its policy implications to a wide array of audiences, from the scientific community to the lay public.

Contents

• [The National Academies]
• FORUM ON ADOLESCENCE
• BOARD ON CHILDREN, YOUTH, AND FAMILIES
• 1. Introduction
  • Wealth of Research
  • Scope of Report
• 2. Adolescence: A Time of Opportunity and Risk
  • The Developing Adolescent
  • Social Context in Which Adolescents Develop
  • Changes in U.S. Families
  • Peer Relationships
  • Reports Referenced
• 3. Supporting Adolescents with Social Institutions
  • Neighborhoods and Community Settings
  • Schools
  • Health Care Delivery System
  • Child Welfare and Juvenile Justice
  • Reports Referenced
• 4. Addressing Challenges and Promoting the Healthy Development of Adolescents
  • Sexual Risk, Unintended Pregnancy, and Sexually Transmitted Diseases
  • Tobacco, Alcohol, and Illicit Drugs
  • Reports Referenced
• 5. Adolescents Taking Their Place in the World
  • Adolescents in the Workforce
  • School-to-Work Programs
  • Adolescents in the 21st Century: Changing Sociodemographic Patterns
  • Reports Referenced
• 6. Implications for Research and Linking Research to Policy and Practice
  • Increasing Numbers and Growing Diversity
  • Healthy Adolescent Development
  • Relationships between Teenagers and Parents
  • New Trends in Adolescent Behavior
  • Adolescent Well-Being
  • Programs for Intervention and Youth Development
  • Developmentally Appropriate Health Care Services
  • The Media and Advances in Technology
  • Role of the Forum
• References
• Appendix Institute of Medicine/National Research Council Reports Relevant to Adolescence
• Other Reports from the Board on Children, Youth, and Families

The study was supported by Contract/Grant No. B6509 between the National Academy of Sciences and Carnegie Corporation of New York. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the organizations or agencies that provided support for this project.

Suggested citation:

National Research Council and Institute of Medicine (1999). “Risks and Opportunities: Synthesis of Studies on Adolescence.” Forum on Adolescence. Michele D. Kipke, Editor. Board on Children, Youth, and Families. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.

NOTICE: The project that is the subject of this report was approved by the Governing Board of the National Research Council, whose members are drawn from the councils of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine. The members of the committee responsible for the report were chosen for their special competences and with regard for appropriate balance.