CLINICAL DEVELOPMENTAL INTERFACE - IMPLICATIONS OF DEVELOPMENTAL RESEARCH FOR ADOLESCENT PSYCHOTHERAPY

Implications of developmental psychology for psychotherapeutic interve ntions with adolescents are discussed. It is suggested that therapists who work with adolescents would benefit greatly from information on t ypical adolescent development. An empirically based Framework for Unde rstanding Adolescent Development is presented, detailing the normative changes of the adolescent developmental period. Treatment implication s of each component of the framework are discussed. The importance of various types of knowledge that are necessary for the clinician to wor k effectively with adolescent clients are emphasized (i.e., knowledge of developmental norms, developmental level, developmental transitions , developmental predictors, and developmental psychopathology). Recomm endations are given for how a developmental perspective can be integra ted into our training and intervention endeavors.