Epilogue

Abstract

The understanding of adolescent mental health has advanced considerably in the 10 years since the preparation of the First Edition of the Handbook of Adolescent Behavioral Problems. Knowledge has grown (particularly in the areas of neuroscience and the “adolescent brain”), the understanding and importance of evidence-based practice has evolved, and the coding (Common Procedural Terminology) and diagnostic systems that influence practice and policy have undergone significant change (International Classification of Disease [ICD]—10 and 11, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders [DSM]—Volume 5). There is growing recognition of general principles of practice that may transcend the approach to any specific diagnosis or problem, and new or newly conceptualized issues that did not make the first edition of this volume have emerged as important social and clinical issues (self-injury, bullying, media and technology addiction, dating violence, etc.). It can also be argued that there is a greater and growing appreciation of the need for multimodal strategies that incorporate biological, individual, family, and systemic approaches. In particular there is greater awareness of the power and efficiency of programs that take large-scale policy-driven public health approaches to common problems such as those launched in the fight against adolescent obesity, pregnancy, smoking, and substance abuse. Despite these significant advances, improvements in the availability and quality of prevention and intervention programs are not occurring fast enough to significantly reduce the tremendous burden of disease associated with adolescent behavior problems.