In order to create a space for interactive debates you find topics concerning events and developments dealing with adolescents. Here are the first ones which shall invite you to give comments, interesting statements, knowledge of theories and experiences. If you want to participate please send your statement to the following address: s.flor@asklepios.com or b.fricke@asklepios.com. Furthermore we want to ask you to send us interesting clinical and research topics concerning adolescence which will be published on the website in order to initiate a dialogue of experts and clinicians of different countries.
Topic One: Amok runners April 30, 2009
Four weeks ago an adolescent amok runner killed 15 persons, 9 pupils, 3 teachers and 3 pedestrians. That is the 6th amok run in Germany. In the USA 21 amok runs happened in the last 12 years. The amok runners are adolescents at the age of 13 to 22 years. It seems that such events mainly happen in the United States and Germany. There might be a cultural effect, why especially adolescents in these two societies react with a grandiose concept of destruction and doom:
Thursday, March 12th: The 17 year old Tim enters the school early in the morning, which he left 9 months ago. He has a pistol of his father, who usually keeps it in his bedside table, and more than 400 rounds. He enters three classes and kills 9 pupils, 8 girls, 1 boy of his age, and 3 teachers. During his flight he kills 3 pedestrians and finally himself.
He grew up in a very wealthy family. His father has a business with 100 employees. and he had ambitions with his son - he pushed him to take part in table-tennis tourneys.
Tim ‘only' graduated from middle-school. He stayed withdrawn at home, playing computer games and storing pornographic pictures. He had no contact to girls. He looked like a 14 year old boy.
Does somebody have experiences with adolescent runners?'
Are there especially psychodynamics and real adversities?
Why especially in adolescence?
What about the cultural background?
Are there different expressions of violence and suicidality of adolescents in different cultures?
Topic two
More and more often adolescents get the diagnosis of ADHD. These are mainly adolescents with the comorbid diagnosis of conduct disorder. They show severe mentalisation problems, problems of self-regulation and object-relations.
What are the experiences concerning treatment of such adolescents? Does psychodynamic treatment play a role? What are the results?
Are there research projects in this field?