Adolescent Alcohol Abuse

Adolescent Alcohol Abuse Essay Adolescent Alcohol Abuse:What Factors are Present?Over the years, many researchers have dedicated their time and energy to study adolescent alcohol abuse. They have found that there are many factors that contribute to adolescent alcohol abuse. These factors are psychological, environmental, social, and cultural. Not all of these factors play a part in every adolescent who abuses alcohol, but one of these factors is usually present. Psychological disorders have been found in both American, and Taiwan adolescents who abuse alcohol. The health risks of adolescent alcohol abuse are great. Alcohol affects the physiology of a young person. It disrupts the genetics and hormonal balances that are critical in the early development of youngsters.Treatment of alcohol abuse is a great state of change and development. Many therapists, doctors and counselors are trying to incorporate new treatment ideas and methods into the traditional techniques that have been used for years now.It is important t o research the factors that contribute to adolescent alcohol abuse because if these factors are detected early, and an adolescent is put into a prevention program the likelihood that they will abuse alcohol will greatly decrease.Psychological Factors According to the research, there have been many psychological problems found in adolescents who abuse alcohol. The majority of the research has been done in order to solve the question of whether or not these psychological factors are present before an adolescent abuses alcohol, or after the alcohol abuse has occurred. In the research done by Rhode, Lewinsohn, and Seeley (1996), they used a community sample of 1,507 adolescents between the ages of fourteen and eighteen. The adolescents were classified into the categories of abstainers, experimenters, social drinkers, problem drinkers, and abuse and/or dependent groups. In this study, 373 subjects met the criteria for depression, 15 were bipolar, 93 suffered from manic core symptoms, and 124 had an anxiety disorder (Rhode et al., 1996). Furthermore, anxiety disorder and depression were psychological disorders that were more prevalent in female adolescents with alcohol abuse than their male counterparts.Males who abused alcohol tended to suffer from antisocial personality disorder. It is believed that females who suffer from anxiety disorder or depression use alcohol as a self-medication to make them feel better. According to Clark, and Bukstein (1998), one form of antisocial disorder known as conduct disorder lead adolescents to act out and seek out new experiences. This is probably the reason why adolescent males with an antisocial disorder turn to alcohol abuse. According to Rhode (et al., 1996), More than 80% of adolescents with an alcohol use disorder had another psychiatric disorder. (p. 106). In his study, the alcohol abuse tended to follow rather than proceed the psychiatric disorder. From this, it can be concluded that certain psychological disorders such as antisocial disorder, and depression are a factor in adolescent alcohol abuse. Environmental FactorsMany studies have focused on the environmental factors that adolescents are exposed to, and how these factors lead to alcohol abuse. The aim of a study performed by Clark, Lesnick, and Hegedus (1997), Was to examine trauma history and other adverse life events in adolescents with alcohol dependence or abuse and to compare them with a sample of community-dwelling adolescents without alcohol use disorder (p.1746). This study included 256 adolescents between the ages of fourteen and eighteen (Clark et al., 1997). Adolescents who abused, or were dependent on alcohol reported more traumas then those in the control group. The types of abuse experienced by males and females tended to differ. Females experienced more sexual abuse, and males tended to be victims of violent acts. Both sexual abuse victims, and victims of violent acts showed increased amounts of alcohol use than those adolescents who were not abused in any way. If subjects experienced a number of traumas, t hey tended to abuse alcohol more than those that experienced only one trauma or no trauma at all. From this study, it can be concluded that trauma and abuse leads to adolescent alcohol abuse. Social Factors A study done on Hispanic and Black adolescents in the New York inner cities concluded that there were indeed social factors that contributed to adolescent alcohol abuse. The study used a sample of 4,874 Hispanic and African

Aiming Toward A Hydrogen Economy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Aiming Toward A Hydrogen Economy - Essay Example Thus, when discussing the strength, weakness, opportunities and threats of the hydrogen fuel technology enthusiastically researched and developed in Iceland, the inevitability of the political, economical, social and technological implications continue to remain unabated at each step and level although their form may differ from country to country and region to region, depending on each country's political, economical, social and technological status, political system and relationship with the world community. (China Energy Industry - PEST Framework Analysis) The main advantages of using Iceland as base for Hydrogen Fuel Technology are her abundant natural resources, her desire to appropriate technology to tap her resources through research and development without upsetting her ecological and environmental balance, and her potential to return to her pristine, original and idyllic landscapes through sustained innovation and tie up with major energy corporations such as Shell, DaimlerChrysler, etc. Till the 1970s, Iceland was dependent on whatever energy she could muster from fossil fuel her lackluster economy could afford. The shift to Hydrogen fuel energy brought about a sea change economically, socially and corporately. It not only catapulted Iceland as a case study of immense potential and promise for other nations to emulate but also rejuvenated the nation's economy and social scenario. (Ken Mark and Jordon Mitchell, p12) Iceland's proximity to affluent Western European nations, as also its own skilled and dedicated human resource provides it the potential to harness the latest and the best in terms of human skills and technological resources. With this proven record of pollution-free energy use Iceland's credentials as trend-setter in the important energy sector can only grow from strength to strength in the international arena. Weakness Despite Iceland's success with Hydrogen fuel technology, a universal change over to this form of energy is not viable as of now. Globally, hydrogen fuel technology is in its infancy and the world has a long way to go before its usage could be made safe and cost-effective enough for the end-user to switch over to the same extent as in the case of Iceland. It is difficult and unsafe to store hydrogen in gaseous form. In its independent state, hydrogen burns out. In its liquefied form it is necessary to keep it at -217C. It is not possible to store and distribute hydrogen fuel in the existing infrastructure. A new infrastructure has to be created for its storage and distribution. Geothermal production of hydrogen is not possible