Self-Destructiveness in Adolescence: Psychotherapeutic Issues

The treatment of self-destructive adolescents is rendered difficult by their inability to tolerate success. The very sense of progress which strengthens the efforts of most patients evokes a negative therapeutic reaction from this group. They then employ a wide variety of defenses to negate any therapeutic advance. Careful address to these defensive moves and constant confrontation of the youngsters with the structure of their own self-defeating tendencies are necessary tactics to effect help.