The Romance Of Risk: Why Teenagers Do The Things They Do [Paperback]

Lynn Ponton (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 11, 1998

Dr. Lynn Ponton has devoted her clinical practice to a particular community—teenagers in trouble. Whether these kids are struggling with peers, experimenting with drugs, stealing cars, or having unprotected sex, they have something in common: they are all involved in unhealthy risk-taking. And their parents are scared. “How did my child get involved in this dangerous situation?” they ask. “And what can I do?”Their fears are justified: today’s teens have more opportunities for taking dangerous risks than ever before. But in The Romance of Risk, Dr. Ponton refutes the traditional idea that risk-taking is primarily an angry power struggle with parents—so-called teenage rebellion—and re-defines it as a potentially positive testing process whereby challenge and risk are the primary tools adolescents use to find out who they are and determine who they will become.This new perspective is revealed in a series of mesmerizing tales about individual adolescents and their families. Among others, we meet Jill, a 13-year-old thrill-seeking runaway; Hannah, a privileged daughter of suburbia who suffers from anorexia; and Joe, a high school senior with a serious drinking problem. Through these stories, we come to understand Dr. Ponton’s startling observation that teenagers must confront and experience challenge and risk along the path to self-discovery.For adolescents, the powerful allure of the adult world is equaled only by the fear of failing to find a place in it. Parents can ease that transition into adulthood, however, by promoting healthy risk-taking so that dangerous options will be avoided.In The Romance of Risk, parents will learn how they can begin to understand rather than fear adolescent risk-taking, and how to communicate with their children about it. After all, teenagers will always romanticize risk. But with the support and guidance of parents and other adults, odds are the risks they take will be the right ones.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

YA?An important book for teens, their parents, educators, and anyone else associated with the sometimes unfathomable adolescent years. Beginning with an explanation of healthy versus destructive behavior, Ponton makes it clear that taking risks is an important part of the developmental process. However, unhealthy or self-destructive risk taking is another matter, and teens must understand the causes of these behaviors in order to change them. In a series of case studies, the author/psychiatrist introduces teens she has counseled who exhibit a variety of dangerous behaviors, including running away, unprotected sex, self-mutilation, eating disorders, pregnancy, and bullying. Issues involved in the mother-son and father-daughter relationships are clearly explored. Divorce war dilemmas and their possible effects on a teen's actions are explained. The importance of familial influence, of the provision of healthy role models and open communication lines is ably demonstrated. Although adults will find this an illuminating book, it will appeal to YAs as well. It is readable, the case studies use teens that come from various backgrounds and have different abilities, and the behaviors are clearly explained. Many adolescents are likely to find a deeper understanding of their own actions or those of their friends. Notes for each chapter provides access to additional reading on the subjects covered and the complete index makes research on a particular issue easy.?Carol DeAngelo, formerly at Fairfax County Public Library, VA
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

Ponton, a San Francisco psychiatrist who specializes in treating adolescents, asserts that risk taking is a normal and even essential part of the teenage years. Unfortunately, when positive risks aren't modeled by a teen's family or peer group, negative and dangerous risk taking is often the result. Ponton describes several case studies of adolescents who have opted for dangerous risks such as running away, taking drugs, having unprotected intercourse, getting involved in gang activity, and even raping and terrorizing other teens. All the case studies presented go into detail about the family or social dynamics that have contributed to the teen's negative risk taking. Despite a de facto fictionalization?Ponton has changed all identifying characteristics, added made-up dialog, and sometimes morphed two or more people's stories together?the author has put together a work that delves deeply into why teens take dangerous risks. Not really a parenting book so much as a work of analysis, this is suitable for medium and larger public libraries.?Pamela A. Matthews, Univ. of Maryland Lib., Baltimore
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Basic Books; 1 edition (September 11, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0465070760
• ISBN-13: 978-0465070763
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #766,675 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding perspective on needs and motives of adolescents, November 10, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The Romance Of Risk: Why Teenagers Do The Things They Do (Paperback)

Dr. Ponton writes an unusual book that gives voice to troubled teens and their families, using their engaging stories to teach about contemporary adolescence. As the reader eavesdrops on these lives through absorbing narrative, accounts of therapy, thoughtful reflection and application to relevant issues, and analyses of family interactions, important facts and facets of adolescent development and devlopmental issues are learned almost effortlessly. The book is engaging and at times exciting, as we come to know these teens and their struggles. The variety of teens and adolescent problems profiled is impressive--from the general need to explore and define the self (Jill) to gang involvement and aggression (Evan and Cecilia), from drugs and sexual activity to self-mutilation, depression and anorexia nervosa. Readers also learn about mental health services, and how therapy helps adolescents and families grow and change. This is a terrific book for parents, educators, any mental health field worker, or teens themselves! I used this book as a supplemental reader to a course I taught in adolescent development at a major university where I am a doctoral student in clinical psychology. Students loved it, and several bought copies as gifts for their parents or other family members. I will be using it again for a section of Adolescent Development I will be teaching in spring semester, 1999.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An Excellent Resource - Rather Technical, February 7, 2001

By 

Courtney L. Lewis "Sassy Librarian" (Kingston, PA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Romance Of Risk: Why Teenagers Do The Things They Do (Paperback)

Dr. Lynn Ponton has been treating adolescents for many years and through this book has attempted to chronicle the key lives and issues that have influenced her views of teenager psychology. Presenting a range of often likeable characters, Dr. Ponton does an excellent job of showing the intelligence and resilience of her patients while at the same time demonstrating how parents can feel angry and confused about how to parent their teen. The book illustrates all the main issues surrounding adolescents, eating disorders, drugs/alcohol, sex, and abuse, as well as analyzing the complexity of mother/son, mother/daughter, father/son, and father/daughter relationships.

If I had to offer one criticism of this book, it would be that Dr. Ponton's language (particularly at the beginning of the book) tends to be extremely clinical and often presents a layer to wade through to find her point. Although we live in the era of the pseudo-psychological talk show, and some of the language will be familiar, parents and teens seeking answers to a problem may find this quality of the book off-putting. Conversely, I think this book would be of intense interest for other therapists who are interested in seeing various past and current adolescent theory put into practice by a skilled practioner. The stories of the teens and their families are compelling to all audiences, however, and I cautiously recommend this book to a large audience.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "Excellent, enjoyable and well written, overall smashing", December 6, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: The Romance of Risk: Why Teenagers Do the Things They Do (Hardcover)

This book was like a box of chocolates, so many great and spiffy stories to read and I didn't know which to choose. I advise anybody with free time and an intrest in teenagers or just an intrest in finding out about the meaning of adolesence to read this great book!