Female adolescents counseling female adolescents: A first step in emotional crisis intervention

Abstract

Intermediate Strategic Intervention (I.S.I.) is a strategy whereby adolescents are trained to help friends in trouble. The immediate 24‐hour period is a most critical time and the friend who is available to the student is one who can make a difference. Research proves that the gifted can learn psychological concepts by middle school age. Therefore, it appears that we can give gifted adolescents some psychological principles on which to operate ‐ for themselves and for others. Gifted adolescents are thereby given strategies for supporting friends in trouble and serving as a link between the friend and professional services. By employing I.S.I., the first line of defense may not be therapists, but the students themselves.

Key Words:

• adolescent
• intervention
• counseling