Unattained milestones in the chemically dependent adolescent from a dysfunctional family

Abstract

It has been noted that adolescents who suffer from chemical dependency frequently display signs of arrested development in many areas. It has been the experience of many clinicians, that these developmental lags frequently encompass wider parameters than had been previously supposed. These include physiological, intellectual, psychosexual, psychosocial and moral development. This presents frustration for the recovering adolescent, who is “doing all the right things” but getting nowhere. It is an equally negative experience for the counselor, who may utilize programs, techniques and methods which brought desired results with a young adult, but affords no success with the adolescent (Cavaiola & Kane‐Cavaiola, 1989).