Adolescent Risk Behavior and Self-Regulation: A Cybernetic Perspective (Original PDF)

 This book is based on the idea that increasing juvenile risk behaviours – like substance abuse, nonsuicidal self-injury, and antisocial or suicidal behaviour – allow adolescents to fulfill developmental tasks like identity-formation and regulation of self-worth. Narcissistic self-exploitation, mobility tasks, flexibility and the challenges of new media exert social pressure on parental figures, distracting and putting strain on their mental resources, which in turn changes and even destroys the emotional dialogue with their offspring. If children themselves experience neglect and lack of emotional bonding – resulting in a lack of self-regulating capacities – risk behaviours are the consequence.