Psychobiological Models of Adolescent Risk: Implications for Prevention and Intervention

Psychobiological models of risk have much to contribute to the prevention of and intervention with risky behavior among adolescents. Emerging research is beginning to provide better information about mechanisms underlying individual differences in risky behavior (e.g., differences in self-regulation) and providing insight into unique vulnerabilities that occur during adolescence (e.g.. increases in reward seeking). This work suggests ways in which prevention programming can be designed to be sensitive to both individual differences and developmental timing. Psychobiological models of risk also have practical implications for the manner and methods of conducting prevention and intervention work. Future work in both the etiology and prevention of risky behavior can benefit,from ongoing dialogue and has the potential to result in a more sophisticated understanding of the mechanisms of change related to risky behavior (C) 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Dev Psychobiol 52: 295-297, 2010.