“What Should I Do?” How Consultants Impact Adolescents’ Risky Decisions

Consultation plays a key role in adolescents’ risky decisions and influences what options and consequences are considered, how potential consequences are valued, and even what choices adolescents make. Even with impulsive decisions, informal consultation affects how likely an adolescent is to engage in risky behaviors. Unfortunately several factors about impulsive decisions present challenges for rational decision making.

Professionals can help improve adolescent decision making by addressing risky situations before they occur, providing information and support, and helping youth consider the outcomes of their decisions. Professionals need to remember that the decisions youth make are likely to be influenced by the people with whom they have consulted, and this input from others may need to be addressed when working with adolescents. Finally, professionals working with youth are likely to be consultants themselves and need to be prepared for this role, as well as be sensitive to the potential ethical problem of confidentiality.