Issue editors' notes.

Abstract

for adolescents in today’s world, this is perhaps the best of times and the worst of times. It may be the worst of times because despite many efforts, problems among adolescents continue to burgeon. Epidemiological reports, for instance, highlight increased adolescent mental health disturbances, with approximately one in five adolescents experiencing psychological disorders severe enough to warrant mental health services. A review of three longitudinal studies examining prevalence of mental health problems among adolescents revealed that between the ages of nine and sixteen, 37–39 percent of youth have been diagnosed with at least one or more psychiatric disorders.1 Later follow-ups to these longitudinal studies found that the prevalence rate of psychiatric disorders grew to 40–50 percent by age twenty-one.2 The Institute of Medicine’s 2009 report on mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders of young people indicated that the “annual quantifiable cost of such disorders among young people was estimated in 2007 to be $247 billion” (p. 1) and emphasized that prevention and the use of empirically supported interventions are essential strategies for reducing mental illness and promoting social and emotional health. It may be equally the best of times for adolescents today because of the abundance of groundbreaking scientific discoveries that are emerging in areas such as neuroscience, positive youth development, and resiliency that can inform the development and implementation of interventions aimed at deterring problems and promoting well-being in adolescence. One such innovation that holds much promise for helping adolescents reach their potential is the focus of this volume: mindfulness approaches with adolescents.