Working with the Emotionally Sensitive Adolescent

Abstract

Emotionally sensitive adolescents are difficult to teach, to live with, and to counsel. The incidence of the overly sensitive adolescent seems to be increasing. This paper explores this syndrome, relevant issues, causes, symptoms and basic counseling concerns. Emotional sensitivity can lead to such different outcomes as crime, creativity, substance abuse or extreme withdrawal. Implications for teachers, counselors and parents are discussed. Teachers, parents, counselors and other adult figures are reporting an increase in what may be termed ‘emotionally sensitive’ adolescents. These teenagers manifest a number of different problems in varying situations (school, home, athletics, part time work) in varying degrees. This paper will attempt to address this issue and to focus on possible causal factors. © 1995, Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. All rights reserved.