Friendships and dating: Interdisciplinary intervention for healthy relationships in at-risk youth

Relationships are integral to the foundation of our society and are intertwined into the fabric of civilization. There are family members, friends, romantic partners, co-workers, and even the local grocery store clerk. Knowing how to navigate these unique relationships appropriately and safely often goes unnoticed. For those experiencing mental illness or serious emotional disturbances (SED), relationships can be overwhelming, confusing, and challenging to navigate. Lack of these foundational skills for individuals with SED can put them at risk for interpersonal violence and decrease the quantity and quality of their social network (Ward et al., 2012). At-risk youth is a broad term encompassing various circumstances that heighten the vulnerability of young individuals to behaviors such as substance abuse, school failure, and juvenile delinquency, as well as mental health disorders (Evans, et. al., 2005). In the context of this article, adolescents (13 to 17 years old) experiencing an acute psychiatric admission at the Alaska Psychiatric Institute due to an exacerbation in mental illness are regarded as at-risk.