Out of Options: A Cognitive Model of Adolescent Suicide and Risk-Taking. By Kate Sofronoff, Len Dalgliesh, and Robert Kosky. UK: Cambridge University Press. 2005

Adolescents with suicidal or risk-taking behaviors present a challenge to parents, educators, mental health professionals, and specialists in juvenile justice. Suicide threats and attempts are often associated with tremendous consequences in terms of personal suffering, the anguish of family and friends, as well as the economic costs of hospitalization and treatment. The related problem of adolescent risk-taking includes alcohol or substance abuse, driving under the influence of substances, and juvenile crime with similarly significant consequences. The most severe consequence in either case is the untimely death of an adolescent. Careful attention to these problems comes at an opportune time. Increasing international attention has inspired interdisciplinary treatment teams and policymakers to seek information about which youth are at risk, what factors influence their behavior, and what steps can be taken to prevent such behavior. Sofronoff, Dalgliesh, and Kosky address these questions in this insightful new book. …