Troubled Teen Industry Essay

Introduction
Cathay Krebs, director of the Children's Rights Litigation Committee, reported that between 120,000 and 200,000 teens are subject to the abuse of the troubled teen industry (Krebs 2021). The troubled teen industry can be defined as an industry made up of wilderness programs, residential treatment centers, and reform schools which incarcerate thousands of minors for issues their parents deem as atypical or abnormal (Kushan 2017). The qualities that define a troubled teen include disabilities, such as mental illness, substance abuse and dependence, eating disorders, and cognitive difference. Even teenagers who simply exhibit traits a parent deems negative such as LGBT status or genuinely problematic behaviors that make them difficult

In her master's thesis, Catherine Kushan writes, “Troubled Teen treatment centers cater to parents’ desire for radically life-altering treatment that will change their teenage child’s behavior” (Kushan 2017). The Troubled teen industry preys on parent's desperation to fix their kid's atypical behaviors and advertises itself as behavior modification centers that will fix any issues a parent finds wrong with their child (Younis 2021). Wanda Mohr, professor of psychiatric mental health nursing at Rutgers University, adds to this by mentioning that “Hearing glowing testimonials suggesting effectiveness on Web Sites that make it simple to sign up their children, it should come as no surprise that parents are attracted to these programs” (Mohr 2009). Mohr demonstrates another way the troubled teen industry is able to manipulate parents. When looking at the websites of various Troubled Teen programs, negative reviews are censored only ones that make the program sound appealing are shown. The troubled teen industry manipulates parents because of the large economic incentive when enrolling teenagers in their programs. Breaking Code Silence, a nonprofit that represents children, youth, and adults who are/were incarcerated in the U.S. troubled teen industry found that the tuition of Discovery Ranch, a

In a report by Olivia Stull Ph.D., one survivor of the troubled teen industry said, “It was severely traumatizing and did more harm than good” (Stull 2020). The reason the troubled teen industry ended up doing more harm than good was because of the effects of trauma on one's health. Jamie Mater, a researcher in psychology and survivor of the troubled teen industry, conducted a study on the effects of the troubled teen industry on survivors. She found that “Many participants reported that they currently experienced symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), such as nightmares, panic attacks, dissociation, memory issues, flashbacks, and hypervigilance” (Mater 2022). The survivor's account of the troubled teen industry as traumatizing and Mater’s study finding numerous survivors with PTSD correlates with Guitele J. Rahill's Ph.D. explanation of what trauma can lead to. In Stimulus Material 5, “In their Own Words: Resilience among Haitian Survivors of the 2010 Earthquake”, Guitele J. Rahill Ph.D., writes, “Trauma may cause adverse physiological changes such as the release of stress hormones that can actually weaken health and resilience. However, the outcomes of trauma, regardless of its source, are not limited to adverse, irreversible health or social outcomes” (Rahill 2016). PTSD is a major issue among survivors of the