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Professor Sarah Feldstein Ewing
Adolescent brains are developmentally distinct from adults, resulting in different reasons for engaging in risky behavior like substance abuse, which makes it difficult for clinicians to know how to approach addiction treatment with younger patients. While they require different approaches to treatment, adolescents often receive addiction treatment based on adult models, limiting its effectiveness.
A University of Rhode Island College of Health Sciences professor and neuro scientist is aiming to find better approaches to treating adolescent addiction. Clinical Psychology Professor Sarah Feldstein Ewing, the College s endowed Prochaska Professor of Population Health, started as a clinical psychologist treating adolescents engaging heavy alcohol and cannabis use. She found the common frameworks used to treat adults were are not hitting the mark with younger patients, who often have different motivations for engaging in such risky behavior.