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Fewer Teens Are Having Sex

May 3, 2012 -- More girls in the U.S. are remaining virgins until their late teens and into their 20s, with the biggest rates of decline in sexual activity seen among African-Americans and Hispanics, the CDC says. More than half of girls between the ages of 15 and 19 -- 57% -- reported that they had
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No Safe Way to Text and Drive for Teens

April 29, 2012 -- Texting or even the thought of texting on a cell phone while driving may be distracting enough to cause a car crash for teens. Two new studies suggest that teen drivers who text with their cell phone in any position or even think about texting are more likely to be involved in an a
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Video Game May Help Treat Teen Depression

April 19, 2012 -- A video game that teaches teens to shoot down and label negative thoughts may relieve depression as least as well as more traditional talk therapy, a new study shows. The game, called "SPARX," which stands for Smart, Positive, Active, Realistic, X-factor thoughts, was developed by
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Blood Test for Teen Depression Under Study

April 17, 2012 -- Scientists have developed a blood test that may help diagnose major depression in teens and young adults. The test is in very early stages. However, scientists hope it will someday make diagnosing depression more objective for teens. "The bottom line is that a test is possible from
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Teen Births Hit All-Time Low

April 10, 2012 -- The number of babies born to U.S. teens has reached a historic low. New statistics from the CDC show the teen birth rate in 2010 dropped by 9% from 2009 to a new low of 34.3 births per 1,000 women aged 15-19. That sets several records: It's the lowest point since record-keeping beg
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Sex Ed Becoming Less Prevalent in Grades 6-12

April 5, 2012 -- New CDC data show a leveling off of the number of middle and high schools that are teaching their students about how to prevent HIV, other sexually transmitted diseases, and pregnancy. Researchers analyzed data from 45 states in 2008 and again in 2010. They asked the principal and t
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Acne-ADHD Link?

March 22, 2012 (San Diego) -- Could acne be a sign of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)? Yes, says a Canadian psychiatrist whose study shows that people with acne are substantially more likely to have ADHD than people with other skin problems. “Acne patients should be screened for ADHD
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Spice, K2 Sending Teens to the Emergency Room

March 19, 2012 -- “Spice,” “K2,” “Mr. Smiley,” “Red X Dawn,” and “Blaze” are just some of the street names for synthetic marijuana drugs. They sound like something out of a video game, but the drugs themselves are nothing to play around with, according to a new study. When smoked or ingested, these
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Can Too Much Texting Make Teens Shallow?

Feb. 3, 2012 -- Teens and young adults who text frequently -- such as more than 300 text messages a day -- may be risking more than sore thumbs, according to a new study. "Heavy texters do seem to be a little more materialistic and less concerned about inward growth," says Paul Trapnell, PhD, associ
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CDC: Many Teen Moms Didn’t Think They Could Get Pregnant

Jan. 19, 2012 -- Teens who have babies without meaning to often don’t use birth control because they think they can’t get pregnant, according to a CDC survey. Half the teenage moms with unplanned pregnancies who responded to the survey said they weren’t using contraceptives when their babies were co
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