Based on the unique needs that tweens face, Penn Medicine Princeton House Behavioral Health has introduced a Tween Program for kids in grades 5 to 8, with a curriculum separate from the Adolescent Program. Both intensive outpatient and partial hospital programs are now available at the Hamilton, North Brunswick, and Moorestown sites, and team members specialize in treating this age group.
“A child entering puberty is often facing very different issues than a child exiting puberty,” explains Jody Kashden, PhD, Senior Director of Development and Performance Improvement at Princeton House. “By having two distinct treatment programs for young people, we can really zero in on the issues each group faces.”
Tackling Tween Issues
Beyond changing bodies and social pressures to fit in, tweens typically are beginning to explore their own identities and test their independence. Friends and technology become bigger priorities, and tweens are expected to take on more responsibility at school.
Lauren de Mars, LPC, Clinical Manager of the Child and Adolescent Program at Princeton House’s North Brunswick outpatient site, has noticed a growing trend of tweens following the lead of friends in exploring more unhealthy behaviors at a younger age. Issues tweens face can include school avoidance, bullying, cutting/self-harm, substance use, and eating disorders.
With elements of CBT and DBT, the curriculum provides the building blocks to help tweens recognize emotions and foster self-care. It focuses on identity, self-esteem, relationships, and coping skills, and the partial hospital program includes class time with teachers.
“This program gives tweens the verbiage to understand, validate, and communicate what they are experiencing,” says de Mars. “Without the right words, frustration just becomes anger.”
Connecting with Schools
With parental permission, team members often work directly with schools to develop transition plans, make recommendations on special accommodations, and even help navigate a crisis. Cope-ahead plans can be shared with schools to facilitate re-entry, and ongoing communication is prioritized.
“The needs of our population have shaped this unique program,” says de Mars. “It’s vital to provide this level of care to our community.”
“This stage can be very confusing for both young people and their parents,” adds Kashden. “Our curriculum helps them approach all this change in a healthy way that they can understand. When that foundation is built, it can help them through so many other challenges in life.”
For more information, visit princetonhouse.org/child.
