This book was both disturbing and compelling. The stories of the children who attended these "schools" and "educational programs" (note that i put the quotes around those words) were traumatized with fictitious treatments an fake psychology. A must read for any parent of a teen or educator.

I did find it interesting. I did think there was important information included. But it wasn't a great read.

Since reading Just Mercy, I have dived into books that tell another side to the prison system story. I think we're conditioned to believe that "bad" people deserve to be locked up, but we haven't done a very good job of evaluating how that thought process is truly working, or looked at the ways we can help reform people so that they can return to society as contributing members. There are so many stories where these people are products of their environment and with some education and reformation, they may be able to overcome their circumstances. Rosen really dives into how our current system is not working. I wish he would have provided more tangible ideas and solutions, but I really appreciated this new perspective.

The Troubled Teed Industry is a secret blight on America and I'm glad that (a) Kenneth survived and (b) wrote this book. I would ask everyone who knows teenagers to read this and think of the ramifications.

3.5 I grew up on the Northwest side of Chicago, a neighborhood filled with many children my own age. Some of us, like myself went to Catholic School, others the public school. Discipline in Catholic school was maintained by a system of guilt, fear and corporal punishment. The public school threat was if one didn't behave, cut classes, they would be sent to Montifiore, a school for troubled children. This is my long winded way of explaining why I have no direct knowledge of the programs mentioned in this book.

Rose, who was once a participant in one such program, shares his own experience, but also the experience of four others. Wilderness programs, survival camps, last resort schools, are programs with little or no oversight, often coupled with untrained counselors. These places of last resort are extremely lucrative. The details shock, often I couldn't understand how the tactics they used are supposed to be effective and too often the scars they leave are permanent.

An eye opening book, personal stories and a look at a mostly unregulated industry. The desperation of parents of whom Rosen is not unsympathetic, but there has to be a better way. The cost is high both financially and in destructiveness, mentally hard to overcome. Heartbreaking really.

This book explored what happens at wilderness camps and reform schools for troubled teens. It is written by a man whom spent time there in his youth. He wrote about then experiences of different individuals and gave updates on their lives today.
Though some of the happenings at these camps was suspect it was shocking to me that they are also unregulated. Desperate families send there children there and there doesn't seem to be a good success rate.
Overall the book was depressing because it didn't offer any suggestions or hope to save troubled teens.

Troubled by Kenneth Rosen is a nonfiction book about different programs for troubled teens. The author himself went to a "scared straight" type program when he was a teenager. He focuses on three types of programs: wilderness, boarding school, and more restrictive residential treatment.

He chooses to tell the stories of four individual teens who go through these various programs. Their stories were very compelling and illuminating to read. However, that's where my praise for this book stops. His writing is poor, his opinion incredibly biased, and he presents his opinions without facts that back him up. His thesis is, "This book hopes to show that in many, if not all, cases these programs do more harm than good." After reading this book, I do not believe that. I was convinced that these programs need to be overhauled, that the adults who run these programs need more training and more regulation.

One reason he says these programs should be ended is the death rate. He points out deaths that occurred during the programs. Some were due to drugs, some suicide, and others were caused by the adults restricting food allowances. However, after teens died from the lack of food, regulations were put into place requiring a minimum of 1800 calories to prevent that from occurring again. Additionally, these are teens who were doing drugs, self harming, prostituting themselves, and engaging in other risky behaviors. I think a factor to consider is how many would've died regardless.

Another of his arguments is that he thinks "he would've grown out of it." and thus his parents shouldn't have sent him away. It is possible of course, but many parents intervene because they fear the real damage their children could do without getting help. Again, drug use, prostitution, and committing other crimes are all things that would have long-term negative consequences and it is incredibly naïve to think they'll just outgrow it.

He says near the end of the book that parents of unruly teens ask him if he benefited from the programs he was sent to and he ponders whether it helped him. He writes, "Far as I can tell, I never really shed that troubled past. I still steal things or shoplift from time to time though I call it 'casual liberation.' I drive recklessly. I disrespect authority figures. I make risky financial decisions. I test the limits of my family's patience." At another part he includes information that he has spent time in jail for attempted armed robbery and attempted murder of his girlfriend. I'm baffled as to why he included that information because it definitely undermines the idea that he would just "grow out of it."

Lastly, the bias made this difficult to read. He only mentions at the end that one of the four teens whose story he tells was a friend he met during his time in a program. At the beginning, he said he chose these four because their experience best summed up the experience. Additionally and more importantly, he would state an opinion, only to follow it up with contradictory or confusing facts. Here's an example: "In many studies, clients have indicated that wilderness therapy was productive for them during and immediately after it and the rest of their treatment. Interviews have shown that the clients usually did not continue to develop in the years after wilderness treatment, aside from the usual maturation of the adolescent brain and personality. Because a patient is swiftly reintroduced to their old peer groups, they shed any skills learned while in therapy. The transition is abrupt, and the tools learned in the wilderness are lose outside of a controlled environment. Yet the experience does not derail them socially, which may be the best benefit to a swift return."

Another example of him providing contradictory information was about a survey parents filled out after consulting whether or not to try wilderness therapy. "The group, divided into those who had enrolled their children and those who had decided against the wilderness and residential track, showed a remarkable difference in outcomes among the children. Fifteen months after the initial call with the consultant, those who were admitted to a program showed few signs of the behavior that got them sent away. Those who instead stayed home and attended regular therapy or community sessions were still 'dysfunctional'." So here he provides at least anecdotal evidence from the parents that this program works better than not doing it. This book was full of examples like this.

The last example I'll share is one he included from a Facebook post written by a "survivor" of one of these programs. "Overall, I do believe that the Program has helped change my life and has been a major influence in the way I think and act today." This directly undermines the idea that these programs cause more psychological harm than good.

Overall, this book is biased, poorly and confusingly written, and doesn't succeed in convincing me that these programs should be shut down. While he highlights problems that I do think need to be addressed, he never convinces me that these programs should be entirely eliminated. I do not recommend this book to anyone. I give the book two stars for at least including the compulsively readable anecdotes and thank Netgalley for an early copy. This book is published on January 12, 2021.

As a parent, grandparent, former teacher and school guidance counselor, I was intrigued by the topic of Kenneth R. Rosen's book, "Troubled". "Troubled" is based on the author's firsthand, personal experiences in treatment facilities for troubled teens. Mr. Rosen also conducted over one hundred interviews with other clients, their parents, psychologists, and health-care professionals. The history of four of these clients are portrayed in this book.

The book, "Troubled" was a major "eye opener" for me. Have I heard and read about the atrocities in some of our nation's treatment facilities for youth? The answer is "yes". Did I realize the extent of the problems in our nation's treatment facilities? The answer is "no".

In reading this book, and learning how treatment is provided to the majority of our youth, common sense told me that their treatments would fail. Facilities are run by uneducated (in the field of counseling/psychology/psychiatry) staff. The main and only focus, is the bottom line figure (generated income).

This book will make you think twice about our nation's treatment facilities for youth. I guarantee you will be as outraged as I was.

A good educational read!!

I have a background in a parallel field so I found this book of interest. Specifically, I wrote my master's thesis on the children's mental health care system, particularly when it touches kids in states' care. This means that I am much more familiar with the "above board" mental and behavioral health programs rather than those not covered by insurance which are discussed in this book. But I have heard about these shady, unregulated "treatment" options that Rosen discusses on NPR.

I had some major issues with this book. The first being that the author has personal experience, and therefore, a lot of bias on this subject. That does not preclude someone from writing a book, but I do expect a nonfiction author to take this into account. Second, the author has no credentials in health care or mental and behavioral health. This was readily apparent in the writing and some of what he presents as facts. This book also lacks citations. I realize that the author is a journalist who may not use these regularly, but they are desperately needed. I think this would have eliminated some of the incorrect information that is presented and the fact it is misleading. For example, this book discusses Cognitive Behavioral Theory (CBT) and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) more than once and misrepresents it. The writing truly distorts what CBT and DBT are and makes it seem like these are non-mainstream and harmful, when this is far from the truth. Some text also implies that therapists use The Secret in providing therapy which is honestly unheard of. Perhaps that is what was used in the programs he attended, but he is then not taking into account the fact that most of the programs do not have licensed therapists. 

I recognize that this is an uncorrected proof, and that being said, I think this book needs substantial editing before publication. The transition from personal narratives to facts is rough and makes it more difficult to tell what is option versus fact. I think with some rearranging this material, the book can better frame the personal stories with factual information and introductions. In addition, there are some technical writing issues such as failure to introduce an acronym before using it. 

Overall, I think this book has potential if the issues discussed above are addressed. However, as it stands, I would not recommend it.

An eye opening look at residential treatment programs. This is an eye opening look at what actually these programs entail.Dark sad an important book for anyone involved in the system or has heard about these programs and want to learn the truth.A very revealing expose, #netgalley#littleA

Read if you: Want to know more about the disturbing and largely unknown side of residential treament programs for "troubled teens."

Librarians/booksellers: Purchase if titles about youth issues are well-received. This is an engrossing, compelling, and unfortunately, largely tragic read. However, it is an important read.

Many thanks to Little A and NetGalley for a digital review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Tragic. Rosen uses case studies of four particular people and their experiences with wilderness re-education camps (and residential, boarding school style similar institutions) to paint a truly tragic picture. On an anecdotal basis, these camps seem horrifying in an Orange Is The New Black kind of way - an in depth look at the what really happens to some individuals. For what it is - these anecdotal experiences with a few claims backed up with the barest of bibliographies - it really is a strong read and a needed one. However, I would welcome a much more comprehensive, and cited, further examination along the lines of Radley Balko's Rise of the Warrior Cop or Michelle Alexander's The New Jim Crow. Because this particular topic, based on the strengths of these particular anecdotes, seems to warrant such an investigation. Very much recommended.

"Troubled" takes a look at treatment programs/facilities for young adults with behavioral and/or mental health issues. Kenneth Rosen experienced these programs first hand, and uses examples of other individuals who have gone through these programs to highlight commonalities and differences across these programs. He also follows up with these individuals later in order to present what is the rule, rather the exception with outcomes from these programs. Multiple types of treatment programs are explained, starting with wilderness programs. Often after finishing these programs, individuals will then transition to residential centers or potentially lockdown facilities. Something that resonated with me was that Rosen described these as often solutions for the parents, not for the children. These programs use a mixed bag of methods: group therapy, individual therapy, different kinds of punishment. They are frequently unregulated and most research on these programs are funded internally. Outcomes for the majority of these young adults are not good. Kudos to Rosen for highlighting these programs, which specifics/evidence behind them are not well-understood by the public. One finishes reading this book wondering what is the best path forward for these individuals.

Thanks to NetGalley and Little A for providing me an advance reader copy for review.

"Troubled" by Kenneth Rosen is a book about behavioral treatment programs in the United States as told through the lens of various participants and Rosen's own experiences. I had always known about behavioral treatment programs, but I was not of the different styles of behavioral treatment and the sheer amount of programs available in the United States. What this book highlights, for me, is that most of the students profiled were dealing with severe, ongoing trauma, yet they were "treated" using methods that weren't actually helping them by people who are not always guaranteed to be qualified under the law. I was both surprised and also not too shocked that we have let these often expensive fly under the radar, especially when stories of abuse and mistreatment are rampant. This book had me saying wow to myself many times, and I suggest reading it to learn more about these programs and their effects on participants.

As someone who has spent just under a year in a residential treatment facility in my teens, I had to jump and request a copy. My time in treatment is not dissimilar to what was presented in Troubled – forced to adapt to the rules of the program, but not actually receiving “real world” help.
Troubled follows the lives of four “troubled kids” through their stays at different treatment programs (be it residential, or wilderness). Rosen manages to capture the duality of these types of programs through his reporting and interviews with clients. Some find at least a place to disconnect from outside stressors/abusive environment long enough and get the help they need. Others manipulate an imperfect and sometimes traumatic (read: physically/mentally/sexually abusive) system in order to make it out in one piece.
I appreciate Rosen taking the time to show us what life AFTER these programs looks like. Hint: it’s rarely glamorous.