Bias in Treatment Approach with Adolescents, Identify and discuss two biases that you are aware of that may impact your treatment approach with adolescents? How would you address these biases?

Bias in Treatment Approach with Adolescents

Adolescents often present with a variety of mental health issues that require a tailored approach to treatment. However, practitioners must be aware of potential biases that can lead to ineffective interventions. Two common biases that may have a negative impact on treatment of adolescents are the Fundamental Attribution Error and the Halo Effect. The Fundamental Attribution Error (FAE) is a cognitive bias where individuals draw conclusions on another’s behavior based on internal factors rather than external factors (Thompson & Borrelli, 2020). For example, a practitioner may make assumptions about an adolescent’s mental health issues based on their outward appearance or demeanor rather than examining the environment they live in. This can lead to ineffective treatment approaches as the underlying cause of the issue may not be addressed. To address the FAE, practitioners should be mindful that the environment an adolescent lives in can have a greater impact on their mental health than their individual characteristics (Thompson & Borrelli, 2020). The Halo Effect is another bias that can shape a practitioner’s treatment approach. This is when one trait or behavior is generalized to a person’s overall character (Corcoran, 2020). For example, if an adolescent presents with good grades and strong social… Cont…