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Strategic Thinking and the Bandwagon Effect: Or Why the Effort Doesn't Always Match the Need

Unless things have changed in recent years, teen boys commit suicide and engage in high-risk behaviors at much higher rates than teen girls. For purposes of this strategic thinking post it doesn't matter why. Good strategic thinking only requires that those concerned about addressing the needs of troubled teens are really put most of their resources where most of the resources are needed.

This isn't always how things work out, and not only when it comes to preventing teen suicide and drug use.

The bandwagon effect is dangerous tendency to do what other people are doing, because that's what people are doing. I don't mean to imply that copying other organizations is a bad practice. Funding organizations like programs that seemed to have worked in other places at other times. Want to help keep kids out of trouble? Use the self-esteem and decision-making lessons that have been used in 255 other schools in recent years.

Even in such cases, copying isn't always a good idea. What if everyone is focused on teen girls while teen boys have at least as many issues? Sure, helping girls is good, but boys commit suicide at a much higher rate. The disparity continues while most of the money and volunteer time goes to helping girls navigate the emotional and psychological trials of adolescence.

In general then, the resources devoted to an issue should be proportional. Most of the money goes where most of the affected people are. Most of the free tuition offers go to the people who need the most help.

Someone who wants to start a program for troubled young people needs to consider where there is really a gap in services and support or where the real issues are. Don't just copy what others are doing, as a way to say that young people are "getting help".

Before you decide to start a new program or project ask if there are enough of those now? If not, then maybe you have found something important to do! Either way, try thinking of the issue in different ways:

Is suicide prevention the right focus?
Is low self esteem a contributing factor AND something that needs more attention?
What other factors that contribute to teen suicide are there and are they getting the attention they deserve?
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