Who says the teen years have to be terrible?<br><br><br>Although the word teenager has become synonymous with trouble, the evidence is clear: Adolescents have gotten a bad rap&#8212;and this according to a landmark eight-year study of 4,000 teens from twenty-five states. In <i>The Good Teen</i>, acclaimed researcher Richard M. Lerner sets the record straight. The book: <br><br>&#8226; Explores the academic origins of &#8220;the troubled teen,&#8221; dismantling old myths and redefining normal adolescence<br>&#8226; Presents the five characteristics of teen behavior that are proven to fuel positive development&#8212;Competence, Confidence, Connection,Character, and Caring&#8212;and specific ways parents can foster them<br>&#8226; Envisions our children as resources to be developed, not problems to be fixed<br>&#8226; Clearly shows parents what to do when things really go wrong&#8212;all teens, no matter how troubled they seem, can be helped<br>&#8226; Encourages new thinking, new public policies, and new programs that focus on the strengths of teens<br><br>&#8220;There is no one in America today who understands teenagers better than Richard Lerner.&#8221; &#8212;William Damon, author of <i>The Moral Child</i>, professor<br>of education, and director of the Stanford Center on Adolescence, Stanford University