Prospective-dynamic approach: A conceptual proposalfor adolescent health care

This article proposes a conceptual framework, called the prospective-dynamic approach, for adolescent health care. It argues that current approaches (rights, holistic health, risk and gender) describe an adolescent's present state but do not help project their future path. The framework adds a future-oriented view and draws on several established theories of motivation and development. It has five parts that can be used in routine consultations alongside existing approaches. The article also discusses the rationale, clinical use and limitations of the framework.

Key points

• Current adolescent health care is organised around present-focused approaches: rights, holistic health, risk, and gender.
• These approaches have led to substantial progress but do not offer a systematic way to project an adolescent's future trajectory.
• The proposed approach draws on self-determination theory, motivational interviewing, the future-oriented perspective, the life-course perspective, and positive adolescent development.
• It has five components: comprehensive assessment with a temporal perspective, exploration of desires and purpose, construction of trajectories and scenarios, definition of microgoals, and periodic follow-up checkpoints.
• It can be added to routine consultations without replacing current approaches.

Limitations

The abstract describes a conceptual proposal and does not report any testing with adolescents or outcome data, so it cannot show whether the approach improves health or well-being. The specific limitations the authors discuss are not given in the abstract, and no country or setting is specified.