Teen Violence Causes

As a practicing psychotherapist and mother of two teen-agers, I read with interest your Aug. 9 article, “Were Teen Athletes Off on Rampage or Just Being Active Kids?”

In debating whether these violent acts on the part of the six high school athletes were just youthful pranks and, either senseless, isolated incidents or the white, middle-class equivalent of gang violence, the article misses an important, if not essential, point. Nowhere is the connection made between the consumption of alcohol and drugs at the teen-age parties and these senseless acts of violence against allegedly innocent victims.

Substance abuse contributes immeasurably to aggressive behavior. The role of group dynamics, the fact that these young men acted in the context of a group, may have contributed. I doubt this was a causal factor as it can be in a ghetto environment.

In addition to the abuse of alcohol and drugs, the use of steroids among highly trained and well-developed athletes should be considered. The male hormone testosterone has been known to cause “paranoid behavior, delusions of grandeur and violent tendencies” among previously normal males. The use of these powerful substances is common among body builders and other competitive athletes.

Finally, as the mother of teen-agers, I would like to stress that nothing will change until we parents become better role models and set the standard for moral, nonviolent behavior instead of extolling an ethos of “might makes right.”

When at the highest levels of government we seek to rationalize lawlessness as justifiable behavior, we are setting a poor standard for our children and the heirs of this country to follow.

ELINOR MELD WEISSMAN

San Diego