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In a broad view of adolescence Miller attempts to portray the interplay of sociological and psychophysical factors with the intrapsychic processes. Of particular interest is a detailed consideration of the timely question of legislative change as a means of easing certain adolescent problems. The ramifications of this issue are extensive: among others, the community's legal responsibility to control
neglectful or cruel parents; the extent of community control over the antisocial adolescent; and the conflict between present laws and scientific findings regarding the adolescent's readiness to assume more social responsibility with less parental control.
The author's concepts and techniques of treatment follow conventional patterns for the most part. For example, he reminds us of the need for a flexible approach because adolescent material is so fluid and points out the necessity for tolerance, understanding, and warmth. He warns of the intricacies and pitfalls in deciding whether to analyze or to support precarious sublimations. He feels it is imperative that treatment have its roots in an understanding of the sociological factors of adolescence as well as in the individual psychopathology. Miller places greater value than most on the use of written communications of adolescents for treatment purposes as well as for building a general understanding of the adolescent. It is his opinion that this written material, including letters, poetry, and diaries, is valuable second only to the raw material of psychoanalysis. The material represents stations on the road from quasi raw material of free association to secondary elaboration and efforts at sublimation. Another difference in emphasis is in his recommendation for group therapy. He believes it to be of value for some adolescents, especially where a fear of alienation can be alleviated by meeting their image or some instructive variant of it in a group.