Logoprophylaxis in the face of crisis of adolescence

Abstract

This study addresses the problem of the adolescent crisis from the perspective of logoprophylaxis, i.e. preventive actions referring to logotherapy and existential analysis of V. E. Frankel. The concept of this Viennese researcher and physician, due to its anchoring in philosophy and due to Frankl's own traumatic experiences, is nowadays applied to the understanding of various phenomena of human life or crises of contemporary culture. The authors - referring to logotherapy - argue that adolescence generally has a crisis course and that this is a phenomenon characteristic of every family system and upbringing environment, but that this crisis is also related to the social potential of values and ideals expressed, for example, through religion or culture. This poses a challenge for educators, pedagogues or psychologists working with young people, as many educational problems and disorders are linked to the crisis nature of adolescence and thus to the social ways in which values are transmitted. It is pointed out that the crisis of adolescence has a bivalent character. On the one hand, it has developmental potential, so that the resolution of such a crisis opens up new possibilities for the young person and leads to greater maturity. However, a crisis at this age is also fraught with risks and the possibility of pathologising development, due to unfulfilled developmental tasks, difficult life situations, psychological trauma or illness. An understanding of crisis in logotherapy terms is discussed, with a particular focus on the role of existential frustration. The authors argue that adolescent crisis can also be understood as a kind of existential crisis. Thus, a crisis relating to problems concerning life goals, value conflicts, choices made, or experiencing the meaning of life. It has been reasoned that logoprophylaxis provides a good conceptual apparatus for understanding this type of crisis and can make use of one of the main protective factors against the adverse course of an adolescent crisis - a sense of meaning. The application of logoprophylaxis to problems of adolescence has been demonstrated, as a developmental period associated with the search for worldview resolution and the definition of personal values. The strategy of providing existentially meaningful experiences was presented as an example of logoprophylactic strategies. The article also argues that logoprophylactic measures can support the process of upbringing, since a crisis in the life of an adolescent is usually associated with problematic experiences of the meaning of life and disorientation in the sphere of values.