Book excerpt: Substance abuse, deviant behaviour, emotional disorders, peer pressure - all are problems faced by today's youth, school psychologists, educators, counsellors and others. Now a diverse group of scholars look into the numerous ways in which we can conceptualize, research and respond to troubled and troubling young people. The contributors suggest that reliance on any one set of ideas for understanding troublesome behaviour offers an incomplete picture. They provide penetrating insights into a number of key issues, including learning disabilities, drug and alcohol abuse, depression and antisocial behaviour.