HEADDSSS Interview Home Environment		HEADDSSS is a mnemonic to use for a structured adolescent interview, so you won't miss key points in the history. The first component of HEADDSSS is the home environment. It is important no matter where you are seeing the adolescent patient - in the clinic, the ER or the pediatric floor. Key questions to ask are: Where do you live? - a home, a shelter Who is taking care of you? - we recently had a 15 year old girl whose dad was in jail, mom was in jail, brother was in jail; she was living with her aunt and uncle, but had since had a fight with them and was living in a halfway home for girls; she had to wear a tether because she had committed some crimes - if you don't ask about this stuff, you won't get the information that you need How do you get along with the people that take care of you? - on a scale of 1-10: 1 means that you don't talk with them, don't like them and 10 means that things are pretty ideal. Where do your parents/caretakers fall on that scale? Do you have any chores? What are your responsibilities in the home? Do you eat meals together? Do you actually communicate together? When you get home from school is there anyone there to supervise you? - kids most often get into trouble in terms of risk-taking behavior from 3:30 to 4 pm, when mom and/or dad are still working. They are home alone with their boyfriend or girlfriend either experimenting with substances or experimenting with sexuality, perhaps both Return to top of page