Delinquents, thugs and acne drugs : using literary journalistic techniques to discuss the psychological effects of Accutane

Abstract

This project used literary journalistic techniques to explore people's struggles and hardships related to the acne drug, Accutane. Accutane has not been scientifically proven to cause psychological problems, but anecdotal and empirical evidence suggest that there may be a causal relationship. Parent's profiled in this project believe Accutane was the cause of their child's drastic mood swings and dramatic changes in behavior. This narrative nonfiction project chronicled the experiences of two teenagers whose lives were significantly altered after taking the drug Accutane. The story used secondary research and in-depth interviews to examine the impact of the acne drug on the teens, their families, and friends. The creative project also discussed how the families are coping with the behavior changes of their loved ones.