Boys Adrift: The Five Factors Driving the Growing Epidemic of Unmotivated Boys and Underachieving Young Men

Video Games. Studies show that some of the most popular video games are disengaging boys from real-world pursuits. Teaching Methods. Profound changes in the way children are educated have had the unintended consequence of turning many boys off school. Prescription Drugs. Overuse of medication for ADHD may be causing irreversible damage to the motivational centers in boys' brains. Endocrine Disruptors. Environmental estrogens from plastic bottles and food sources may be lowering boys' testosterone levels, making their bones more brittle and throwing their endocrine systems out of whack. Devaluation of Masculinity. Shifts in popular culture have transformed the role models of manhood. Forty years ago we had Father Knows Best; today we have The Simpsons.