It's not easy bein' a teen, with apologies to Van Morrison and Kermit the Frog. The last few weeks have highlighted how tough it can be for some. Tracey Fay didn't even make it out of her blighted teenage years. At the other end of the scale, teenagers in education are finding out that they are not as smart as they thought they were. Grade inflation is a very real phenomenon that finally may be tackled. And on television last week, another group of teenagers were put under the spotlight, their problems highlighted for the nation to observe.

Teens in the Wild is a series that began airing on RTE One on Monday. It involves six female teenagers who are experiencing problems heading off for an extended stay in a remote adventure centre in Donegal. Under the tutelage of child psychologist David Coleman, the six are awakened to their behaviour, introduced to self-awareness and hopefully given the tools to better deal with their issues.

This is the second series of Teens in the Wild. The first series dealt with the male equivalents of these six girls. All of them are at a vulnerable age. The problems which dog them amplify their vulnerability.

The programme has all the elements required for television today. It is cheap to make. It is fronted by a celebrity, in this case, the ubiquitous Coleman. It comes under the banner of reality TV. On Monday's programme there were echoes of the daddy of Reality TV, Big Brother, when some of the girls gave less than flattering assessments of another, who had made an impact on the first night in the wild.

These kids have problems that many of us would consider relatively serious. One has a history of anorexia. Another is still dealing with bereavement three years after her father committed suicide. Another girl's behaviour involves disappearing for hours on end, prompting her mother to drive around looking for her in the dead of night. One of the mothers told the camera that she hated her daughter at one stage, such was the extent of the disruptive and hurtful behaviour.

In the introductory phase of the series last Monday, we were treated to a clip of one of the girls bickering with her mother. This was designed to give us a flavour of what went on in their home. It was also quite obviously staged for the cameras, even if it was, as seems likely, an accurate reflection of their relationship.

A question screams out from the programme: Is it wise that these girls and their problems be exposed to the full glare of television?

To be fair to the parents, many are quite obviously at the end of their tether. For them, Teens in the Wild may be a desperate effort to effect some change, and their predicament is entirely understandable. We live in a society where the waiting list for a child psychologist stretches to two years, an eternity for a child or teenager.

Parents do the best they can, but it would be interesting to note whether somebody with some knowledge in this area, somebody like a child psychologist, would allow his or her daughter to participate in a programme like this.

The teens themselves are perfectly happy to clock up their 15 minutes of fame, and why wouldn't they be? We live in a confessional era where baring your soul is all the rage. Teenagers are growing up to the sound of hyper media, where Facebook and Twitter facilitate direct interaction with all manner of people, from celebrities to deranged maniacs. It's a generation that is drawn to the media like moths to a flame, largely ignorant of the dangers that can lurk. Presented with an opportunity to be conferred with instant celebrity, why wouldn't they take part in a reality TV programme?

The programme makers are coming from a different angle. It's one thing to round up half-assed celebrities or eager beaver wannabes for reality TV. Putting vulnerable teenagers into the house brings the concept onto another plane.

What happens when the curtain goes down on the performance? Back home, they may be better equipped to deal with issues, but now they are celebrities in their own milieu, celebrated for appearing on TV and baring their problems. At the witching hour in the pub, will the currency of their celebrity provide fodder for other's amusement? Will there be an expectation to live up to a persona aired before the nation?

Coleman has been a welcome addition to the public square. His observations and advice are usually weighed with common sense and genuine insight. There can be little doubt but that on a casual basis alone his contributions have provided solace and direction to parents the country over. But, unlike the pope, he is not infallible.

Teens in the Wild raises a number of uncomfortable questions about our culture and society, the nature of celebrity, the media age, the role of the health services. As reality TV, it will most likely prove to be a winner. Beyond the scramble for viewers, it tells a hell of a lot about where we are at right now.

There is nothing that can't be bared in public. All problems can be instantly solved, or at least sorted after a few weeks in the wild. You are never too vulnerable for television.

mclifford@tribune.ie