What Makes Teens
Tick?
By Deanna Harbaugh
Emerging Science

New insights gained due to brain imaging
techniques

e.g., CT, MRI
What was learned?



Adolescence is a period
of profound brain
maturation.
We thought brain
development was
complete by
adolescence.
We now know
maturation is not
complete until about
age 25!
Source: Giedd, 2004
Brain Development


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When pruning is complete, the brain is faster and more
efficient.
But, during the pruning process, the brain is not functioning
fully.
Maturation occurs from the back of the brain to the front.
(prefrontal cortex)
What does this all mean?

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Preference for physical activity
Less than optimal planning and judgment
More risky, impulsive behaviors
Minimal consideration of negative consequences
What is associated with the
prefrontal cortex?

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
Area of the brain associated
with higher levels of
thinking: decision making,
planning, organizing,
coordinating
May explain why teens get
into so much trouble
Their brain hasn’t fully
matured to help them make
the best decisions.
Teen Brain: Amygdala

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Part of the brain that
controls the emotional
center
Studies have shown that
teens rely on it more than
adults when processing
emotional information.
Adults rely primarily on the
prefrontal cortex.

This may explain why
adolescents often react more
impulsively than adults and
why they misinterpret
emotional cues.
The Teen Brain
“The parts of the brain responsible for things like
sensation seeking are getting turned on in big ways
around the time of puberty. But the parts for exercising
judgment are still maturing throughout the course of
adolescence. So you’ve got this time gap between when
things impel kids toward taking risks early in adolescence
and when things that allow people to think before they act
come online. It’s like turning on the engine of a car without a
skilled driver at the wheel.”
Laurence Steinberg, Psychology Professor, Temple University
(From Wallis and Park, 2004)
Youtube video

Teenage Brain Development
Why do teenagers act the way
they do?


Research suggests that compared with
adults, teens value rewards more than
consequences
Cars and parties, first cigarettes and first
dates, school demands and free time, teens
encounter risks large and small every day,
and their choices can be puzzling at times.
Why do teenagers act the way
they do?


Psychologist Laurence Steinberg says think
of it as an equation—where consequences
aren’t given the weight they should be. And
when teens are around friends, that throws
off the equation even more.
Teens rely more on their feelings and impulse
vs. logic and planning.
Why do teenagers act the way they do?
Rewards Vs. Risks and the
Thrill Seekers

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Teenagers also are thrill seekers.
We all like new and exciting things, but we never value
them more highly than we do during adolescence.
Impulsivity generally drops throughout life, starting at
about age 10, and peaking at age 15.
Even though sensation seeking can lead to dangerous
behaviors, it can also generate positive ones: the urge
to meet more people, to create a larger circle of
friends, makes us healthier, happier, safer and more
successful.
This upside explains why an openness to the new
remains a highlight in adolescent development.
Rewards Vs. Risks
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Steinberg also points out that even 14-17 year olds, the biggest risktakers, evaluate risk, sometimes overestimating the risk.
So why do they take more chances?

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Because they weigh risk versus reward differently than adults, relying
more heavily on the reward!
Teens respond even more to social rewards.

e.g. gaining the approval of their peers
Peer influence

Teens prefer the company of those their own age
more than any other age group. On average teens
spend 21 hours a week with peers.

Teens enter a world created by parents, but live most
of their lives in a world run and remade by their peers.

Those who build relationships, have a strong social
circle, are well-liked and respected by their peers,
according to research, are more successful.
Peer influence

Myth: Peer groups recruit and then convert good kids
into bad ones.
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Did your peers recruit you and persuade you? You sought
out peers similar to yourself and your interests. (Obviously
there are exceptions—so you must dig for the deeper
reasons.)
Your REACTION to situations involving your child’s
decisions to engage in behavior influences your child
most.
Keeping your cool and reacting minimally by speaking
with your child will help her. Being over punitive, and
overprotective will make her friends much more
appealing to listen to.
You and Your Child
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Problem: “For a year now, she’s done the
exact opposite of what I ask. She won’t talk to
me. She rolls her eyes at me, and I’m
increasingly sure she’s hoping a blood test
will prove she’s adopted.”
Answer: By the time your child has reached
adolescence, she has learned and
incorporated your morals, values, and ethics.
They are there and will reappear with time.
You and Your Child
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Now, she is looking for other sources and
opinions (her peers).
This is how she becomes her own person.
If your house of values is in order and your
kid violates your morals, what do you do?
See example
EXAMPLE
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Ex: Matt, an honor student, who rarely gets in trouble,
gets caught being “high” in school. Cops were called,
and so were the parents.
How to handle: Dad rushed to school, saw his son
crying. Matt was terrified. When he saw his dad, he
jumped up. Dad hugged him and told him they were
going to get through this and he loved him no matter
what
What Matt learned from his father’s response
convinced him that this man who discourages drug
use must know what he is talking about.
Its really important to maintain your loving, respectbased relationship with your child even through the
tough times.
Truth is…

You hold more power
than you can imagine
with your teenager.

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Peer groups are really
just windows into your
child’s soul.
Don’t panic over one big
mistake.
What is normal behavior

Being antisocial (with parents) and the
community

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Your child is trying to be independent
Becoming at times, disrespectful or “in your
face”

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Your child is testing you, seeing how far he can push.
Your reaction determines if those behaviors will be
repeated.

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Overreact and yell back—teen says I need to push
harder.
React calmly and quietly, saying something like “Is this
how you are going to act?”
What is not normal behavior?
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Teens that are very oppositional
 Verbally defiant, uncooperative, and nasty to any person of
authority, including parent, teacher, principal, cops (called
Oppositional Defiant Disorder, if it lasts more than 6 months.)
Teens that are physically violent and aggressive to any person
of authority
 They bully, steal, cheat, lie, whatever they choose with no regard
for the rights of others (called Conduct Disorder, if it lasts for a
long period of time, and is consistent.)
A child that can’t focus, is over reactive, impulsive (called ADHD
if it lasts more than 6 months, and is this way at both home and
school)
All of these “acting out” behaviors need medical and/or
therapeutic attention
Your child’s rage

What is rage?
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Purple faces, popping neck veins, clenched fists, hurtful,
screaming words that leave emotional wounds
It can also be shoves, slaps, and punches exchanged
What is going on?

Your teen is going through brain maturation, aggressive
hormonal surges, oppositional behavior impulses, and a
powerful new body. All of which encourages acting out vs.
talking out their anger
Surviving your child’s rage
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After the rage takes place, your child is horrifically
embarrassed to the point where he does not want to
talk about what happened, what he said or if he
meant it.
Your reaction to your child’s rage is the power that
you hold over him.
If you react with rage, he will get crazier.
If you react with strength, showing self-control, you
give hope to your child that he can become better
than he is acting now.
Surviving your child’s rage

Model, don’t mandate
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Talk about what you learned
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Focus on any mistakes you made, or fault with yourself in
not understanding how wired up she was.
Talk about how you felt
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Don’t say “how could you…?” Instead, talk about your role
in the rage event, not hers.
Discuss how hurtful the words were and how heartwrenching that whole episode was.
Why do this?
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To teach her by modeling how we learn from our mistakes!
She will see how you react to situations and learn by
seeing. You will gain more respect.
What’s a parent to do?
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Encourage Appropriate Communication
The most effective way to deal with anger and
rebellious behavior is to have teenagers
appropriately communicate their feelings of
disapproval and resentment.
Listen
If the teenager is complaining about excessive
restrictions, punishments, or other things that she
does not like, listen. Try to understand her feelings.
If the complaints are realistic, see if something can
be worked out and resolved, or if a compromise can
be achieved.
What’s a parent to do?

Avoid Excessive Negative Attention
It's a mistake to pay more attention to what the child is doing
wrong—his failures, mistakes, misbehaviors, than to what he is
doing right—his successes, achievements, and good behaviors.

Try Not to React to Passive-Aggressive Behavior
Ignoring this behavior is often an effective way to reduce it.
 Ex: You ask your child to set the table. While your child is setting
table, she mumbles “They act like I’m a slave. I want to go live at
grandma’s where I am appreciated.”
 Ignore it, and her anger will go away. Say something, and her
anger balloon will be filled up more and this could cause a rage
episode.
What’s a parent to do?

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Look for Ways to Compromise
Try to treat them the way you would one of your
friends or another adult. Rather than get into a battle
to see who is going to win, it may be better to create
a situation where a compromise is reached.
Provide Appropriate Models
Children learn a great deal from modeling their
parents' behavior. The way we handle our conflicts
and problems is apt to be imitated by our children. If
I handle my anger by hollering, throwing things, or
hitting, there is a good possibility that my children
will handle their conflicts in a similar fashion.
Closing point
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We can control young children, but with the
adolescent we must exert authority. I am not talking
about an authority by force or by dictatorship. I am
talking about an authority that involves setting rules
and being consistent in administering
consequences. If parents can exert this type of
authority, the probability that positive behaviors and
attitudes can be developed will increase.
(From Wallis and Park, 2004)