Adolescent Psychological Development. “My 15 year old son… “ My 15 year old son, Randy, is rude, won’t talk at dinner, wants to just hang out in his room,

Adolescent Psychological Development

“My 15 year old son…“ My 15 year old son, Randy, is rude, won’t talk at dinner, wants to just

hang out in his room, won’t share any information with us, cares more about his electronics than anything, becomes irrational when we confront him, hogs the bathroom, is highly emotionally reactive, and has lied, snuck out and drank alcohol at a party and violated our internet rules.”

“A website on drug abuse cited these warning signs: • withdrawal • moodiness• increased family conflict• argumentativeness• over-reactivity to criticism• sloppiness in appearance• spending time isolating in room• poor attitude• disrespect• loss of interest in family activities.”

“Does my son have a drug abuse problem?”

Adolescent Psychological Development

• Physical development

• Cognitive development

• Social development

• Identity development

• Moral development

Physical development

• Pubertal development

• Bodily changes resulting in increased self-consciousness, preoccupation and questions of “Am I normal?’

• Alterations in sleep (and less!)

Cognitive Development(historical review)

• Shift from concrete to formal operations, allowing for greater abstract thinking skills, symbolic reasoning and hypothetical analysis (Jean Piaget)

• Cognitive style is characterized by egocentricism

• And then the game-changer~ Brain imaging research…

Emotion Brain-(limbic system)

• Amygdala-fear and anxiety center (fight, flight, flood)

(this is an “amygdala

hijack” in action)

• Also hypocampus, ventral striatum, hypothalamus, nucleus accumbens

Brain Maturation

• Greater refinements in neural connectivity and extensive myelination continue through adolescence; the brain does not fully mature until the early 20’s.

Put simply…

…• During adolescence, behavior is often

more governed by the emotional centers than the thinking centers of the brain, especially during high arousal situations and in peer presence.

Adolescence: “Storm and stress” theory

• Adolescent difficulties are neither inevitable or universal

• Research on large populations of adolescents indicates that teens experience more rapid mood changes but no more depression/anxiety/pathology than adult samples (Csikszentmihalyi & Larson)

• Surveys reveal that most adolescents describe themselves as “mostly happy” and are adequately adjusted (Offer)

In sum, the impact of brain changes on adolescent reasoning, behavior and mood:

• Decision-making models don’t apply in high arousal situations ( “cold” logic, as compared to “hot” arousal situations)

• Impulse control reduction• Poor risk assessment• Executive functioning impairment• Desire to escape boredom and negative affect by “revving”

up and seeking stimulation• Parental disciplinary efforts at times of high arousal can

result in explosive conflict

Social Development

• Desire for increased independence• Preference for spending time with peers, orienting

increasingly to peers for social influence and values clarification

• Most teens are more “attached” to their parents, but they prefer the company of their friends

• Individuation from the family• Cultural context plays a large role in determining

diverse paths within these developmental and universal trajectories.

Moral development theories focus on moral reasoning (highly dependent on environment and

cognitive maturity)

• Lawrence Kohlberg’s theory demonstrates that adolescents’ moral reasoning reflects a maturing value on the rights of others, the importance of law, justice and universal principles.

Kohlberg’s stages of moral reasoning

Level 11. Obedience and punishment orientation (How do I avoid punishment?)2. Self interest orientation (What’s in it for me?)

Level 23. Interpersonal conformity orientation (I’ll be good to you if you are good to

me)4. Authority and social order orientation (Law and order morality)

* *** Level 35. Social contract orientation (What makes a society run smoothly; concepts of liberty,

justice, democratic principles) 6. Universal principles (principled conscience, e.g. Golden Rule, civil disobedience)

Adolescence as a period of normal risk-taking and

behavioral experimentation• Adaptive identity development for most, but can

carry high risks and long term harm for others• Early adolescence as a time of particular

vulnerability (school failure, STD’s, substance use)

• Family cohesiveness and authoritative parenting are significant predictors for successful and safe adolescent outcome (Baumrind; Shedler and Block; Blum)

Parenting strengths that predict optimal adjustment in late adolescence

• Close relationship to caring parent figure

• Authoritative parenting: warmth, effective communication, monitoring and structure.

• Socioeconomic advantages• Connections to extended supportive family networks• Bonds to prosocial adults outside the family• Connections to prosocial organizations• Attending effective schools

“My 15 year old son…Remember Randy’s “warning signs”:

• withdrawal • moodiness• increased family conflict• argumentativeness• over-reactivity to criticism• sloppiness in appearance• spending time isolating in room• poor attitude• disrespect• loss of interest in family activities.”

In the context of positive reports about functioning in family, school, extracurricular activities, emotional/social life, Randy is likely experiencing normal adolescent development.