Mark O’Callaghan, HSE Psychology Services. 1
Overview 4. Communicating 1. Causes of with Teenagers behaviour – biology of the brain 2. The A to 3. Role of Zzzzz’s adults of Sleep 2
“The children now love luxury; they have bad manners, contempt for authority; they show disrespect for elders and love chatter in place of exercise. Children are now tyrants, not the servants of their households. They no longer rise when elders enter the room. They contradict their parents, chatter before company, gobble up dainties at the table, cross their legs, and tyrannize their teachers.” 3
“The children now love luxury; they have bad manners, contempt for authority; they show disrespect for elders and love chatter in place of exercise. Children are now tyrants, not the servants of their households. They no longer rise when elders enter the room. They contradict their parents, chatter before company, gobble up dainties at the table, cross their legs, and tyrannize their teachers.” Attributed to Socrates by Plato 4
“the young are heated by Nature as drunken men by wine” 5
“the young are heated by Nature as drunken men by wine” Aristotle 6
“I would there were no age between sixteen and three- and- twenty, or that youth would sleep out the rest; for there is nothing in the between but getting wenches with child, wronging the ancientry, stealing, fighting” 7
“I would there were no age between sixteen and three- and- twenty, or that youth would sleep out the rest; for there is nothing in the between but getting wenches with child, wronging the ancientry, stealing, fighting” Shakespeare - Winter’s Tale Act 3, Scene 3 8
1. Causes 9
CHANGES IN THE BRAIN Neuroscience = study of the brain and its biological make up. Previously thought the brain had finished growing and developing in childhood Advances in brain imaging techniques have allowed for changes in the brain to be mapped. Results show that adolescence is also a period of great brain development 10
Two Main Changes: 1) Growth of fatty insulation around the brain connections. This makes speed of brain messages a hundred times faster. 11
2) Major changes occur in the front of brain in a part called the prefrontal cortex (PFC). Responsible for skills such as: - setting priorities - problem solving , - organizing plans and ideas - forming strategies - controlling impulses 12
Pruning - Decrease in grey matter (blue) – use-it or lose it http://www.nimh.nih.gov/science-news/2004/imaging-study-shows-brain-maturing.shtml 13
This research shows that there is a difference between a teenage brain and an adult brain. Not possible to say it is the reason for all teenage behaviour! However, it does mean the following skills are still developing in teenagers : ◦ Controlling impulses ◦ Planning ◦ Decision making ◦ Imagining possible future consequences of an action ◦ Realizing the emotional significance of an action. 14
Teenage brains are slow to read facial signals, as the reshaping of their brains makes it hard for them to process basic information. This makes them socially and emotionally clumsy. Teenagers often misread images of fear as ones of anger, confusion and sadness. As a result, they are capable of seeing hostility where none exists. This could contribute to them finding life unfair. 15
Teenagers are more likely to seek thrill than adults – highest aged 15. Can lead to dangerous behaviours (e.g driving fast) but also positive ones (e.g. urge to meet new people). Risk- taking also higher in teenagers, especially between 15- 25. This helps to explain high number of accidents involving teenagers In US, 1/ 3 of teen deaths are in car accidents, many involving alcohol. 16
Teens take more risks because they weigh risk versus reward differently: In situations where risk can get them something they want, they value the reward more heavily than adults do For example, when a teenager is driving alone, they take the same risks as adults. However, when friends are in the car, the reward for the teenager is a social reward, and so they take more risks . 17
DRUGS AND ALCOHOL Developing brains makes teenagers susceptible to negative influences e.g. drugs/ alcohol. Alcohol affects learning and memory in teenagers more than in adults. Also less able to judge their own levels of intoxication. Drugs, such as marijuana, also affect memory. The younger teenagers drink or use drugs, the more likely it will turn into an addiction. 18
2. THE A TO ZZZZZZZs OF SLEEP Sleep is an important fuel for the brain. Many benefits: ◦ Helps us think more clearly ◦ Improves concentration ◦ Increases memory ◦ Reduces stress ◦ Reduces inflammation in the body ◦ Helps keep the heart healthy 19
Getting enough sleep is very important for teenagers. Without enough sleep , a teenager will experience: ◦ decreased levels of alertness and concentration ◦ reduced short- term memory and learning ability ◦ negative mood ◦ inconsistent performance ◦ poor productivity 20
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Teenagers have different sleep patterns to adults. They undergo a “phase delay” – a tendency to go asleep and wake up later. Important they get between 8.5- 9.25 hours sleep a night- need same amount as younger children. Study found only 15% of teens get this required amount, with 26% getting less than 6.5 hours 22
The study also found that twice as many teenagers stay up after 11pm at weekends than during the week. Staying awake and waking up later at the weekend causes an irregular sleep schedule. This can make them even more tired during the week. Important that parents help teens change their sleeping patterns. 23
The following can help teenagers adjust their sleeping patterns: - Dimming the lights at night - Ensuring they are getting lots of daylight in the morning. - Having a set bedtime. - Sleeping in a cool environment - Turning off music, the Internet, and televisions. - Lie- ins at the weekend should be limited to just one or two hours more than during the week. - Playing sport earlier in the day can also help adjust sleep patterns. 24
3. THE ROLE OF ADULTS Guidance from adults is essential for the development of the teenage brain. Teenagers need to be surrounded by caring parents, adults, and institutions to help them learn specific skills and appropriate adult behaviour. Good relationships with adults have a number of benefits such as: ◦ Reduces likelihood of using drugs, alcohol and tobacco. ◦ Increases academic performance ◦ Increases social, mental and emotional well- being. 25
However, it is also important to remember that one of the primary goals of teenagers is to achieve independence. For this to occur, teenagers will pull away from parents. This can come across as teens always seeming to have different opinions than their parents or not wanting to be around their parents in the same way they used to But parents will still act as ‘models’ 26
Therefore, many adults, especially parents, believe it is hard to have a good relationship with their teenager when it is so difficult to communicate with them. 45% of teens tell their parents little or nothing about their worries or problems Distance and explosiveness are often the only ways a teenager knows how to communicate when things get intense—which only causes more conflict. Therefore, it is important for parents to understand and learn ways of communicating effectively with their teen. 27
Strive for Independence but…. Teens strive to feel important BUT They also want so much to belong ALSO Competence versus Confidence (Skill – Will) 28
Skill- - Will Will Skill Readiness= Ability + Willingness Ability= Skills + Knowledge Willingness= Desire + Confidence 29
WILL VS. SKILL Able and willing and confident (High Maturity) HIGH Will (Desire + Confidence) DELEGATING Turn over responsibility for decision & implementation to Teen LOW Ability (Skill + Knowledge) HIGH LOW 30
WILL VS. SKILL Able and willing and confident (High Maturity) HIGH Will (Desire + Confidence) DELEGATING Turn over responsibility for decision & implementation to Teen Unable and also unwilling and/or feeling insecure (Low Maturity) TELLING - DIRECTING Provide specific instructions and closely supervise performance LOW Ability (Skill + Knowledge) HIGH LOW 31
WILL VS. SKILL Able and willing and confident (High Maturity) HIGH Will (Desire + Confidence) DELEGATING Turn over responsibility for decision & implementation to Teen Unable and also unwilling and/or Able but still unwilling or feeling feeling insecure insecure (Low Maturity) (Moderate Maturity) TELLING - DIRECTING SELLING - COACHING Provide specific instructions and Explain decisions and provide opportunity for clarification closely supervise performance LOW Ability (Skill + Knowledge) HIGH LOW 32
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