The Four Features of Open to change Adolescence Sense of adventure - PDF document

12/19/2019 Table of Contents Adolescent Psychology and How It Connects to ○ Four Features of Adolescence Prevention ○ Neuroscience of Adolescence Brian Duda Youth Development Intern ○ Adolescent Reasoning Healthy Lamoille Valley ○ Primary Psychosocial Tasks of Adolescents * The primary reference for each section provided in each subtitle slide (as seen in next slide). Additional references noted on individual slides. 2 1 2 Novelty Seeking • Increased drive for rewards The Four Features of • Open to change Adolescence • Sense of adventure (Seigel, 2013) 4 3 4 Social Increased Emotional Intensity Engagement • Moodiness • Peer connectedness • Impulsivity • New friendships • Zeal for life • Separation from adults 5 6 5 6 1

12/19/2019 Creative Exploration • New conceptual thinking Neuroscience of Adolescence • Abstract reasoning • Question/explore identity National Research Council (U.S.), & Institute of Medicine (U.S.)(2011) 7 7 8 Brain Remodeling and Brain Remodeling and Integration in Adolescence Integration in Adolescence Pruning Myelination Reduction of neurons and synapses in The brain lays down myelin, a brain sheath covering the membranes among interlinked neurons ○ Shaped by experience, environment ○ Allows for faster, more ○ Intensified by stress synchronized information to ○ Responds to where you focus your flow Courtesy of OSA Student Chapter at UCI Art in Science Contest. Photo by: Ardy Rahman attention 9 10 9 10 The Changing The Changing Prefrontal Cortex Prefrontal Cortex ○ Integrative hub of brain – coordinates and Since the prefrontal cortex is under ○ balances other regions of the brain construction during adolescence, ○ Integration increases self-awareness, reflection, emotions can arise suddenly and intensely planning, decision making, and empathy Positive social interactions and self- ○ ○ Development is gradual - not finished developing reflection can help promote prefrontal until well into adulthood (around age 25) integration (Siegel, 2013) (Siegel, 2013) 11 12 11 12 2

12/19/2019 Adolescents and Effects of Increased Dopamine Dopamine Activity ○ Dopamine creates our drive for reward Vulnerability to Hyperrationality Impulsiveness ○ Baseline dopamine is lower in teens, but addiction Thinking in literal terms Adolescents respond its release is higher Behaviors that occur stronger to the Adolescents puts more without thoughtful ○ Increased dopamine release causes teen to have a dopamine release emphasis on potential reflection associated with benefits, even when positive bias – activated especially when they are addictive substances aware of risks with peers (Siegel, 2013) (Seigel, 2013) 13 14 13 14 Fuzzy Trace Theory and Adolescent Decision Making (Swift, n.d.) Gist-Based Reasoning Verbatim Reasoning o Common in adults o Common in adolescence o Intuitive o Specific facts and details Adolescent Reasoning o Bottom-line meaning o Think about the odds and take (Swift, n.d.) o Develops with age a calculated risk “It’s not worth the risk” “It won’t happen to me” 16 15 16 Role of Environment About 1 in 6 people who start using (Spear, 2010) marijuana as teens become addicted Hot cognitions Cold cognitions (National Institute of Drug Abuse) Thinking irrationally: Thinking rationally: low arousal environments high arousal environments 18 17 18 3

12/19/2019 Psychosocial Tasks To Stand Out Develop identity and autonomy To Fit In Primary Psychosocial Find affiliations, acquire acceptance from peers Tasks Adolescents To Measure Up Must Accomplish Develop competence and achievement To Take Hold National Research Council (U.S.), & Institute of Medicine (U.S.) (2011) Make commitments to goals, activities, and principles 20 19 20 Identity Peer Influences Development ○ Adolescents more influenced by peers Individual Social than any other age group Individuals create identity Process of distancing oneself ○ Drive for affiliation (close relationships from their social world from others, especially parents with individuals or groups) and acceptance from peers ○ Peak of openness to antisocial influences at about 9 th grade – transition period 21 22 21 22 Peer Influences on Social Competence Risky Behaviors The capacity to engage effectively in social relationships Being with friends or imagined presence of friends increases risk-taking Important for developing identity and gaining acceptance Risky behaviors correlated with: with preferred peer group ○ Association with permissive peer groups or older peers Two Essential Factors ○ Lax adult supervision ○ Impulse control ○ Positive perception of risky behavior (Hawkins & Catalano) ○ Regulation of emotions ○ Perception of peer engagement (Hawkins & Catalano) 23 24 23 24 4

12/19/2019 Emotional Risk and Competence Psychosocial Tasks ○ Communicating emotions constructively Positive risky (high intensity) Adolescents may turn to behaviors help adolescents maladaptive risky behaviors to help ○ Accurately perceiving others’ emotions accomplish these tasks them cope with not accomplishing ○ Awareness that emotions have a big impact on one or more of these tasks relationships ○ Self-regulation - adaptatively coping with negative emotions (Santrock, 2004) 25 26 25 26 Other Protective Individual/Peer Factor Domains Protective Factors Family School Community ○ Skills to cope with anxiety, stress, and adversity Clear Expectations Encourages goal Opportunities for ○ ○ ○ ○ Healthy autonomy involving drug use setting, academic community achievement, and involvement ○ Relationships with prosocial peers Family ○ positive social Laws consistently responsibilities ○ ○ Developing commitments, e.g. development enforced Family members ○ Sponsors substance- religious or civic involvement nurturing and ○ Resources are ○ free events supportive available ○ Having values, goals and a positive outlook (Hawkins & Catalano, 2005) 27 28 27 28 Positive Risk- Conclusion Taking ○ Prevention efforts should consider both adolescent’s It is important for psychological development and the psychosocial tasks adolescents to master adolescents must accomplish high-intensity ○ Helping to strengthen adolescents’ social and emotional competence protects against unhealthy risk-taking situations to help them ○ Encouraging and providing opportunities for positive prepare them for adult risk-taking reduces negative risk-taking such as responsibilities substance misuse 29 30 29 30 5

12/19/2019 Discussion References Hawkins, D. J., & Catalano, R.F. (2005) Investing in Your Community’s Youth: An Introduction to the ○ Turn to you neighbor and share something that stuck Communities That Care System [PDF File]. Retrieved from https://www.communitiesthatcare.net/userfiles/files/Investing-in-Your-Community-Youth.pdf out to you in this presentation Farley, F. & Reyna, V.F., (2007, June 1) Is the Teen Brain Too Rational? Scientific American Retrieved from https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/is-the-teen-brain-too-rational/# National Research Council (U.S.), & Institute of Medicine (U.S.). (2011). The Science of Adolescent Risk-Taking : Workshop Report. Washington, D.C.: National Academies Press. Retrieved from ○ Why did it resonate with you? https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK53414/ Santrock, J.W. (2004). Adolescence. (10 ed.) New York, NY: McGraw Hill. Siegel, D. J. (2013). Brainstorm: The power and purpose of the teenage brain. Penguin Group. New York. Spear, L. (2010). The Behavioral Neuroscience of Adolescence. W. W. Norton @ Company, Inc. New York. ○ How can this apply to the work your doing? Swift, J. (n.d.). How We Make Decisions and Take Risks. Cornell Research . Retrieved from https://research.cornell.edu/news-features/how-we-make-decisions-and-take-risks 31 32 31 32 6