Adolescents lined up on steps thinking about opportunities
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TEENS & TWEENS DEVELOPMENT

Opportunity and Discovery

Adolescence  -- the years between age 10 to about 25 – is a period of remarkable opportunity. It is a stage of rapid growth, development and learning as we discover and adapt to the world around us. 

In this period of discovery, we forge our sense of who we are and who we aspire to be. We learn to make decisions, manage our emotions and create deeper connections with peers, romantic partners and our communities. We also begin to discover the world around us; as we develop interests, passions and meaningful goals that shape our adult lives.

Brain-Building in Teens and Tweens

Adolescence is another important time for building strong brains. We are rapidly learning in ways that naturally adapt to the relationships, environments and experiences around us. This makes this time a key window for learning and discovery – as well as a time to mitigate the effects of earlier adversity.

With the advent of MRI machines, we can now see how the structure of the brain is developing and scientists have learned much to help us understand adolescent brain development.

Dad helping teen's brain grow by talking to him
teens taking selfies

1. Adolescent brains are built on the foundation of early childhood.

That foundation includes relationships, experiences and the environments that shape brain architecture. These continue to be fundamentally important in the teen and tween years.

Some stress is part of life. But, highly stressful experiences like a traumatic experience or other adverse childhood experiences can derail a teenager’s healthy development if they don’t have the support they need from a caring adult. That’s when it becomes toxic stress, and it means the child’s body goes into a state of high alert.

Teens need responsive caring adults at home and in the community to support healthy development.

Also, teenagers continue to develop their executve function skills first learned in their early years. They’re critical to building resilience.

2. Teenagers' brains are still under construction and work differently than adult brains.

Many parents complain that their teen is “moody” or “impulsive.” There are biological, real reasons why your teen may be moody or impulsive – and it’s not all about “raging hormones.”  

Adults think with the part of the brain called the prefrontal cortex, the rational decision-making part. The prefrontal cortex responds to situations with rational judgment and considers long-term consequences. 

Teens process information with the amygdala, the emotional part of the brain.  The connections between the emotional center of the brain and the decision-making center are still developing in the teen brain. 

You may notice at times that your teen’s thinking and behaviors seem quite mature, and at others not so much. That’s because the prefrontal cortex is one of the last parts of the brain to fully mature.

 

Girl looking up at drawing of brain with various colors for emotions

3. The teen brain goes through a period of “remodeling.”

Just like we remodel houses as our families grow and change, the teen brain goes through a remodeling phase. It helps it get ready for all the new functions it will need to take on as an independent adult.

That remodeling also integrates and more efficiently links different regions of the brain that increase decision-making abilities. This remodeling takes time. 

Connections between the emotional brain and the brain's decision-making centers are still developing and won’t fully develop until age 25-30.

4. How teenagers spend their time is critical to brain development.

During the teen and tween years, the brain begins to “prune” itself, carving away circuits that are not being used and strengthening those that are. This “pruning” of the adolescent brain is a “use it or lose it” proposition.

It’s important to consider the range of activities and experiences your child is into and exposed to – music, sports, study, languages and video games. How are these experiences shaping the brain your child will take into and need as an adult?

Kid playing the trumpet

5. Faster brain circuitry is built to allow for the development of higher-level skills.

That process is called Myelin formation, and it occurs in the front part of the brain that is connected to your teen’s thinking, learning, understanding and remembering abilities.

In particular, myelination helps them with critical executive function or “air traffic control” skills, like planning, reasoning and decision-making.

Try these executive function activities for adolescents.

 

6. Teens weigh risks and rewards differently than adults.

The adolescent brain is more sensitive to two neurotransmitters (the body’s chemical messengers):

  • dopamine - involved in reward circuits in the brain 
  • oxytocin - which facilitates bonding and makes social connections more rewarding. 

This sensitivity to both dopamine and oxytocin helps explain why adolescents seek peers and excitement in their lives – even people and experiences that could end up actually harming them.

Adolescents with skateboards weighing risks and rewards
Teen listening to music
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Helping adolescents manage emotions

So, how can you help adolescents strengthen the connections between the emotional and decision-making parts of the brain?

You can encourage your teen to try:


Interested in any of these techniques? Learn how to implement them in your family, classroom or community group with examples from Edutopia and Cedars Sinai.

What can parents and caring adults do?

1. Provide safe, stable and nurturing relationships.

This is one of the most important factors that helps children thrive. It can help them tolerate stress, even severe, because it helps them buffer the negative impact.

2. Help your teen reframe stress, challenges, and frustrations as opportunities.

Don’t deny their feelings of frustration. Remind them that they are competent and resilient and point out tough times in the past that worked out with time.

3. When your teen comes to you with a problem, ask them if they want you to respond or just listen.

Avoid jumping in to give advice to try to fix the problem or place blame. Doing so will make it less likely that they will come to you openly in the future.

4. Encourage your teen to explore healthy experiences.

Those could be challenging enrichment classes, music, art and sports to explore the world and take healthy risks to test out new ideas and experiences.

5. Look for real-world scenarios for decision-making and emotional regulation skills.

Help them think through the pros and cons and possible consequences of their actions and explore developing a plan A and B to respond to different scenarios.

6. Help your teen find volunteer opportunities.

This helps to develop a sense of meaning and purpose, an important characteristic of resilience.

7. Help your teen recognize possible triggers for negative behaviors.

and practice effective strategies for coping with stress.

8. Encourage your teen to join social, arts, sports clubs and participate in enrichment programs.

They are positive ways to earn respect and socialize among peers and adults while developing a sense of competency and care and respect for self and others.

It also helps tweens and teens define personal values, goals and a positive sense of identity.