Teenagers live in an exhilarating season of transition from childhood to adulthood. This time can be full of exciting discoveries as teens develop their unique personality traits and skills. There are also challenges that accompany the process of becoming an adult. Because teenagers are fundamentally different from children and adults, it's important to understand them better, so you can support them as they grow.Adolescence is a time of great change for teens, not to mention everyone involved in their lives. It's important for teenagers to develop an identity and independence. At the same time, they face growing pressure to be responsible and trustworthy while they grapple with issues like sexuality, drug use, and peer relationships. Adolescent psychology seeks to understand teens and help them make the transition from child to adult.
The American Academy of Pediatrics explains that adolescence is a season of fast-paced development in five key areas: moral, social, physical, cognitive, and emotional. To support this development, adolescent psychology focuses on mental health issues for people between the ages of 13 and 19. Adolescent psychologists recognize and help teenagers during this period of growth and transition.
How A Teen's Mind Works Differently
Teenagers can present challenges to the adults in their lives. If you're struggling with your teenager, this is normal. Ask any other parent with teenagers at home. There are many ways to better understand and connect with your teen, so you can help them cope with the changes they're experiencing. The American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry explains that adolescents are more likely to:
Be impulsive
Misunderstand emotions and social cues
Have accidents of physical fights
Take risks or make dangerous choices
Development from childhood to adulthood is a complex process. It's about more than learning. Teengers going through this transition think, feel, and behave differently than they do either as children or as adults. These differences can be seen in all areas of development.
Physical/Sexual Development
The physical signs of adolescence are obvious. Boys and girls start growing pubic hair during this time. They also get taller, with girls generally reaching full height by age 16 and boys generally reaching full height by age 18. Plus girls start having periods, and their breasts develop; boys have nocturnal emissions, and their voices deepen.
From the perspective of adolescent psychology, brain development during this period is particularly important. The areas of the brain that allow teens to control behaviors and emotions experience significant development during this phase, as do the areas where risk and reward are calculated. Teenagers also gain the ability to think more efficiently due to changes in the myelin and synapses of the brain.
All of these physical changes affect the way adolescents think and behave. They develop sexual awareness and may become sexually active. As long as they are healthy, their bodies are stronger and more coordinated than ever before, allowing them to excel in sports. Teens have many opportunities as well as challenges related to their physical development. Adolescent psychology can help them make sense of the physical changes they're going through, so they can deal with them positively.
Teenagers can present challenges to the adults in their lives. If you're struggling with your teenager, this is normal. Ask any other parent with teenagers at home. There are many ways to better understand and connect with your teen, so you can help them cope with the changes they're experiencing. The American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry explains that adolescents are more likely to:
Be impulsive
Misunderstand emotions and social cues
Have accidents of physical fights
Take risks or make dangerous choices
Development from childhood to adulthood is a complex process. It's about more than learning. Teengers going through this transition think, feel, and behave differently than they do either as children or as adults. These differences can be seen in all areas of development.
Answers & Comments
Answer:
Medically Reviewed By: Sonya Bruner
Teenagers live in an exhilarating season of transition from childhood to adulthood. This time can be full of exciting discoveries as teens develop their unique personality traits and skills. There are also challenges that accompany the process of becoming an adult. Because teenagers are fundamentally different from children and adults, it's important to understand them better, so you can support them as they grow.Adolescence is a time of great change for teens, not to mention everyone involved in their lives. It's important for teenagers to develop an identity and independence. At the same time, they face growing pressure to be responsible and trustworthy while they grapple with issues like sexuality, drug use, and peer relationships. Adolescent psychology seeks to understand teens and help them make the transition from child to adult.
The American Academy of Pediatrics explains that adolescence is a season of fast-paced development in five key areas: moral, social, physical, cognitive, and emotional. To support this development, adolescent psychology focuses on mental health issues for people between the ages of 13 and 19. Adolescent psychologists recognize and help teenagers during this period of growth and transition.
How A Teen's Mind Works Differently
Teenagers can present challenges to the adults in their lives. If you're struggling with your teenager, this is normal. Ask any other parent with teenagers at home. There are many ways to better understand and connect with your teen, so you can help them cope with the changes they're experiencing. The American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry explains that adolescents are more likely to:
Be impulsive
Misunderstand emotions and social cues
Have accidents of physical fights
Take risks or make dangerous choices
Development from childhood to adulthood is a complex process. It's about more than learning. Teengers going through this transition think, feel, and behave differently than they do either as children or as adults. These differences can be seen in all areas of development.
Physical/Sexual Development
The physical signs of adolescence are obvious. Boys and girls start growing pubic hair during this time. They also get taller, with girls generally reaching full height by age 16 and boys generally reaching full height by age 18. Plus girls start having periods, and their breasts develop; boys have nocturnal emissions, and their voices deepen.
From the perspective of adolescent psychology, brain development during this period is particularly important. The areas of the brain that allow teens to control behaviors and emotions experience significant development during this phase, as do the areas where risk and reward are calculated. Teenagers also gain the ability to think more efficiently due to changes in the myelin and synapses of the brain.
All of these physical changes affect the way adolescents think and behave. They develop sexual awareness and may become sexually active. As long as they are healthy, their bodies are stronger and more coordinated than ever before, allowing them to excel in sports. Teens have many opportunities as well as challenges related to their physical development. Adolescent psychology can help them make sense of the physical changes they're going through, so they can deal with them positively.
Answer:
How A Teen's Mind Works Differently
Teenagers can present challenges to the adults in their lives. If you're struggling with your teenager, this is normal. Ask any other parent with teenagers at home. There are many ways to better understand and connect with your teen, so you can help them cope with the changes they're experiencing. The American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry explains that adolescents are more likely to:
Be impulsive
Misunderstand emotions and social cues
Have accidents of physical fights
Take risks or make dangerous choices
Development from childhood to adulthood is a complex process. It's about more than learning. Teengers going through this transition think, feel, and behave differently than they do either as children or as adults. These differences can be seen in all areas of development.
Explanation: