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Understanding Adolescent Development and Parenting Strategies

Discover the challenges of adolescent development and learn effective parenting strategies. Dr. David Causey, a clinical psychologist at Square One, provides valuable insights.

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Understanding Adolescent Development and Parenting Strategies

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  1. What Happened to the Child I Knew Dr. David Causey, Ph.D. Clinical Psychologist Square One: Specialists in Child and Adolescent Development (896-2606)

  2. Developmental Issues • Independence - Dependence • Resist Advice – Need Guidance • Question Authority – Require Limits • Perceived Invulnerability – Fragile • Self-Assured –Self Conscious • External Control – Internal Flux • Stability - Change

  3. Areas of Adjustment: Middle School • Teacher – Student Relationship • Increasing Academic Demands • Peer / Social Demands • New / Larger Building • Increased demands for independence

  4. Middle School Stressors – Spring 5th Grade • Leaving wrong supplies in the locker (75%) • Kids seeing you in the locker room without your clothes on (75%) • Being sent to the principals office (58%) • Having a tough teacher (57%) • Peer pressure (55%) • Getting bothered by older students (55%) • Forgetting locker combination (55%) • Missing friends from elementary school (52%) • Disagreeing with a teacher (51%)

  5. Middle School Stressors – Spring 6th Grade • Having a tough teacher (39%) • Disagreeing with a teacher (35%) • Teachers expecting too much of you (34%) • Having to do harder work (33%) • Getting too much homework (31%) • Leaving supplies in the locker (31%) • Missing friends from elementary school (30%)

  6. Research Findings • Overproduction of gray matter that occurs in the Frontal Lobe brain regions (age 11-12) • Mimics brain development stage that occurs prior to age 2. • Frontal lobes are not used efficiently and not communicating as well with other regions of the brain. • More primitive in thinking and problem solving • Clearly different from young adult brain • Pruning Process

  7. Executive Functions in Adolescence • Planning • Judgment / Assessing Risk • Impulse Control • Organizing • Separation of Affect • Shifting Cognition • Sense of Time

  8. Why Can Parenting an Adolescent Seem Harder • Stakes are higher • Moods and Behaviors are more extreme • They may expect a logical reason for what they can’t have or do (i.e., “Because I said so” doesn’t work anymore) • Parents own level of stress or anxiety

  9. Risk Factors • Cumulative Changes • Prior adjustment problems • Learning problems • Intellectual development issues • Poor social and coping skills • Absence of “protective” resources

  10. Signs of Poor Adjustment • Significant decline in grades • Depressive symptoms • Drop in self esteem • Decline in school-related activities • Frequent counselor visits • Isolation • Anxiety / School Refusal

  11. Suggestions for Parents • Be aware: • What looks like a “problem” to you, may be a “solution” to your child (hard to give up) • Puberty and adolescence are periods of rapid change and are readily influenced by the environment • Supermarket of options (R. McKenzie, MD): Guide them to “positive” versus “toxic” options

  12. Suggestions for Parents Understand the message behind the behaviors: • Closeness: Positive Recognition vs. Negative Attention Seeking • Power/Control: Independence vs. Rebellion • Protection: Assertive vs. Aggressive • Withdrawal: Centering vs. Avoidance

  13. Suggestions for Parents • Maintain your role as the “authority figure”, but increase use of negotiating and mutual problem solving • Help them to find safe and productive ways to be more independent

  14. Suggestions for Parents • Try to be a part of their world, while trying not to be intrusive • Have clear rules and expectations, follow through with limits • Remember that parenting is a process: all decisions or conflicts don’t have to be resolved right now (parent with a plan)

  15. Suggestions for Parents • Avoid the “cardinal sins” of parenting adolescents (Phelan, 1998) • Spontaneous problem discussions • Nagging • Insight Transplants • Explosions and arguing

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