Adolescent Behavior And Mental Health
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Emergence of adolescent behavior from teenagers
Raising a child can be challenging, and the adolescent years often have unique challenges. As your child transitions to adulthood, they may become moody, resentful, curious, afraid, confused—or all of the above.
Being able to anticipate and recognize the whirlwind of emotions and behaviors your teen may experience in this phase of life can help you better understand how to support them along the way and reduce the risk of mental illness. It may also allow you to distinguish between typical teen behavior and worrisome patterns that could benefit from professional support.
nguish between typical teen behavior and worrisome patterns that could benefit from professional support.
Common elements of adolescent behavior
Every adolescent is different, so considering your child’s uniqueness may be beneficial when considering what behavior is typical for them. However, below are a few common behaviors in teenagers that make up the many physical, emotional, and cognitive developments in adolescence.
Verbal aggression
Verbal aggression, to an extent, can be a typical behavior in teens, especially boys. The cause may be a combination of significant hormonal changes due to puberty and a natural desire for more independence than was available in childhood. This tension may cause teenagers to lash out by yelling, arguing, and using hurtful words toward their loved ones.
While some level of verbal aggression is typical, it can be risky if it leads to abusive behavior or escalates into a physical attack. In these cases, it may indicate abnormal aggression caused by a mental health challenge. A mental health professional like a therapist may be able to prevent your teenager from becoming dangerous to themselves or others by supporting them in identifying the underlying causes of this behavior and addressing them.
Lack of frustration tolerance
Teens often live with a barrage of changes to their bodies and brains, academic and social pressures, and the stress of figuring out who they are and their future. However, they might not adequately have the tools or strategies to cope with frustration. Their brain development is still in progress, and they may not have learned healthy coping skills earlier in life.
Research suggests children learn frustration tolerance through relationships with primary caregivers and trusted adults. As their caregiver, try modeling calm and constructive ways to deal with frustration. Exhibiting empathy and collaboration may make it easier to relate to your child when frustrated and allow you to provide advice, guidance, or a listening ear when they’re dysregulated.
Lack of impulse control
It can be expected for your teenager to show low impulse control. Because the decision-making and future-thinking areas of their brains are still developing, it’s not uncommon for some adolescents to act in the moment without considering the consequences.
These consequences can be significant for teens, potentially affecting academic outcomes, getting them in legal trouble, or risking their health or safety. In addition, teens can be at risk of forming substance use patterns. When their lack of impulse control causes problems like these, parents may find it worthwhile to consider enlisting the help of a mental health provider so they can learn how to manage their impulses in a healthy, safe way.
Research suggests that experience can form a child’s innate level of impulsive, risk-taking behavior and adjust it if it becomes problematic. According to one study, “early interventions” can reduce the severity and impact of this trait, such as specific training programs for expectant parents, which can help them model appropriate impulse control for their children.
Withdrawal from family
During the early years of life, most of your child’s social interaction was probably with family. It’s typical for this dynamic to shift as they enter adolescence. They may start withdrawing from family and spending more time with friends their age. While it can be a difficult adjustment for parents and siblings, it’s often a healthy stage of development and should be encouraged.
However, noticing your teen withdrawing from all social interaction may indicate an underlying mental health concern. According to experts, social withdrawal is one of the primary symptoms of depression, which is a mental illness that often requires treatment. Adolescents may also be more at risk of developing substance use disorders.
Sleep changes
A teenager’s body often grows quickly between the ages of 14 and 17. Due to these changes, the body requires more sleep, with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reporting teens needing at least eight to ten hours of sleep per night. As they grow, they may sleep longer and harder than usual.
You may notice that your teen is reluctant to get out of bed in the morning, goes to bed early, and sleeps for stretches of up to 12 hours on the weekends. However, if they start consistently sleeping deeply for more than 12 hours a night, it may indicate a mental or physical illness.
Abrupt adjustments in sleeping patterns, low energy levels, a lack of interest in previously enjoyed activities, and other signs of withdrawal could mean that your teen is showing symptoms of depression. Seeking support from a mental health professional in this case can be wise.
Difficulty with physical image
In adolescence, some people show more concern about their physical appearance—often due to rapid and sometimes confusing or uncomfortable body changes and an increased awareness of peer status. As a result, you may notice that your child becomes pickier about their clothing, spends more time getting ready, and tries out new styles within a short period.
However, if your teenager starts rapidly dropping weight, drastically changes their eating habits, or stops eating in your presence, it could indicate an eating disorder. In this case, seek professional help from a primary care physician and a mental health provider since these disorders can be serious.
Research suggests adolescence is a pivotal stage for a positive or negative body image to be formed. That’s why speaking to your child about body acceptance and forming healthy habits at this age can be helpful.
How to support your child during adolescence
The behaviors listed above are normal in moderation. Knowing this may help you give your child the space to have the appropriate formative experiences for their age. Recognizing if they cross into potentially dangerous or harmful behaviors can help you connect them with professional guidance if required.
Maintaining communication and allowing teenagers to make mistakes
A few other strategies may help you provide support during this stage. First, striving to maintain open communication with them can be crucial. While they may not choose to confide in you, knowing that you’ll provide a calm, nonjudgmental listening ear when they have a problem can make a difference. Additionally, allowing them to make safe, age-appropriate mistakes can be a part of their growth and development, whereas sheltering them from any consequences may prevent them from learning important lessons. Finally, you might consider connecting them with a supportive therapist.
How therapy can benefit adolescents and their mental health
While you might want to offer guidance to your teenager, they may not be inclined to take it during adolescence. Self-exploration, fear of judgment, or believing they’re misunderstood are a few reasons teens may pull back from their parents’ tips. For that reason, they may benefit from having a counselor they can confide in.
Online therapy for mental health conditions of adolescents
Recent research shows that 72% of adolescents would choose an online therapist if they experienced a mental health condition because they value the stigma reduction and convenience of online therapy. Virtual therapy sessions can also be more available for teens since they can have them from anywhere and don’t need transportation. Additionally, they may be less intimidating than visiting a therapist’s office.
If you’re interested in seeking counseling for your adolescent to help them cope with the changes of this phase of life, consider an online therapy platform like BetterHelp (18+) or TeenCounseling. TeenCounseling is explicitly designed for those between the ages of 13 and 18, allowing your teen to get matched with a licensed therapist with your consent. They can meet with their provider via phone, video, or online chat to address their concerns.
Takeaway
What is typical adolescent behavior?
Behavior in adolescence can be volatile and most adolescents are struggling to assert independence. This can lead to boundary-testing and fights with parents, family members, and other authority figures. Teens are also more subject to engage in risky behaviors like overindulgence in alcohol and drug use.
Typical adolescent behavior also depends a great deal on cultural factors and which age group the teenager is in. For example, teenagers in some countries take on additional household responsibilities, while teens in other countries experience more separation from their family as they strive to form a separate identity. Parents who build positive relationships with their teenagers may be able to discourage common adolescent risk behaviors.
While certain behaviors such as adolescent risk taking, mental health issues, self-harm, and antisocial behavior may be a common part of the adolescent experience, that doesn’t mean they are healthy behaviors. Caregivers should reach out for help if they notice concerning behavior in their teenagers to limit any negative mental or physical health outcomes.
What are the behavior changes you can expect during adolescence?
Families who think they understand their younger children are often in for a surprise when they reach their teen years. Adolescence is the bridge between childhood and adulthood, and it is a time when individuals are wrestling with their personal identity.
Teens may lash out at their parents with little provocation and get emotional over surprising things. There are a lot of big feelings during this period, and the brain is not emotionally mature enough to prioritize or moderate reactions. Adolescent health and behavior changes may differ based on what stage of adolescence the child is in; 13-year-olds are experiencing different changes than 19-year-olds.
During the early adolescence developmental stage, children experience rapid growth and physical changes associated with puberty, including the development of secondary sexual characteristics. They may crave additional exclusivity and push boundaries that their caregivers set for them. At this age, problem behaviors may include fighting with siblings, sensation seeking, bullying, and disrespect toward authority figures.
When they reach mid-adolescence, teenagers are strongly impacted by peer influence and frequently worry about their appearance. They may question and explore their sexual identity and sexual orientation and pursue romantic relationships. Middle adolescents can see the big picture more clearly than they did during early childhood, but can still struggle to practice self-management and clearly understand the negative consequences of their decisions. They are in the process of developing their self-control, problem-solving skills, and executive functioning skills. 50% of lifetime mental illnesses show up by age 14, so caregivers should watch for signs of a mental health crisis in case there is a need for intervention.
In late adolescence, also known as young adulthood, teens have a stronger sense of their own identity and are less influenced by peer pressure. Although they have experienced substantial cognitive development, they are still likely to engage in adolescent risk-taking behavior such as risky sexual behavior, substance abuse, cigarette smoking, and binge drinking. By this age, adolescents have often developed better social competence and understand how to navigate a variety of social situations.
What are some social behaviors of adolescents?
Teenagers can have a strong need to conform to their peer group, as they value social acceptance. High school students often want to feel like adults, and may engage in high risk behaviors both as a result of brain development (dopamine levels are extremely high during this period), a desire to impress their peers, and to feel “grown up”, setting rules for themselves. Some risk-taking behaviors may include drug use, unprotected sex, and unsafe driving.
What are some behavioral traits of teenagers and adolescents?
Some behavioral traits that may be expected from teens include:
- Emotional instability, mood swings
- Boundary-stepping
- High risk behavior
- A need for secrecy
- Arguing with parents and family members with little provocation
- Intense peer relationships
What are four behaviors common with adolescents?
Four common behaviors for adolescents include:
- Asserting independence, and pushing boundaries or rules
- Moodiness and difficulties with emotional regulation
- Keeping their things personal, shutting people out of their space
- Swinging between “not needing help” and wanting attention from family
What are 10 characteristics of adolescence?
Most of the characteristics of adolescents come from one source: change. Some of these characteristics include:
- Body changes
- Changes to the brain and cognition
- Learning higher-level social skills
- Learning to understand nuance, and moving away from absolutes
- Emotional upheaval
- Strong need for peer approval
- A sense of individualism
- A need for secrecy
- More time spent scrutinizing their body, struggling with self-image
- Anxiety (over school, friends, body changes, self-esteem)
Which behavior is most characteristic of early adolescence?
During early adolescence, egocentrism is very common. Preteens are laser-focused on themselves, and worry about what other people think…they are often self-conscious about their appearance and believe that they are constantly being judged by their peers.
What are three behaviors of adolescent development?
Social context expands for teens, and they begin to see themselves as part of peer groups. While young people may identify themselves as part of their family, teens begin to rely more and more on their friend groups to help them figure out who they are and where they fit in. They often cultivate intimate relationships with friends as they expand their social circle.
Adolescents will also begin to assert their independence. They may become habitual line-steppers, argue with parents and other authority figures, and have a strong need for secrecy. They often crave the freedom to make their own decisions and may pursue romantic relationships.
Teens will also begin to think with greater nuance. Preteens tend to see things as all or nothing, while middle to late teens begin to understand that context matters. They may use these new ideas to better navigate their relationships, seeing different perspectives and using their newly developed decision-making skills. These changes also come with increased self-regulation skills and coping strategies.
What are the behavioral changes in adolescent males?
Everyone is different, but many male teens are not sure how to navigate big feelings because of cultural expectations. Stress management, emotional control, and well-being checks can be important touchstones for male teens.
Risk for violent adolescent behavior
Adolescent males are more at risk for violent behavior, misuse of drugs and alcohol, and engaging in risky behavior in general.
What are the 5 biggest concerns today's adolescents face?
According to a study from the Pew Research Center, some of the biggest concerns that today’s adolescents face include:
- academic pressure
- trying to look good
- fitting in socially
- being involved in extracurricular activities
- being physically strong
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