Mark OCallaghan, HSE Psychology Services. 1 Overview 4. - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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Mark O’Callaghan, HSE Psychology Services.

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• 1. Causes of

behaviour – biology of the brain

• 2. The

A to Zzzzz’s

• f

Sleep

• 3. Role of

adults

• 4. Communicating

with Teenagers

Overview

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 “The children now love luxury; they have bad

manners, contempt for authority; they show disrespect for elders and love chatter in place

• f exercise. Children are now tyrants, not the

servants of their households. They no longer rise when elders enter the room. They contradict their parents, chatter before company, gobble up dainties at the table, cross their legs, and tyrannize their teachers.”

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 “The children now love luxury; they have bad

manners, contempt for authority; they show disrespect for elders and love chatter in place

• f exercise. Children are now tyrants, not the

servants of their households. They no longer rise when elders enter the room. They contradict their parents, chatter before company, gobble up dainties at the table, cross their legs, and tyrannize their teachers.”

Attributed to Socrates by Plato

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 “the young are heated by Nature as drunken

men by wine”

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 “the young are heated by Nature as drunken

men by wine”

Aristotle

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 “I would there were no age between sixteen

and three- and- twenty, or that youth would sleep out the rest; for there is nothing in the between but getting wenches with child, wronging the ancientry, stealing, fighting”

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 “I would there were no age between sixteen

and three- and- twenty, or that youth would sleep out the rest; for there is nothing in the between but getting wenches with child, wronging the ancientry, stealing, fighting”

Shakespeare - Winter’s Tale Act 3, Scene 3

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• 1. Causes

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 Neuroscience = study of the brain

and its biological make up.

 Previously thought the brain had

finished growing and developing in childhood

 Advances in brain imaging techniques have

allowed for changes in the brain to be mapped.

 Results show that adolescence is also a

period of great brain development

CHANGES IN THE BRAIN

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Two Main Changes:

 1) Growth of fatty insulation around the brain

connections.

 This makes speed of brain messages a

hundred times faster.

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 2) Major changes occur in the front of brain

in a part called the prefrontal cortex (PFC).

 Responsible for skills such as:

• setting priorities
• problem solving ,
• organizing plans and ideas
• forming strategies
• controlling impulses

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Pruning - Decrease in grey matter (blue) – use-it or lose it http://www.nimh.nih.gov/science-news/2004/imaging-study-shows-brain-maturing.shtml

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 This research shows that there is a difference

between a teenage brain and an adult brain.

 Not possible to say it is the reason for all

teenage behaviour!

 However, it does mean the following skills are

still developing in teenagers :

• Controlling impulses
• Planning
• Decision making
• Imagining possible future consequences of an action
• Realizing the emotional significance of an action.

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 Teenage brains are slow to read facial signals,

as the reshaping of their brains makes it hard for them to process basic information.

 This makes them socially and emotionally

clumsy.

 Teenagers often misread images of fear as

• nes of anger, confusion and sadness.

 As a result, they are capable of seeing

hostility where none exists.

 This could contribute to them finding life

unfair.

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 Teenagers are more likely to seek thrill than

adults – highest aged 15.

 Can lead to dangerous behaviours (e.g

driving fast) but also positive ones (e.g. urge to meet new people).

 Risk- taking also higher in teenagers,

especially between 15- 25.

 This helps to explain high number of

accidents involving teenagers

 In US, 1/ 3 of teen deaths are in car

accidents, many involving alcohol.

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 Teens take more risks because they weigh

risk versus reward differently: In situations where risk can get them something they want, they value the reward more heavily than adults do

 For example, when a teenager is driving

alone, they take the same risks as adults.

 However, when friends are in the car, the

reward for the teenager is a social reward, and so they take more risks .

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 Developing brains makes teenagers

susceptible to negative influences e.g. drugs/ alcohol.

 Alcohol affects learning and memory in

teenagers more than in adults.

 Also less able to judge their own levels of

intoxication.

 Drugs, such as marijuana, also affect memory.  The younger teenagers drink or use drugs, the

more likely it will turn into an addiction.

DRUGS AND ALCOHOL

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 Sleep is an important fuel for the brain.  Many benefits:

• Helps us think more clearly
• Improves concentration
• Increases memory
• Reduces stress
• Reduces inflammation in the body
• Helps keep the heart healthy
• 2. THE A TO ZZZZZZZs OF SLEEP

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 Getting enough sleep is very important for

teenagers.

 Without enough sleep , a teenager will

experience:

• decreased levels of alertness and concentration
• reduced short- term memory and learning ability
• negative mood
• inconsistent performance
• poor productivity

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 Teenagers have different sleep patterns to

adults.

 They undergo a “phase delay” – a tendency to

go asleep and wake up later.

 Important they get between 8.5- 9.25 hours

sleep a night- need same amount as younger children.

 Study found only 15%

• f teens get this

required amount, with 26% getting less than 6.5 hours

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 The study also found that twice as many

teenagers stay up after 11pm at weekends than during the week.

 Staying awake and waking up later at the

weekend causes an irregular sleep schedule.

 This can make them even more tired during

the week.

 Important that parents help teens change

their sleeping patterns.

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 The following can help teenagers adjust their

sleeping patterns:

• Dimming the lights at night
• Ensuring they are getting lots of daylight in the

morning.

• Having a set bedtime.
• Sleeping in a cool environment
• Turning off music, the Internet, and televisions.
• Lie- ins at the weekend should be limited to just
• ne or two hours more than during the week.
• Playing sport earlier in the day can also help

adjust sleep patterns.

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 Guidance from adults is essential for the

development of the teenage brain.

 Teenagers need to be surrounded by caring

parents, adults, and institutions to help them learn specific skills and appropriate adult behaviour.

 Good relationships with adults have a number

• f benefits such as:
• Reduces likelihood of using drugs, alcohol and

tobacco.

• Increases academic performance
• Increases social, mental and emotional well- being.
• 3. THE ROLE OF ADULTS

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 However, it is also important to remember

that one of the primary goals of teenagers is to achieve independence.

 For this to occur, teenagers will pull away

from parents.

 This can come across as teens always

seeming to have different opinions than their parents or not wanting to be around their parents in the same way they used to

 But parents will still act as ‘models’

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 Therefore, many adults, especially parents,

believe it is hard to have a good relationship with their teenager when it is so difficult to communicate with them.

 45%

• f teens tell their parents little or

nothing about their worries or problems

 Distance and explosiveness are often the only

ways a teenager knows how to communicate when things get intense—which only causes more conflict. Therefore, it is important for parents to understand and learn ways of communicating effectively with their teen.

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 Teens strive to feel important  BUT  They also want so much to belong  ALSO  Competence versus Confidence (Skill – Will)

Strive for Independence but….

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Skill Skill-

• Will

Will

 Readiness= Ability + Willingness  Ability= Skills + Knowledge  Willingness= Desire + Confidence

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WILL VS. SKILL

Ability (Skill + Knowledge)

LOW HIGH HIGH LOW

Will (Desire + Confidence)

Able and willing and confident (High Maturity) DELEGATING Turn over responsibility for decision & implementation to Teen

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WILL VS. SKILL

Ability (Skill + Knowledge)

LOW HIGH HIGH LOW

Will (Desire + Confidence)

Unable and also unwilling and/or feeling insecure (Low Maturity) TELLING - DIRECTING Provide specific instructions and closely supervise performance Able and willing and confident (High Maturity) DELEGATING Turn over responsibility for decision & implementation to Teen

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WILL VS. SKILL

Ability (Skill + Knowledge)

LOW HIGH HIGH LOW

Will (Desire + Confidence)

Able but still unwilling or feeling insecure (Moderate Maturity) SELLING - COACHING Explain decisions and provide

• pportunity for clarification

Unable and also unwilling and/or feeling insecure (Low Maturity) TELLING - DIRECTING Provide specific instructions and closely supervise performance Able and willing and confident (High Maturity) DELEGATING Turn over responsibility for decision & implementation to Teen

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WILL VS. SKILL

Ability (Skill + Knowledge)

LOW HIGH HIGH LOW

Will (Desire + Confidence)

Able but still unwilling or feeling insecure (Moderate Maturity) SELLING - COACHING Explain decisions and provide

• pportunity for clarification

Unable and also unwilling and/or feeling insecure (Low Maturity) TELLING - DIRECTING Provide specific instructions and closely supervise performance Able and willing and confident (High Maturity) DELEGATING Turn over responsibility for decision & implementation to Teen Unable but willing or confident (Some Maturity) SUPPORTING Share ideas and facilitate in decision-making – CHECK!

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• 4. Communication

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How to talk so teens will listen and listen so teens will talk!

• 4. Communication

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

Contributions to the overall impact of the message:

• Words – 7%
• Tone – 38%
• Body Language – 55%

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Words: Psychological Reactance (“reverse psychology”) means that telling someone they cannot do something threatens their personal freedom, and makes them more likely to do it !

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Therefore, avoid using words such as “you can’t”, and “don’t”.



“I’d prefer if….” – better alternative

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 Should be monitored when speaking  Types of body language include:

• Body posture
• Hand gestures
• Eye contact
• Distance to the person

 Do not cross arms- sets up barrier  Hand gestures, e.g. pointing, should be kept

under control.

 Eye contact should be maintained – but

should not be a staring contest!

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 Location:

• Teenager should not be distracted at time of

conversation – choose time they are not watching TV etc

• If speaking about a serious topic, choose

somewhere free from interruptions

• Keep venue neutral – e.g. kitchen
• Survey the mood - teenagers are more likely

to listen if they are in a good mood

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 One of the most important skills a parent

should have

 Active listening – stepping into the shoes of

the other person

 Active listening involves:

• Genuinely trying to understand what they are

saying

• Acknowledging how they are feeling
• Giving full attention
• Monitoring body language and eye contact
• Encouraging teenager to continue speaking

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 1) Reflection and Questioning:

Reflection- repeating back what teen has said, but in a slightly different way Questioning - asking questions shows you were listening and helps you get more information.

 2) Important to encourage teens to speak now AND

speak again in future

• Don’t dismiss feelings – help them identify them
• Focus on what is being said – don’t let other thoughts

distract you from this

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 Negative Body Language  Labelling and belittling  Put downs  Ordering and lecturing  Taking over the problem  Mixed Messages

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 There is no such thing as the perfect

parent.

 The teenage years can be challenging

but can also be rewarding as you watch teens grow and develop as an individual.

 Be patient and keep working on the

relationship between you and the teenager.

 Pick your battles - to achieve the peace!

Remember Remember… …. .

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 It is no coincidence that approximately

80%

• f teenagers say they admire their

parents and wish to spend time with them.

 It is important for parents to take time

• ut for themselves, too.

 Remember that you can only do your

best!

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And finally!

It is a phase that is necessary for development BUT how we handle it can help determine how well they get through to the other side!

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Thank you for your attention!