tag:theconversation.com,2011:/au/topics/teen-development-1894/articlesTeen development – The Conversation2024-01-04T16:35:25Ztag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2189882024-01-04T16:35:25Z2024-01-04T16:35:25ZActive or overscheduled kids? How parents can consider benefits and risks of extracurricular activities<iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100px; border: none; position: relative; z-index: 1;" allowtransparency="" allow="clipboard-read; clipboard-write" src="https://narrations.ad-auris.com/widget/the-conversation-canada/active-or-overscheduled-kids-how-parents-can-consider-benefits-and-risks-of-extracurricular-activities" width="100%" height="400"></iframe>
<p>From hockey and dance to chess club, families can be pulled in many extracurricular directions. </p>
<p>It’s easy for parents to be overwhelmed by the choices of activities for their child — or also, how accessible these are, for reasons <a href="https://peopleforeducation.ca/report/inequities-persist-extracurriculars-clubs-activities-and-fundraising-in-ontarios-publicly-funded-schools/#chapter10">like financial barriers</a> or transportation challenges.</p>
<p>In the midst of this, parents receive advice to ensure their <a href="https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/exercise.html">kids move their bodies</a> and <a href="https://childmind.org/article/can-brain-training-really-kids/">challenge their brains</a>, <a href="https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/six_ways_to_help_kids_grow_their_creativity">be creative</a>, but also to carve out space for <a href="https://extension.sdstate.edu/why-spending-quality-time-your-children-important">family and downtime</a>. </p>
<p>A survey conducted by Ipsos for Global News found that on average, <a href="https://globalnews.ca/news/4400116/extracurricular-activities-cost-canada-swimming-hockey/">parents paid $1,160 for their children’s extracurricular activities in the 2017-18 school year</a>.</p>
<p>Fortunately, there are resources or neighbourhood hubs that help identify available activities for kids — <a href="https://www.ourkids.net/programs">for instance, this resource allows</a> you to search by Canadian location, activity type and price (including some free activities). </p>
<p>To help families navigate extracurricular activities, we offer parents suggestions to help make informed decisions about finding a balance that aims to align with their family values and meet the individual needs of their children.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A pre-teen child playing a stringed instrument." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/567584/original/file-20240102-29-8dbg9l.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/567584/original/file-20240102-29-8dbg9l.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567584/original/file-20240102-29-8dbg9l.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567584/original/file-20240102-29-8dbg9l.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567584/original/file-20240102-29-8dbg9l.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567584/original/file-20240102-29-8dbg9l.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567584/original/file-20240102-29-8dbg9l.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Extracurricular opportunities also allow children to explore new skills and to discover new strengths.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Allison Shelley/EDUimages)</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/">CC BY-NC</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Benefits of kids having a busy schedule</h2>
<p>The good side of extracurriculars is that research shows kids involved in activities are more likely to have <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-019-01110-2">better friendships and fewer mental health problems</a>. </p>
<p>Participating in multiple activities can also provide structure and a routine for children, which helps them <a href="https://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/about-us/article/importance-schedules-routines">feel in control of their environment</a> and predict what is coming next. </p>
<p>Having a lot of scheduled activities can also help your child learn valued time-management skills, like how to complete their homework because they have soccer practice later that evening.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/here-are-the-best-parents-to-have-around-according-to-youth-sport-coaches-118382">Here are the best parents to have around, according to youth sport coaches</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Friendships, belonging</h2>
<p>Extracurricular activities are also a great opportunity for children to develop and nurture their own interests while forming meaningful friendships. Participating in extracurricular activities can help kids find a sense of belonging. Some activities may be specifically relevant to your <a href="https://globalnews.ca/video/9944397/overscheduled-recognizing-signs-of-burnout-in-children-and-youth">child’s culture, community</a> or your own family concerns.</p>
<p>Extracurricular opportunities also allow children to explore new skills and to discover new strengths. Potentially, they learn routes to feeling accomplished that don’t depend on academic performance. When they participate and succeed at an activity they enjoy, <a href="https://www.crimsoneducation.org/ca/blog/benefits-of-extracurricular-activities/#benefits">this can help boost their self-confidence</a>.</p>
<p>Finally, participating in extracurricular activities can keep kids <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/parenting/wp/2017/05/10/the-myth-of-the-overscheduled-child/">away from screens</a>. A lot of research has shown the dangers of <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/article-abstract/2790338">too much screen time</a>.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/screen-time-predicts-delays-in-child-development-says-new-research-110016">Screen time predicts delays in child development, says new research</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A young child holding a soccer ball." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/567618/original/file-20240102-19-10qxl7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/567618/original/file-20240102-19-10qxl7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=397&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567618/original/file-20240102-19-10qxl7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=397&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567618/original/file-20240102-19-10qxl7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=397&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567618/original/file-20240102-19-10qxl7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=499&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567618/original/file-20240102-19-10qxl7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=499&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567618/original/file-20240102-19-10qxl7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=499&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Succeeding at an activity they enjoy can help boost a child’s self-confidence.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Importance of free play, downtime</h2>
<p>The bad side of overscheduling kids is that it can have <a href="https://www.care.com/c/pros-cons-scheduling-kids/">adverse effects</a> for some children and families. When kids are overscheduled, they often don’t have time for other critically important parts of life. </p>
<p>Overscheduling kids may get in the way of unstructured playtime, which research has shown is extremely valuable for children’s development. Unstructured free play has been shown to <a href="https://lynnwonders.medium.com/the-power-of-play-unstructured-play-for-child-development-and-beyond-6f46164cc1b7">bolster children’s creativity, increase their problem solving skills and allow children to demonstrate their own individuality</a></p>
<p>Additionally it is <a href="https://us.macmillan.com/books/9780312263393/theoverscheduledchild">important for children to have downtime</a> as it gives children a chance to pause, reflect and relax. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Two children seen playing in snow." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/567613/original/file-20240102-25-nmbu11.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/567613/original/file-20240102-25-nmbu11.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567613/original/file-20240102-25-nmbu11.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567613/original/file-20240102-25-nmbu11.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567613/original/file-20240102-25-nmbu11.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567613/original/file-20240102-25-nmbu11.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567613/original/file-20240102-25-nmbu11.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Free play and downtime are important for children.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Yan Krukau)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Overscheduling kids may also quickly <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/40364197">overwhelm children</a> as they are balancing multiple activities on top of their schoolwork — and may leave <a href="https://globalnews.ca/video/9944397/overscheduled-recognizing-signs-of-burnout-in-children-and-youth">kids prone to stress</a>, physical complaints and self-reported anxiety and depression.</p>
<h2>Importance of family time</h2>
<p>When kids are overbooked there may be less quality family time. Something as simple as eating a family meal together may become increasingly difficult for families with scheduling conflicts. Connecting as a family is important. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nurpra.2010.04.017">Research</a> has shown that when a family eats meals together, the children do better academically, and are less likely to suffer from mental health problems.</p>
<p>How can parents and caregivers find a balance between structured and unstructured time? </p>
<h2>Tips for parents and caregivers</h2>
<p><strong>Listen to your child:</strong> Encourage their interests and preferences. Monitor your child’s level of engagement. For example, are they excited to share what they learned or motivated to practise on their own? Are they withdrawn, moody or resistant to communicating about their activities? Consider whether your child enjoys the activity they are doing or how it suits their abilities.</p>
<p>Take some time to discuss which activities are most important and why. Variables might include: Which activities align with your family’s values? Which activities align most with your child’s interests or help nurture belonging or competence? Which activities suit your schedule? Use these discussions to establish priorities.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/as-kids-activities-reopen-parents-share-insights-about-keeping-families-active-during-covid-19-shutdowns-177518">As kids' activities reopen, parents share insights about keeping families active during COVID-19 shutdowns</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p><strong>Quality over quantity:</strong> Focus on the quality of experiences. Think about whether your child is getting something out of the experience like learning a valuable skill, building important relationships or habits or even simply enjoying themselves. Think about whether the activity is valuable enough that it’s worth the time it might take away from other important things like family time.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A family seen seated at a table eating a meal." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/567591/original/file-20240102-15-4ogs9k.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/567591/original/file-20240102-15-4ogs9k.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567591/original/file-20240102-15-4ogs9k.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567591/original/file-20240102-15-4ogs9k.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567591/original/file-20240102-15-4ogs9k.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567591/original/file-20240102-15-4ogs9k.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567591/original/file-20240102-15-4ogs9k.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Dedicating time for family interactions is important.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Cottonbro Studio)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p><strong>Family time:</strong> Dedicate time for family interactions. You can do something as simple as prioritizing eating meals together — it doesn’t have to be only dinner, maybe family breakfast or family lunch depending on that day’s schedule.</p>
<p><strong>Stay flexible:</strong> Adjust schedules as interests evolve. It’s OK for kids to change their interests! If they find the activity they used to love is just not that interesting to them anymore it’s OK to shake things up. Overcommitting your child to an activity that they are no longer interested in increases the <a href="https://www.huffpost.com/entry/when-to-let-kid-quit-sports_l_61f18840e4b04f9a12b7cd84">likelihood of burnout</a>.</p>
<p><strong>Stress & time management:</strong> Teach important life skills. Help your kids understand how to manage their schedules. This could include having a planner or agenda so they can lay out all their activities on top of any school commitments. Teach them how to balance their commitments so they have enough time to dedicate to schoolwork and extracurricular activities. </p>
<p>You can create a <a href="https://www.verywellfamily.com/setting-up-a-family-calender-that-keep-you-organized-5214498">family schedule</a> that’s visible to everyone to help keep track of family plans.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/218988/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Sheri Madigan receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Alberta Children's Hospital Foundation, an anonymous donor, and the Canada Research Chairs program.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Marissa Nivison does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Researchers with expertise in parent-child relationships and child development offer 5 tips about how parents or caregivers can find a balance between children’s structured and unstructured time.Marissa Nivison, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Department of Psychology, University of CalgarySheri Madigan, Professor, Canada Research Chair in Determinants of Child Development, Owerko Centre at the Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, University of CalgaryLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2024812023-04-09T12:07:32Z2023-04-09T12:07:32ZOver-emphasis on safety means kids are becoming more anxious and less resilient<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/519676/original/file-20230405-24-iwbwzp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=7%2C44%2C4912%2C3230&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Parents being over-protective can deny children the experiences they need to learn and grow.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span></figcaption></figure><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100px; border: none; position: relative; z-index: 1;" allowtransparency="" allow="clipboard-read; clipboard-write" src="https://narrations.ad-auris.com/widget/the-conversation-canada/over-emphasis-on-safety-means-kids-are-becoming-more-anxious-and-less-resilient" width="100%" height="400"></iframe>
<p>We are facing a mental health crisis. Teenagers and young adults are more <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1939-0025.2011.01115.x">depressed, suicidal, anxious</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/0265407519836170">lonely</a> than ever before. </p>
<p>Depression rates among teens have been increasing since the early 2000s. A 2018 national survey found that <a href="https://www.samhsa.gov/data/report/2017-nsduh-annual-national-report">13.3 per cent of U.S. adolescents experienced a major depressive episode in the last year</a>. </p>
<p>But it’s not just teens — young adults are suffering too. A 2016 international survey of university counselling centres revealed 50 per cent of university students sought help for <a href="https://www.aucccd.org/assets/documents/aucccd%202016%20monograph%20-%20public.pdf">feelings of anxiety and 41 per cent for depression</a>. Suicide rates are also increasing. The <a href="https://wisqars.cdc.gov/reports/?o=MORT&y1=2001&y2=2015&t=0&d=&i=2&m=20810&g=00&me=0&s=2&r=0&e=0&yp=65&a=custom&g1=0&g2=199&a1=15&a2=19&r1=YEAR&r2=NONE&r3=NONE&r4=NONE">number of teenage girls in the U.S. who died by suicide nearly doubled</a> between 2000 and 2015. </p>
<p>The mental health statistics for Canadian youth are similarly grim. In 2003, <a href="https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/42-28-0001/2021001/article/00001-eng.htm">24 per cent of Canadians aged 15-30 self-reported that their mental health was either fair or poor</a> (compared to very good or excellent). <a href="https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/42-28-0001/2021001/article/00001-eng.htm">By 2019, that number had risen to 40 per cent</a>.</p>
<p>The COVID-19 pandemic worsened the mental health of Canadian youths. In 2020, <a href="https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/45-28-0001/2020001/article/00003-eng.htm">58 per cent of Canadians aged 15-24 reported fair or poor mental health</a> and nearly <a href="https://www.cihi.ca/en/children-and-youth-mental-health-in-canada">one in four hospitalizations for children and youth aged 5-24 were due to mental health conditions</a>.</p>
<p>What has changed in the last decade to explain this rise in poor mental health among youth? <a href="http://www.jeantwenge.com/igen-book-by-dr-jean-twenge/">Some psychologists</a> point to the recent <a href="https://www.thecoddling.com/buy">cultural emphasis on safety</a> as a contributor. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/519679/original/file-20230405-24-vudswh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A young sad-looking boy leans his head on a wall." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/519679/original/file-20230405-24-vudswh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/519679/original/file-20230405-24-vudswh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/519679/original/file-20230405-24-vudswh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/519679/original/file-20230405-24-vudswh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/519679/original/file-20230405-24-vudswh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/519679/original/file-20230405-24-vudswh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/519679/original/file-20230405-24-vudswh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Parental overprotection has been shown to foster unhealthy coping mechanisms in children.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Shift in children’s safety</h2>
<p>In previous decades, American and Canadian children enjoyed more freedom, even though there were rising crime rates. The crime wave in Canada <a href="https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/220802/dq220802a-eng.htm">rose steeply from the 60s through the 80s until it peaked in the early 1990s</a>. <a href="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/television">Cable TV became widespread</a> during the same period, meaning that news of crimes spread farther and quicker than ever before. </p>
<p>This surge spurred safety initiatives like sharing pictures of <a href="https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/worldview/who-started-the-milk-carton-campaign-to-find-missing-children/article4101849/">missing children on milk cartons</a> and crime shows like <a href="https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Series/AmericasMostWanted">America’s Most Wanted</a>. It’s no wonder parents became increasingly fearful and protective.</p>
<p><a href="https://doi.org/10.4000/champpenal.448">Crime rates began to come down in the 1990s</a>, but fear among parents remained. This is where the problem of being over cautious begins. The concept of safety started to extend beyond children’s physical safety to emotional and psychological comfort. This denied children experiences they needed to learn and grow.</p>
<p>Parental overprotection has been shown to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/sode.12590">foster unhealthy coping mechanisms in children</a>. Overprotected children are more likely to both internalize problems (as in anxiety and depression) and externalize them (as in delinquency, defiance or substance abuse). </p>
<p>Some psychologists propose that overprotection can morph into what they call <a href="https://www.thecoddling.com/">“safetyism,”</a> which teaches kids negative thought patterns similar to those experienced by the anxious and depressed. Safetyism can over-prioritize a young person’s safety to the exclusion of other practical and moral concerns.</p>
<p>It is natural to want to avoid problems, but <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/0956797614543022">avoiding things that bring us discomfort can reinforce a belief that we cannot handle certain issues</a> and, over time, make us less capable.</p>
<h2>Unhelpful thought patterns</h2>
<p>Here are three unhealthy thought patterns to monitor in yourself and your children:</p>
<p><strong>Identify negative filtering</strong>. Do not underestimate the positives of experiences like unsupervised play (joy, independence, problem-solving, risk-assessment, resilience) when considering the potential negative consequences.</p>
<p><strong>Be aware of dichotomous thinking</strong>. Do not fall into the good or bad trap. There’s a world of possibility between one or the other. Considering people, ideas, places or situations as either good or evil (but never both or somewhere in between) fosters a polarizing “us vs. them” attitude and eliminates nuance.</p>
<p><strong>Recognize emotional reasoning</strong>. Feeling “unsafe” (uncomfortable or anxious), does not mean you are actually physically unsafe. If you avoid all stress, you will never learn to overcome stressors or understand your full potential. Avoiding hurdles can make us think we are more weak or fragile than we are. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/519678/original/file-20230405-16-1wl7zt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Young people wearing backpacks seen from behind." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/519678/original/file-20230405-16-1wl7zt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/519678/original/file-20230405-16-1wl7zt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/519678/original/file-20230405-16-1wl7zt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/519678/original/file-20230405-16-1wl7zt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/519678/original/file-20230405-16-1wl7zt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/519678/original/file-20230405-16-1wl7zt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/519678/original/file-20230405-16-1wl7zt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Avoiding things that bring us discomfort can reinforce a belief that we cannot handle certain issues and, over time, make us less capable.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Painting the world as a place with dangers at every turn has created anxious youths who avoid activities they previously would have experimented with. Rising rates of loneliness and anxiety mean some youth are delaying <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/cdev.12930">getting a job, driving a car, having sex, drinking alcohol and dating</a>. Research supports that <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-020-01716-2#Sec16">overprotective parenting</a> (such as “helicopter parenting”) decreases adolescents’ <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-013-9716-3">well-being</a>, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-019-01360-5">motivation</a>, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adolescence.2012.03.007">independence</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/sode.12590">ability to deal with problems in a healthy way</a>. </p>
<p>Generational trends show that across all social and economic demographics, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1353/foc.0.0044">American teens are putting off activities they deem “adult”</a> and don’t crave adult freedom as previous generations did. </p>
<p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/0265407519836170">They spend less time unsupervised by parents</a> because they’re worried about what’s out in the world, and they think they can’t handle it. <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/data/yrbs/yrbs_data_summary_and_trends.htm">They don’t date or have sex</a> because they’re worried about broken hearts, pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954579412001228">They don’t drink</a> <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/dar.12664">alcohol</a> because they’re worried about drunkenly making mistakes and what people will think of them afterwards. <a href="https://doi.org/10.3141/2495-01">They don’t drive</a> because they are happy to rely on their parents for transportation. </p>
<p>While some of these are rational consequences to avoid, they shouldn’t feel so overwhelming as to keep youths from transitioning into adulthood. Broken hearts teach you about what you want in a romantic partner, young people can be taught about safe sex, alcohol can be drunk in moderate amounts and mistakes are healthy, human and normal. Teens shouldn’t be so afraid of life that they no longer feel excited to live it.</p>
<p>Without opportunities to explore and learn their limits, youths risk internalizing a false sense of helplessness and becoming depressed and anxious. </p>
<h2>Helpful thought patterns</h2>
<p>Positive thought patterns must be developed within ourselves. That means giving ourselves, our teens and our children the opportunities needed to become independent, resilient and autonomous. And that means embracing negative experiences like frustration, conflict and boredom.</p>
<p>Here are some words of advice:</p>
<p><strong>Mind your mind.</strong> Your thoughts are powerful. They dictate how you see the world, others and yourself, so foster positive, rational thought patterns.</p>
<p><strong>Raise your voice.</strong> Encourage curiosity and productive disagreement. We will never learn to be open-minded or become well-rounded people if we do not challenge our own beliefs, listen to others’ perspectives and recognize our potential to be wrong. Every aspect of our lives, including our relationships and jobs, depends on our ability to argue in an effective, respectful and productive way without becoming overemotional.</p>
<p><strong>Open your heart.</strong> Try to give others the benefit of the doubt because most people do not intend to do harm. Do not let fear dictate your thoughts and actions.</p>
<p><strong>Trust yourself.</strong> Life will always throw curve balls and there will not always be an authority to defer to. Life is not safe or risk-free. The best protection is the knowledge that you can handle life’s challenges.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/202481/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Simon Sherry receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. He also owns CRUX Psychology, a private practice in psychology.</span></em></p>Some psychologists suggest a cultural emphasis on safety is contributing to rising anxiety and depression among teens.Simon Sherry, Clinical Psychologist and Professor in the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Dalhousie UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1894392022-09-27T17:36:46Z2022-09-27T17:36:46ZPreparing for exam season: 10 practical insights from psychology to help teens get through<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/486027/original/file-20220922-15278-3v2807.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=19%2C46%2C2568%2C1621&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Getty Images</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Exam season is fast approaching for many senior students in New Zealand and Australia. At the best of times, adolescents may struggle with ambition and drive, let alone after two-and-a-half years of <a href="https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/475547/more-than-two-years-of-disrupted-learning-taking-a-toll-on-ncea-students-principals-say">COVID-induced disruption</a> and uncertainty.</p>
<p>But parents can still nurture their teens’ motivation to do what they need to do. </p>
<p>Behind the scenes, the adolescent period is one of huge developmental change, and <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/current-opinion-in-psychology/special-issue/10B866D7VR3">not only physically</a>. Teens are developing their sense of identity and refining their own values. Their autonomy and individuation is emerging while they still remain somewhat dependent on the family system. </p>
<p>Parents may expect their young people to be intrinsically motivated when it comes to exams. The importance of studying is obvious to many adults. But even the most diligent among us can easily identify behaviours we know we should be doing, but aren’t. </p>
<p>Clearly, knowing that something is important may not be enough to generate the desired behaviour. </p>
<h2>Understanding human behaviour</h2>
<p>According to clinical psychologist Susan Michie and her colleagues at University College London, <a href="https://implementationscience.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1748-5908-6-42">three factors interact</a> to produce any human behaviour, whether it’s studying or surfing: capability, opportunity and motivation.</p>
<p>Michie’s team developed the “COM-B” model, which forms the basis for behavioural interventions relating to everything from <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-020-0887-9">hand washing</a> to our own efforts to <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34948725/">support clinicians</a> to use evidence-based treatments.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/how-to-keep-kids-curious-5-questions-answered-189512">How to keep kids curious – 5 questions answered</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Capability (both physical and psychological), opportunity (physical and social) and motivation come together to influence behaviour in an interactive way. </p>
<p>For example, if a young person is very capable (or believes themselves to be very capable) at solving maths equations, those around them are supportive or encouraging (social opportunity), and they have the practical resources they need (physical opportunity), they’re likely to want to do maths homework (be motivated). </p>
<p>Conversely, imagine a young person who starts the school term really motivated to study for two hours online every night, but only has access to the laptop at school (limited physical opportunity), still has fatigue after an illness (limited physical capability), and is surrounded by friends who have other priorities (low social opportunity). Herculean motivation may be required in this situation. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/how-to-keep-kids-curious-5-questions-answered-189512">How to keep kids curious – 5 questions answered</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>How parents can support their teen to study</h2>
<p>Put simply, parents should “zoom out”. Motivation can’t be produced magically out of thin air, and attempts to force it can have the opposite effect. But parents can support and encourage their young person’s capability and opportunity to study.</p>
<p><strong>1. Motivation fluctuates</strong></p>
<p>Motivation is not something that is simply present or absent. It fluctuates from hour to hour, day to day. So rather than “how can I make him be motivated today?”, a more useful question is “how can I create an environment where he’ll be a bit more motivated than he was last night?”</p>
<p><strong>2. Good foundations</strong></p>
<p>Remember the basics, for teens and parents alike – sleep, exercise and balanced nutrition. If these are in place, it’ll help both physical and psychological capability.</p>
<p><strong>3. Balanced thinking promotes capability</strong></p>
<p>A sense of mastery or capability is important. Stressed teens can fall into black and white thinking traps. “I’m useless at maths” fuels feeling overwhelmed and a sense of futility.</p>
<p>Instinctively, it’s tempting to reply with “no you’re not, you’re amazing!” But that’ll likely bounce right off. Instead, try to encourage your teen’s balanced thinking. “Stats is hard, but I’m okay at algebra and geometry”.</p>
<p><strong>4. Focusing on what teens can control</strong></p>
<p>Praise <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/0022-3514.75.1.33">effort over achievement</a>. Persisting with an hour a day of English revision for six weeks deserves as much acknowledgement as winning the English prize (and unlike the prize, it is within your teen’s control).</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A father and teenager putting their foreheads together" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/486029/original/file-20220922-24-2unqug.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/486029/original/file-20220922-24-2unqug.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/486029/original/file-20220922-24-2unqug.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/486029/original/file-20220922-24-2unqug.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/486029/original/file-20220922-24-2unqug.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/486029/original/file-20220922-24-2unqug.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/486029/original/file-20220922-24-2unqug.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Parents should keep in mind that teenagers’ irritability may be caused by underlying anxieties.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Getty Images</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p><strong>5. Reinforcing their worth, no matter what</strong></p>
<p>Likewise, be sure to separate your teen’s attributes (who they are) from their behaviour (what they do). They’re not a “lazy” person, but there are particular behaviours they may need to do more (or do less).</p>
<p><strong>6. Behaviour as communication</strong></p>
<p>If young people are irritable or snappy, try to hold in mind that this anger or irritation is likely to be secondary to other emotions, like anxiety, hopelessness or overwhelm. It’s probably not about you.</p>
<p><strong>7. Worry might have a purpose</strong></p>
<p>Lots of anxiety may be incapacitating, but some anxiety in this season makes sense, and a little bit can actually enhance preparation and performance. Paradoxically, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/13284207.2022.2108315">perfectionism isn’t always useful</a>.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Two young women studying, on beds" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/486034/original/file-20220922-15568-3o6hzx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/486034/original/file-20220922-15568-3o6hzx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/486034/original/file-20220922-15568-3o6hzx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/486034/original/file-20220922-15568-3o6hzx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/486034/original/file-20220922-15568-3o6hzx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/486034/original/file-20220922-15568-3o6hzx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/486034/original/file-20220922-15568-3o6hzx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Motivation to study can fluctuate.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Getty Images</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p><strong>8. Validate what you can</strong></p>
<p>Try to validate the emotion, even if the behaviour can’t be justified. Perhaps reflect that it makes perfect sense that things feel overwhelming, many people would feel that way in that situation, and then pause. </p>
<p>It’s tempting to rush to solve the problem, or rapidly fire questions. But often young people just need to be given permission to feel the feeling, and they can sometimes figure out the solution themselves.</p>
<p><strong>9. Collaborating to solve problems</strong></p>
<p>Similarly, try to avoid doing “to” (or “for”), instead aiming to do “with”. Collaborating to solve problems (if they want input) may develop or enhance future independent problem-solving abilities. It also communicates your belief in their capability to do so.</p>
<p><strong>10. Acknowledge to create habits</strong></p>
<p>Parents might consider using targeted, short-term incentives (we don’t see these as bribes, but recognition of hard work or effort) to create new habits or reinforce emerging behaviours.</p>
<p>Finally, try to hold a longer-term view. One exam, one assessment, won’t make or break things. Families and cultures may hold a range of values around what a successful life looks like, but it usually involves more than just exam success. </p>
<p>Good health, connection with others, and meaning or purpose are fundamental to success in life. Try to keep this in mind over the next few months, even if the going gets tough.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/189439/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Melanie Woodfield receives funding from the Health Research Council of New Zealand. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Jin Russell has previously received funding for research projects from the Starship Foundation, Health Research Council of New Zealand, and The Royal Australasian College of Physicians. She is a board member of the Parenting Place, a not-for-profit organisation in Aotearoa New Zealand.</span></em></p>Secondary school exams are here, with all the stress they bring. But parents can help their teenagers stay engaged by getting the motivational basics right and keeping a sense of perspective.Melanie Woodfield, Clinical Psychologist, Te Whatu Ora | HRC Clinical Research Training Fellow, University of Auckland, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata RauJin Russell, Community and Developmental Paediatrician, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata RauLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/362802015-02-06T06:16:02Z2015-02-06T06:16:02ZAll the cool kids aren’t doing it: teens stink at judging peers’ behavior<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/70872/original/image-20150202-13042-1mzui2v.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Frustrated by having to keep up with false social norms? </span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-102482045/stock-photo-tired-high-school-student-using-book-cover-his-face.html?src=5O5uHJy13uHEqiVnMWAAWA-1-54&ws=0">Boy via michaeljung/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>When you think about teenage peer pressure, plenty of images likely come to mind. Perhaps a classic after school TV special or dramatic <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drug_Abuse_Resistance_Education">D.A.R.E. program</a> skit with a dimly-lit basement and one friend saying “Come on, <em>everybody’s</em> doing it.” Indeed, a good deal of <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=Beyond+homophily%3A+A+decade+of+advances+in+understanding+peer+influence+processes">prior research</a> has focused on direct forms of pressure between friends. But if these images don’t fully resonate with your own memories of high school, you may be onto something. <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/a0038178">Our research</a> suggests that although these direct forms of pressure may exist, teens likely are influenced in other, more indirect ways too.</p>
<p>Think back to high school. You probably had a pretty good sense of who the cool kids were, as well as who was getting high or having sex or who was studying all day long. Everyone knew what was going on, right?</p>
<p>But what if we were all wrong?</p>
<p>According to my group’s research, teens think they know how much their peers engage in a variety of potentially risky behaviors such as substance use, theft, vandalism and sex. They also think they know how much their peers engage in healthier behaviors, such as studying and exercising. The only problem is, they’re wrong. And not only that, but the more wrong they are, the more likely they’ll be to increase their own substance use over the next few years. </p>
<p>It’s a classic high school version of “Keeping Up With The Joneses” that may place some teens at risk for unhealthy or even dangerous outcomes.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/70871/original/image-20150202-13063-1u7pg68.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/70871/original/image-20150202-13063-1u7pg68.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/70871/original/image-20150202-13063-1u7pg68.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/70871/original/image-20150202-13063-1u7pg68.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/70871/original/image-20150202-13063-1u7pg68.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/70871/original/image-20150202-13063-1u7pg68.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/70871/original/image-20150202-13063-1u7pg68.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Keep up!</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-104764376/stock-photo-yalta-ukraine-may-unidentified-girls-age-at-the-hurdles-race-on-the-international.html?src=5O5uHJy13uHEqiVnMWAAWA-7-38&ws=0">Runners via Denis Kuvaev/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Overestimating the bad and underestimating the good</h2>
<p>So how did we find this out? We examined the perceptions of over 400 high school students at two different schools over the course of several years in two separate studies on peer influence. </p>
<p>In the first phase of the study, 235 10th-graders were studied at a middle-income, suburban high school in the Northeast. First, they identified which of their peers belonged in which social crowds – the jocks, popular kids, burnouts and nerds – using a validated system of peer nominations. Within this process, students could nominate which of their peers belonged to which crowd, and researchers could create standardized scores based on how often individuals were nominated. </p>
<p>Next, students reported their perceptions of how frequently those crowds engaged in behaviors including smoking, drinking, marijuana use, sexual intercourse, oral sex, vandalism, theft, studying and exercising. They also reported on how frequently they actually engaged in these same behaviors, enabling researchers to make direct comparisons between real behaviors and <em>perceptions</em> of behaviors.</p>
<p>It may come as no surprise that the jocks and popular teens consistently emerged as the highest status groups in the school. These teens were well-liked, respected and at the top of the social hierarchy. </p>
<p>What is surprising, though, is how much teens consistently overestimated the risk behaviors of their peers. In virtually every case, the jocks and popular teens did not use more substances, have more sexual partners, or break the rules any more than all the other kids at school. But they were perceived as doing all these risky behaviors a lot.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/70861/original/image-20150202-8997-x267y2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/70861/original/image-20150202-8997-x267y2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/70861/original/image-20150202-8997-x267y2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/70861/original/image-20150202-8997-x267y2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/70861/original/image-20150202-8997-x267y2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/70861/original/image-20150202-8997-x267y2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/70861/original/image-20150202-8997-x267y2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">‘Nerds’ spend the same amount of time studying as everyone else.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-160497188/stock-photo-high-angle-view-of-a-female-student-sitting-against-bookshelf-with-laptop-on-the-library-floor.html?src=0cwNII52MZM0umcodhPrAA-1-11&ws=0">Girl via wavebreakmedia/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>And these misperceptions also ran in the opposite direction. Take studying, for example – a decidedly less “cool” thing to do during adolescence. Teens over-attributed studying to the nerds by far, even though the nerds really didn’t study more than anyone else in the school. </p>
<p>In short, the teens saw their peers through a caricatured lens. Jocks must be exercising and having sex all the time, then partying all weekend with the popular kids, right? <em>Because that’s what the cool kids do.</em> And nerds must be studying every waking moment…<em>because they’re nerds</em>. But these caricatures were simply wrong.</p>
<h2>Why misperceptions matter</h2>
<p>Perhaps if the research stopped here, you’d have an interesting tidbit to share at your next high school reunion. “See, we really weren’t all that different after all!” But there’s more. And this is where the misperceptions become concerning from a public health perspective.</p>
<p>In a second phase of the study, a separate group of 166 ninth-graders from a rural, low-income high school in the Southeast provided the same information – who are the cool kids, how much do you think <em>those</em> kids smoke cigarettes, drink alcohol, and smoke pot, and how much do <em>you</em> actually use those same substances? Only this time, the students were followed until the end of their junior year. </p>
<p>Not only were the cool kids misperceived all over again, essentially replicating the findings of the first study, but the misperceptions mattered. Thinking that the cool kids engaged in more substance use as a ninth-grader predicted a faster rate of growth in your own substance use over the high school years. Of course, many youth may increase their substance use over those years anyway. But these findings showed that the <em>rate</em> of increase was much steeper among those who misperceived the social norms the most. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/70868/original/image-20150202-13708-ns6htd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/70868/original/image-20150202-13708-ns6htd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=397&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/70868/original/image-20150202-13708-ns6htd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=397&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/70868/original/image-20150202-13708-ns6htd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=397&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/70868/original/image-20150202-13708-ns6htd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=499&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/70868/original/image-20150202-13708-ns6htd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=499&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/70868/original/image-20150202-13708-ns6htd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=499&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A portrait of typical ‘cool’ kids? Not so fast.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-169832495/stock-photo-portrait-of-a-cheerleader-in-action.html?src=0cwNII52MZM0umcodhPrAA-1-44&ws=0">Cheerleaders via View Apart/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>As you can see, this type of indirect “pressure” to keep up with the social norm is quite different from the “Come on, everybody’s doing it” pressure we often warn teens about. It is also difficult to address. Some <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=perception+and+reality%3A+a+national+evaluation+of+social+norms+marketing">prior work</a> has attempted to explicitly teach young adults about the “real” social norms. For example, fliers around a college campus might tell students exactly how often other students at their school drink alcohol.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, these campaigns typically are unsuccessful – either because they are easily dismissed as outright lies or because students think those “average” numbers don’t apply to their specific fraternity, sports team or social group. Additionally, there is always a risk that these campaigns inadvertently could suggest to infrequent substance users that they are “underperforming” compared to their peers – certainly not a winning public health message to spread.</p>
<p>At the end of the day, more research is needed to understand how best to intervene with teens. But the current work does show one clear message: all the cool kids are <em>not</em> doing it. Or at least not as often as you may think. Whether you’re a high school freshman or an adult surveying your own social landscape, this is probably an important message to keep in mind. Because striving to meet what you <em>think</em> is supposed to be the social norm seems to be a losing battle.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/36280/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Sarah W. Helms does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Think back to high school: everyone knew who was getting high or having sex or studying all day long, right? But what if we were all wrong?Sarah W. Helms, Post-doctoral fellow, University of North Carolina at Chapel HillLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/351402014-12-27T09:58:39Z2014-12-27T09:58:39ZHow to get teenagers to revise for exams during the holidays<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/66699/original/image-20141209-6729-albzbw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Avoid bedroom study, which could lead to distracting photo montage creation.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/richgrundy/5385269107/in/photolist-9cSUTn-4NyaJ1-eTpvUy-9H6Cwo-wYetQ-2C8Ts-9EAR8P-6TfsxM-et2Cu-6v7NRq-KVFqp-KVG6t-KVwDy-84qfbs-9a3WBb-JjQ4e-bzRoq3-56E9sZ-9a3XgU-7YoVGs-KVFMk-KVwyE-KVFsr-KVF36-KVFYP-KVx5A-KVFWn-KVF9T-KVxs3-KVxa9-KVFPM-KVFBt-KVFka-KVx87-KVFTV-KVFhr-KVG4M-KVwVW-KVwr1-KVwMb-KVFyT-9gbFzV-et2CS-et2Cx-KVFL7-9WpdAh-vvbbg-9EEdBU-99ZPgn-99ZPrM">mRallie</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/">CC BY-NC</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Revising for exams is a necessary evil. Ever since written university exams were first set in England by the Cambridge chemist William Farrish in about 1792, students have struggled to revise. And with mock exams starting in January, the winter break is a crucial time for children to do so.</p>
<p>What is the best way to revise and how do you motivate a teenager to prioritise what is, for them, a distraction from living and playing online?</p>
<p>First, the bad news. There’s no single strategy that can guarantee success. The good news is that there are plenty of things you can do to make revision not only bearable, but successful. </p>
<h2>Meeting basic needs</h2>
<p>Nobody works well if basic biological needs aren’t met. Make sure your teen sleeps well, and for long enough, eats healthy food and doesn’t feel cold and hungry, it helps them work well (but be careful that it’s not too warm, otherwise they could get sleepy).</p>
<p>Exams are important, but no matter the result, it’s vital to let your teen know that it won’t change how you feel about them. If your teen takes pride in their work and has a self-belief, the work becomes more meaningful. This is where your praise for what they do well kicks in. But remember, the praise needs to be real, not empty.</p>
<h2>Location</h2>
<p>Create a revision space – a quiet, separate area, away from distractions such as the TV, music, game consoles, tablets and smartphones. Make sure there is plenty of room for notes, text books and other resources. </p>
<p>Revising on the bed is more likely to lead to sleeping than work. Teens often try to convince you that they need music to revise – but it depends on the type of music and how loud it is. Complex lyrics will distract as will loud music or music with a heavy bass/beat. As for watching TV and working – that just doesn’t work.</p>
<h2>Timing is everything</h2>
<figure class="align-right ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/66705/original/image-20141209-6709-ogotxq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/66705/original/image-20141209-6709-ogotxq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/66705/original/image-20141209-6709-ogotxq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/66705/original/image-20141209-6709-ogotxq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/66705/original/image-20141209-6709-ogotxq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/66705/original/image-20141209-6709-ogotxq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/66705/original/image-20141209-6709-ogotxq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Rule number one.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/rutty/5892134830/in/photolist-9YEJpy-2qAZA-2YBGAD-9CAMB6-4NxFnS-MBkdi-bc6rui-nsoiTx-8k6Xke-9qr1yE-bV97qS-bk4GDv-8VBBVj-j3c5tz-9W6sNc-aSrFw2-bqARMy-7sUTKo-83Vgv2-8ZDXeK-9gLZG7-9EASik-aVTQfr-9J1Thx-9eN7VR-9G45Ti-82yHpM-2qBfQ-bV97mu-b6LYVn-dCQDZ-cdM8R1-bm6fnx-bBVPuQ-bPgHKk-bcy3yn-9BEaYy-axh2UU-b9fxzg-ccamH7-85whUJ-8bXzWy-6wBxTn-9BEn3p-9Dz9YE-84ZRqH-bkvzcx-eAnS9Q-9bgLo5-JLPT1">Dave Rutt</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/">CC BY-NC-SA</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>One of the worst things you can do is hassle your teen about revision. They need to be motivated to revise themselves, otherwise – even if they appear to be revising – they probably won’t be using the time effectively. This doesn’t mean you don’t encourage them to work, it’s just a matter of timing. </p>
<p>Hassle them when they are in the middle of something they enjoy (for example, a favourite TV programme) and it will breed resentment. Create a timetable for revision that includes reward time, such as an opportunity their favourite TV programme or time for social media and gaming.</p>
<p>Encourage short bursts of revision. The ideal way to revise varies from person to person, but try 30-40 minute sessions for GCSE or 50-70 minute sessions for A levels, separated by 10-15 minute breaks, during which time checking phones is fine.</p>
<h2>Breaks are important</h2>
<p>Simply put, the brain has three states, in the conscious state you know you’re thinking about things; you decide to think. This state requires concentration and <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/science/2010/may/31/why-teenagers-cant-concentrate-brains">a teen’s concentration span is not as good as an adult’s</a>. </p>
<p>The second state is the subconscious state – the brain is working on problems, but you aren’t aware of it. It’s that feeling you get when you just can’t remember someone’s name. It’s on the tip of your tongue, but you just can’t remember. Stop thinking about it and, all of a sudden, minutes – even hours – later, the name comes back to you. That’s your subconscious working. So during revision breaks the subconscious brain will still be dealing with the previous hour’s work.</p>
<p>The third state is the unconscious state.</p>
<h2>Support</h2>
<p>Be there to help. Even if you only provide moral support, it can help to have someone there. Be understanding. In the run-up to exams (a stressful time), listen to any problems your teen has and attack the problem, not the person.</p>
<p>Get the rest of the family onside. It’s no good you being supportive if others are undermining your efforts. It is important that everyone in the home understands the importance of revision.</p>
<p>Encourage your teen to tell you what they know and understand. The best way to show understanding in any subject is to <a href="http://cocosci.berkeley.edu/joseph/WilliamsLombrozoRehder.pdf">explain what you know to someone else</a>. Even if you’re not confident in the subject, a good way for your teen to organise their thoughts about what they know and understand is to explain things to you. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/66706/original/image-20141209-6696-vl6k7r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/66706/original/image-20141209-6696-vl6k7r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=451&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/66706/original/image-20141209-6696-vl6k7r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=451&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/66706/original/image-20141209-6696-vl6k7r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=451&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/66706/original/image-20141209-6696-vl6k7r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/66706/original/image-20141209-6696-vl6k7r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/66706/original/image-20141209-6696-vl6k7r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Encourage regular breaks to avoid square eyes.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/rutty/5892134830/in/photolist-9YEJpy-2qAZA-2YBGAD-9CAMB6-4NxFnS-MBkdi-bc6rui-nsoiTx-8k6Xke-9qr1yE-bV97qS-bk4GDv-8VBBVj-j3c5tz-9W6sNc-aSrFw2-bqARMy-7sUTKo-83Vgv2-8ZDXeK-9gLZG7-9EASik-aVTQfr-9J1Thx-9eN7VR-9G45Ti-82yHpM-2qBfQ-bV97mu-b6LYVn-dCQDZ-cdM8R1-bm6fnx-bBVPuQ-bPgHKk-bcy3yn-9BEaYy-axh2UU-b9fxzg-ccamH7-85whUJ-8bXzWy-6wBxTn-9BEn3p-9Dz9YE-84ZRqH-bkvzcx-eAnS9Q-9bgLo5-JLPT1">Ben K Adams</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/">CC BY-NC-ND</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>If you know about the subject you can help them if they go wrong. If not – and they explain things and you don’t quite get it – ask then to explain it in another way. This actually helps them organise their ideas and they’ll become more confident about what they know and understand.</p>
<h2>How to revise</h2>
<p>Simply reading textbooks and notes is, very often, not effective. <a href="http://www.palgrave.com/studentstudyskills/page/revision-strategies-and-tips/">Revision needs to be active</a> and involve <a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/01443410500342070">making notes or diagrams</a>. Where possible, use past papers (also get the mark schemes), textbooks and syllabuses to work out what should be revised. The best revision uses a variety of materials: notes, textbooks, online resources. If your teen likes them, and knows how to produce them, <a href="http://thinkbuzan.com/how-to-mind-map/">mind maps can be very effective</a>.</p>
<p>Get your teen to set aside time to think, consciously and subconsciously, as well as reading and writing. It’s helpful to switch environments for this, perhaps going for a walk or doing some exercise. It’s important to go over material more than once, <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-25626265">but make sure they leave a day or two in between</a>. This will help reinforce knowledge and fix it in their mind.</p>
<p><a href="http://newsroom.ucla.edu/releases/cramming-for-a-test-don-t-do-it-237733">Avoid last-minute “cramming” for exams</a>, most often it results in confused responses where ideas get mixed up. Slow steady progress is the key to examination success.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/35140/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>James Williams does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Revising for exams is a necessary evil. Ever since written university exams were first set in England by the Cambridge chemist William Farrish in about 1792, students have struggled to revise. And with…James Williams, Lecturer in Science Education, Sussex School of Education and Social Work, University of SussexLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/348532014-12-10T11:03:31Z2014-12-10T11:03:31ZAwake, online and sleep-deprived – the rise of the teenage ‘vamper’<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/66467/original/image-20141207-8661-1lt1u13.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Past your bedtime? </span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="http://www.shutterstock.com/cat.mhtml?country_code=US&page_number=4&position=33&safesearch=1&search_language=en&search_source=search_form&search_type=keyword_search&searchterm=homework%20night&sort_method=newest&source=search&timestamp=1417919700&tracking_id=G_6DmNMvpJYphmreHA7zuw&use_local_boost=1&version=llv1&page=4&inline=7127026">Image of boy with laptop via Mikael Damkier/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>About three years ago, a teenage girl was talking with me and other students about using her cell phone late at night. She told us how she waited until her parents were asleep, then spent at least four hours every night texting with her friends. Her parents thought she was asleep in bed. “I’d sleep a few hours, then get up at 6am,” she told me. “My parents always thought I had slept through the night and was just the first one up.” The kicker? She reported doing this <em>virtually every night</em>. </p>
<p>I was sure she was an outlier – not at all typical, perhaps someone addicted to online interactions, and someone who obviously didn’t need much sleep.</p>
<p>This is late-night, online socializing is called “vamping” (as in vampires). <a href="http://research.microsoft.com/en-us/people/dmb/">Danah boyd</a> [sic] describes “<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/06/fashion/vamping-teenagers-are-up-all-night-texting.html">vamping</a>” as a time when kids can socialize together, free from structure and adults’ prying eyes. That rings true. So many of the teens I study and work with are so over-scheduled that they literally have no time to hang out with each other.</p>
<h2>Vamping the night away</h2>
<p>I decided to study vamping to see how common it is and what it’s associated with. I did a study of 642 college freshman, focusing in particular on teens who were “frequent vampers,” and compared them with their peers who didn’t report vamping as often. Frequent vampers were those stayed up three or more nights per week. I <a href="https://aacap.confex.com/aacap/2014/webprogram/Session12346.html">presented</a> my preliminary findings at the Annual Conference for the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry in October. </p>
<p>Most kids appear to vamp at one time or another. An astonishing 80% of both boys and girls admitted to being frequent vampers at least sometime during high school. They spent an average of 1-2 hours per night awake while their parents thought they were asleep. Gender differences weren’t large, and vamping didn’t appear to be related to grades, behavior in school, or to connections with teachers. But there were some differences that distinguished frequent and infrequent vampers. </p>
<p>First, the type of high school the teenager attended mattered. Teens who attended public and private schools had higher rates of frequent vamping, compared to teens who went to parochial schools. Suburban teens were the least likely to be frequent vampers (although 77% of them still admitted to it). </p>
<p>Forty-two percent of frequent vampers reported having struggled with depression, compared to about 25% of all other kids. Sixty-one percent reported being victims of bullying, compared to 42% of non-vampers. It may be that kids with social problems vamp to try to improve their social standing. Perhaps vamping itself, or the associated sleep loss, has a negative effect on social skills. </p>
<p>Frequent vampers also revealed more digital risk-taking. These teens were more likely to admit that they had sexted before age 18, more likely to report that they had texted or messaged someone when it would have been better to talk face-to-face, and more likely to report having used Facebook prior to age 13, its official minimum age.</p>
<p>Does this mean that every child who vamps has serious problems? Definitely not. Although it may be common, not all kids who vamped showed serious problems. It’s just that the likelihood of some problems was elevated above that of their peers.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/66469/original/image-20141207-8632-1gvjvkp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/66469/original/image-20141207-8632-1gvjvkp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=358&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/66469/original/image-20141207-8632-1gvjvkp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=358&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/66469/original/image-20141207-8632-1gvjvkp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=358&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/66469/original/image-20141207-8632-1gvjvkp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=449&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/66469/original/image-20141207-8632-1gvjvkp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=449&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/66469/original/image-20141207-8632-1gvjvkp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=449&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Just hanging out.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="http://www.shutterstock.com/pic.mhtml?id=115123372&pl=38919-111120">Image of kids via CREATISTA/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Kids need sleeptime and downtime</h2>
<p>Losing sleep is hard on adults, but it’s even harder on <a href="http://www.aap.org/en-us/about-the-aap/aap-press-room/Pages/Let-Them-Sleep-AAP-Recommends-Delaying-Start-Times-of-Middle-and-High-Schools-to-Combat-Teen-Sleep-Deprivation.aspx">children</a>. Insufficient sleep during childhood and adolescence is associated with poorer academic performance, physical difficulties (such as weight gain), emotional difficulties, trouble with social relationships, and a <a href="http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/effects-of-sleep-deprivation-on-children-1120121">slew of other problems</a>. As a parent, I have terminated lingering homework projects, late-night phone calls, digital interactions, and even book-reading to enforce a decent night’s sleep. </p>
<p>Parents teach their children to sleep through the night as infants, and teens may need a refresher course on how to sleep well, like keeping digital devices out of the bedroom. Ultimately, the goal is for teens to learn to control their digital device – and not the other way around.</p>
<p>Teens may vamp because they need some “just hanging out” time with their friends. The fact is that children and teens benefit immeasurably from downtime with their peers. It’s a time to relax, learn how to enjoy companionship, bond with friends, discuss common concerns and challenges, and practice critical social skills. </p>
<p>Some parents may feel guilty about letting their kids have time to hang out, instead of spending that time on boosting their academic, musical, scientific or linguistic skills. On the other hand, if they <em>don’t</em> have hanging out time, their need for it may be compelling them to choose between socializing and sleep. Sleep may seem like the greater need, but the need for <a href="http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/quiet-the-power-introverts/201103/socialize-or-not-is-the-question">socializing</a> shouldn’t be discounted.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/34853/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Elizabeth Englander does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>About three years ago, a teenage girl was talking with me and other students about using her cell phone late at night. She told us how she waited until her parents were asleep, then spent at least four…Elizabeth Englander, Professor of Psychology, and the Director of the Massachusetts Aggression Reduction Center (MARC), Bridgewater State UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/89222012-09-27T20:28:14Z2012-09-27T20:28:14Z‘Sexting’ teens: decriminalising young people’s sexual practices<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/15655/original/hkyxq2zn-1348038641.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">We need to acknowledge the diverse contexts in which teens engage in sexting.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Mahdi Abdulrazak</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Cases of teenagers “sexting” each other have recently provoked panicked responses by media, parents, educators and policy makers in Australia. Now a <a href="http://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/lawreform/inquiry/222">Victorian parliamentary inquiry</a> into the practice <a href="http://www.theage.com.au/national/sexting-best-tackled-outside-courts-police-20120918-2643c.html">has been told it’s better</a> to use discretionary powers to deal with sexting cases rather than new laws. </p>
<p>“Sexting” can mean the creating, sharing, sending or posting of sexually explicit messages images or videos via the internet, mobile phones or other electronic devices. There’s growing concern among parents of young people and others in the legal and wider community about the appropriateness of criminalising sexting for youth. </p>
<p>While the age of criminal responsibility varies from state to state, Australian children and teens who engage in sexting practices run the risk of being prosecuted under child pornography laws. They can face <a href="https://theconversation.com/age-old-question-when-should-children-be-responsible-for-their-crimes-6794">severe sanctions</a>. </p>
<p>And once young people are classified as sex offenders, they face long-term consequences, such as having their careers curtailed. Clearly its not in the public interest when such outcomes are the result of consensual sexual activity.</p>
<h2>Sexting and the law</h2>
<p>The law currently fails to distinguish between consensual and non-consensual sexting. Consensual sexting is when a minor takes a sexually explicit image of her or himself and sends it to someone else. In such instances, it’s clear that no one is harmed or assaulted when the photograph is taken. Nor is anyone hurt when it is initially transmitted to its willing recipient. </p>
<p>Non-consensual sexting may involve coercion or blackmail in the taking of the picture. And significant harms result from <a href="http://firstamendment.jou.ufl.edu/pubs/SexCellPhonesPrivacyArticle.pdf">further dissemination of images</a>, which is also non-consensual. </p>
<figure class="align-left ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/15656/original/ycpd9vkb-1348039032.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/15656/original/ycpd9vkb-1348039032.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=900&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/15656/original/ycpd9vkb-1348039032.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=900&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/15656/original/ycpd9vkb-1348039032.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=900&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/15656/original/ycpd9vkb-1348039032.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=1130&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/15656/original/ycpd9vkb-1348039032.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=1130&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/15656/original/ycpd9vkb-1348039032.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=1130&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The law fails to distinguish between consensual and non-consensual sexting.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Hayden Pernia</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Because sexting episodes are very diverse, they cannot be easily categorised. In some cases, a teen might take pictures and send them to an adult with whom the minor has an exploitative relationship. In other cases, it may be difficult to determine whether teens who exchange images agreed about to what use the image may be put.</p>
<p>So the complications of distinguishing between consensual and non-consensual sexting are immense. Especially when we look at the practice as it occurs among all the complexities of teen social contexts.</p>
<p>Despite a lot of public interest and concern about teen sexting, there’s little research of it in the context of local teen peer cultures. <a href="http://www.nspcc.org.uk/Inform/resourcesforprofessionals/sexualabuse/sexting-research-report_wdf89269.pdf">A recent report</a> from the United Kingdom conducted interviews with teens about their views and experiences of sexting. It found that for teens, sexting involves “a range of activities which may be motivated by sexual pleasure but are often coercive, linked to harassment, bullying and even violence.” </p>
<p>Researchers also found considerable evidence of the age-old double standard – sexually active boys are admired and “rated”, while sexually active girls are denigrated and despised as “sluts”. This evidence suggests girls are more adversely affected by sexting because it often mirrors the norms of pop culture. And, of course, in pop culture trading and circulating images of female bodies holds social currency.</p>
<h2>Sexism in our responses</h2>
<p>In Australia, the government has tried to educate and intervene in teen sexting practices through film campaigns such as <em><a href="http://www.thinkuknow.org.au/site/megansstory.asp">Meaghan’s Story</a></em> and <a href="http://www.cybersmart.gov.au/tagged/"><em>Tagged</em></a>. </p>
<p>Unfortunately, these campaigns perpetuate the message that girls are to blame for the negative consequences of a “sext gone viral”. Writing on this issue recently, researchers quoted a blogger who notes the sexism inherent in such messages, “Imagine a drink-driving ad that showed a pedestrian being run over, the car zooming away, and then a caption that said – Watch where you’re walking, pedestrians.” </p>
<figure class="align-right ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/15657/original/6z45hh6h-1348039189.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/15657/original/6z45hh6h-1348039189.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=800&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/15657/original/6z45hh6h-1348039189.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=800&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/15657/original/6z45hh6h-1348039189.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=800&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/15657/original/6z45hh6h-1348039189.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=1005&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/15657/original/6z45hh6h-1348039189.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=1005&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/15657/original/6z45hh6h-1348039189.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=1005&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Researchers found considerable evidence of a gendered double standard in the context of sexting.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Vilseskogen</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>In the Tagged “educational” film, girls are warned about the social and psychological “risks” of sending images of themselves to boys they may be interested in or dating. Boys are not cautioned about the ethics of passing images on to others. But they are warned that non-consensual sexting might get them on the sex offender register.</p>
<p>Individual accountability, responsibility, and victim-blaming appear to be the most common approaches to tackling the complex issues around teen sexting. This clearly needs to change. What is needed is a more rational and informed response to sexting.</p>
<h2>Sexting, discretion and the law</h2>
<p>A recent study in the US showed that as many as 24% of 14- to 17-year-olds surveyed had <a href="http://csriu.org/documents/sextingandyouth_002.pdf">engaged with</a> some kind of sexting practice. We can safely assume that the practice is just as widespread in Australia. Unless current legal and policy responses to sexting are reconsidered, a quarter of the current teen population could end up prosecuted for creating, possessing, or distributing nude images. </p>
<p>Once a youth has been charged, and guilt has been established, there’s no discretion for taking him or her off the sex offenders’ register. What’s more, how different states police children and young people in this area is inconsistent. Discretion is fundamental to ensuring that laws designed to protect young people do not result in the shaming or automatic criminalisation of teens involved in sexting. </p>
<p>The challenge to overcome here in addressing the failures of current legal responses to sexting lies in finding ways to acknowledge the diverse contexts in which teens engage in sexting, as well as address the harms that can result for teens facing peer pressure to engage in the practice.</p>
<p>We need to change the way the law tackles this complicated issue and ensure it’s done with sensitivity. Most of all, we need to prevent the unnecessary prosecution of young people.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/8922/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult to, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article. They also have no relevant affiliations.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Mary Lou Rasmussen receives funding from the Australian Research Council and Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Amy Shields Dobson does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Cases of teenagers “sexting” each other have recently provoked panicked responses by media, parents, educators and policy makers in Australia. Now a Victorian parliamentary inquiry into the practice has…Danielle Tyson, Lecturer in Crimniology, Monash UniversityAmy Shields Dobson, Early Career Fellow, Centre for Women's Studies and Gender Research, Monash UniversityMary Lou Rasmussen, Senior Lecturer Faculty of Education, Monash UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/43202011-11-17T03:23:51Z2011-11-17T03:23:51ZGrowing pains: puberty responsible for most teenage self-harm<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/5607/original/Gareth_Williams.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Self-harm is a response to emotions that feel intolerable and unbearable to young people who aren't yet equipped to deal with them.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Gareth Williams</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>A <a href="http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(11)61141-0/fulltext">study published today</a> in the <a href="http://www.thelancet.com/">Lancet</a> shows that while self-harm is relatively common among teenagers, most young people will naturally stop hurting themselves as they develop biologically and emotionally. But persisting anxiety and depression are the red flag for parents and guardians to seek assistance. </p>
<p>The focus of the paper is deliberate self-harm and at each of the study points, we asked the study participants about recent self-harm: have you deliberately (on purpose) done something that you knew at the time could have seriously injured you or killed you? And we asked them to give a description of what they did. </p>
<p>That information was coded into categories according to whether it was: </p>
<ul>
<li><p>self-laceration, the commonest form of self-harm; </p></li>
<li><p>self-poisoning, second most common; </p></li>
<li><p>deliberate risk-taking, activities such as train surfing, deliberating jumping into oncoming traffic or from a height in such as way that you could break a leg or kill yourself; and </p></li>
<li><p>self-battery, such as punching and wall and breaking a bone through doing so, or having significant bruising as a result of it.</p></li>
</ul>
<h2>Risk group</h2>
<p>Self-harm is commonest in the younger teenagers – at the age of 15, 5% of teenagers we were studying were self-harming. That fell by the late teens to 1.5%, and to half a percent by the age of 29.</p>
<figure class="align-right ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/5610/original/3885232166_639a4c98b0_b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/5610/original/3885232166_639a4c98b0_b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/5610/original/3885232166_639a4c98b0_b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/5610/original/3885232166_639a4c98b0_b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/5610/original/3885232166_639a4c98b0_b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/5610/original/3885232166_639a4c98b0_b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/5610/original/3885232166_639a4c98b0_b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption"></span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Sarah-Wynne Taylor</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Girls do more self-harm than boys so at just under 16, 3.6% of boys self-harmed but for girls the rate was 6.5%. By the time we get to the mid-twenties, the gender ratios equalise and self-harm is much less common over all.</p>
<p>The clearest factor associated with self-harm and predictive of its onset are emotional problems characterised by depression and anxiety. We’ve looked at kids who reported high levels of depressive and anxiety symptoms and they had a fourfold increase in risk of reporting self-harm six months later. </p>
<p>But there are a range of other factors, such as alcohol and substance use – both tobacco and cannabis use – linked with the onset of self-harm. There are also other studies showing early sexual activity is predictive of self-harm. </p>
<p>And this is really a group one can characterise as the group that’s on a fast-track to adulthood. We know from other studies that they tend to be on the margins of family and at school. </p>
<h2>The roots of self-harm</h2>
<p>Self-harm is a response to emotions that feel intolerable and unbearable. Dealing with that emotional distress by cutting or taking overdose are what self-harmers often report as making them feel grounded again. </p>
<p>The underlying stress “disappears once I actually see blood appear” is a common kind of response self-harmers report. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/5609/original/2966416878_4f16c927fe_o.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/5609/original/2966416878_4f16c927fe_o.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/5609/original/2966416878_4f16c927fe_o.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/5609/original/2966416878_4f16c927fe_o.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/5609/original/2966416878_4f16c927fe_o.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/5609/original/2966416878_4f16c927fe_o.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/5609/original/2966416878_4f16c927fe_o.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption"></span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Vicki Lim</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Most develop other ways of dealing with difficult emotions with time. But for around one in five of those who self-harmed in their teens, it’s a more persistent pattern. For these people, it continues beyond a few months, to a year or more. And that’s the group that’s a little more stuck in using self-harm as a way of dealing with distressing emotions.</p>
<h2>Biological basis</h2>
<p>We think one of the reasons for self-harm peaking in the mid-teens and the decline in prevalence and incidence after that is its underlying biological basis. There’s a link between pubertal states at a given age – girls in late puberty are over four times more likely to self-harm than those at an early pubertal stage. </p>
<p>Puberty may be important for a couple of reasons – it may have something to do with the activating effects of changing hormones that in turn have a profound effect on emotions.</p>
<p>The other thing that changes around this time are the sub-cortical structures that are the site where emotions arise. At least in animal studies studies, we know that puberty is the time for the re-sculpting of these sub-cortical structures probably in preparation for mating and parenting. </p>
<p>Young women in particular report much greater difficulties in dealing with emotion such as anxiety, anger and unhappiness, and knowing how to relax when they’re tense as they pass through puberty. And that may be a reflection of some process of this kind. </p>
<figure class="align-left ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/5605/original/6158984092_efa1d163b0_b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/5605/original/6158984092_efa1d163b0_b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=900&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/5605/original/6158984092_efa1d163b0_b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=900&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/5605/original/6158984092_efa1d163b0_b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=900&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/5605/original/6158984092_efa1d163b0_b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=1130&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/5605/original/6158984092_efa1d163b0_b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=1130&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/5605/original/6158984092_efa1d163b0_b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=1130&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption"></span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">pocketrockets/Flickr</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>In contrast, the part of the brain involved in the regulation of emotions, which are cortical structures (so-called pre-frontal cortex), is one of the last parts to really mature. That’s a process that continues right through into the late 20s. </p>
<p>So we have a window of vulnerability that reflects a developmental gap in the structures involved in the generation and regulation of emotions. And that may be one of the reasons why we see this high rate of self-harm during the mid-teens and a rapid fall away after that.</p>
<h2>Intervention and guidance </h2>
<p>The first implication of our findings is that this is a life phase with greater susceptibility to emotional hazards than others. That’s likely to do with the biology discussed above. Many of us feel this is an age group that needs a “social scaffolding” to be in place.</p>
<p>This social scaffolding is made of good relationships with parents and other adults in the life of young people and good non-conflictual relationships with peers. I think we’ve probably neglected or failed to understand its importance during this phase of life. </p>
<p>Experiences that may be manageable at other times of life, such as bullying and victimisation, are harder both because the individual has a reservoir of experience and also because brain development equips the older individual better. </p>
<p>But the most important factor connected with self-harm is underlying emotional problems with depression and anxiety. I think when these symptoms are either very prominent or persistent or you have self-harm that’s not resolving within a few months, then you’re at at the point where, as a parent, I would seek intervention.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/4320/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>This research was funded by the NHMRC. George Patton has 4 grown up children.</span></em></p>A study published today in the Lancet shows that while self-harm is relatively common among teenagers, most young people will naturally stop hurting themselves as they develop biologically and emotionally…George Patton, Population Health Studies of Adolescents, Murdoch Children's Research InstituteLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.