ADOLESCENCE: The Transition

Adolescence can be defined as a transitional period between childhood and adulthood. It is a stage of life that is bracketed on one end by puberty, a physiological process, and on the other end by the ability of an individual to assume social responsibilities assigned to adults in the society. It is during this period of time that a youth separates from the dependence on the family and begin to explore the world at large. In order to function independently the individual has to develop certain skills that allow them to reflect, conceptualize and strategize alternative solutions before engaging in action. The individual has to demonstrate the ability to work toward future goals, following a sequence of steps and delaying immediate rewards for longer term gains. All of these functions are mediated by the brain region that is under construction during adolescence known as the prefrontal cortex.

The second decade of life is a time of enormous change in brain architecture but these changes are just the product of processes that began in utero and early in life.  The brain is going through a major upgrade where processes are becoming more effective and efficient during adolescence. Early in life, these same functions are just emerging from genetically–driven and environmentally modified neuronal structures.

There are many people who exaggerate the changes taking place in the adolescent brain while others attempt to minimize the impact of these events. The facts are clear, however, that the adolescent brain is different from and eight year old and different from an adult’s brain.  During adolescence, there is an elimination of nearly 40% of the synaptic connections that were over produced earlier in life. The majority of these connections are excitatory in nature. The percentage of inhibitory neurons is greater in adults than children and adolescents. (A.L Spenssort, K.J. Plessen, and B.S. Peterson, 2004)

Although we are still researching the causes for this significant reduction, the best hypothesis is that it occurs from a combination of genetics and experience dependent processes; the concept of “use it or lose it” where neurons that are activated with enough frequency become stronger and those that are not used get reabsorbed.

The adolescent’s reward system is also being modified. An increase in receptors and the phaseal release of the neurotransmitter, dopamine, has been related to increase sensation seeking and a focus on short term rewards at the expense of longer term gains (Steinberg, 2009). For most teenagers this change in the reward system stabilizes in early adolescence while self regulation skills do not mature until late adolescence. This means that younger adolescents are being driven toward high risk situations with an immature internal control system. No wonder middle school presents such a challenge to teachers and parents.

One of the most significant changes taking place in the brain of the adolescent is the wiring being insulated within the prefrontal cortex, between the cortical regions and in sub-cortical regions. This allows information and energy to flow 1oo times faster. The supportive glial cells are forming a fatty sheath around the axons of the neurons in a process called myelination. The speed of information flow allows adults to integrate past associations, analyze current information, and make better decisions. It isn’t that adolescents cannot problem solve, it just that they have difficulty processing information on multiple levels simultaneously (Giedd, 2004).

In our society, one of the things that makes adolescence so unique is that this is a time when we begin to pay the price for not providing the appropriate level of social scaffolding to adequately support a child’s development. The best time to insulate adolescents from the threats present in their environment such as drugs, crime, unprotected sex and major accidents, is not at age twelve but at conception. The parts of the brain that regulate resource allocation are not in the cortex but in the brain stem. The brain stem is being organized in the last trimester of gestation. Relational templates are being organized during the first three years of life. When children learn that adults are both a source of protection and rewards they demonstrate the capacity to use these relational connections as scaffolding.

Scaffolding is the supports that are put in place to reinforce a structure that is not fully capable of supporting itself. The scaffold remains in place until the structural remodeling is complete. Adolescents need adults to stay connected, attentive and attuned to both their needs for engagement and for disengagement, just as the caregiver does for a newborn. Development always takes place within a relational context.

Tips for parents:

1)      Parents should talk with their teenager, even when they roll their eyes.  If your child is expressing perceptions of life that are not consistent with your own, remember to celebrate the fact they are talking with you. If you can keep them talking you have a better chance of helping them think through their decisions.

2)      Engage teachers, coaches and other interested adults as partners.  Believe it or not it does take a clan to raise a child.   

3)      Adolescents need structures that are consistent but not rigid.  Don’t maintain a rigid structure that eliminates opportunities for the adolescent to practice problem solving and negotiating skills.

4)      Place them in social and academic situations that challenge them but also create a high likelihood for success. You can adjust the structure to increase successful outcomes without lowering you expectations of their efforts. They are much more likely to be motivated to work hard if they believe they have a chance to be successful.     

5)      Set limits on the adolescent’s behavior but not on them as individuals. Remember, their identity is being formed and they are vulnerable to confusing negative feedback as a reflection of their identity rather than their decisions.

6)      Encourage and support engagement in structure activities (athletics, clubs, music, dance). Think carefully before using these activities as consequences for the adolescent’s actions.

7)      Above all make sure to tell them how much they are loved! 

Bibliography

A.L Spenssort, K.J. Plessen, and B.S. Peterson. (2004). Neuroimaging Of Developmental Psychopathology: The Importance of Self-Regulation and Neuroplastic Processes in Adolescence. In R. E. Dahl, & L. Patia-Spear, Adolescent Brain Development (pp. 86-87). New York: New York Academy of Science.

Giedd, J. N. (2004). Structural Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Adolescent Brain. In R. E. Dalh, & L. Patia-Spear, Adolescent Brain Development:Vulnerabilities and Opportunities (pp. 77-104). New York: New York Academy of Science.

Steinberg, L. (2009). Should the Science of Adolescent Brain Development Inform Public Policy? Retrieved 10 2011, from psycnet.apa.org: http://psycnet.apa.org/journal/amp/64/8/739.html

Self-Control & Delayed Gratification Lead to Long-Term Success

While surfing the internet I came upon an article by Maia Szalavitz, “The Key To Health, Wealth and Success: Self-Control."  In the article she reports on the outcome of a study that follows 1,000 children from birth to age 32 years old. Children who exhibited early self regulatory skills were less likely to develop substance abuse problems or be involved with crime as adults. These children turned out to be healthier and more successful financially.

The findings were consistent with previous research conducted by Walter Mischel, a Stanford professor, which showed that children with low ability to delay gratification were more likely to exhibit behavioral problems at home and school.  Their lack of self control at age four resulted in consistent difficulty managing stressful situations and less effective problem solving abilities. There turned out to be a 210 point difference on High School S.A. T. scores between children with low delay and high delay ability.

Delay of gratification requires the child to tolerate internal distress and use higher cortical functions to regulate and modulate impulsive responses. These capabilities are developed slowly, within the context of early interpersonal relations with an attentive, attuned and responsive caregiver. When a caregiver is able to accurately read the cues of the infant, form a hypothesis about the infants needs and then respond accurately, the infant’s arousal system is quieted.  After thousands of these attuned interactions, the infant’s neurobiology is modified to reflect these regulatory interactions. The child learns to read his or her own internal signals, tolerate the internal distress generated by his orher unmet needs, and then develops strategies that result in personal satisfaction. These children have developed an internal template of the world that it is a positive place where they are eventually capable of having their needs met.  With this positive internal representation of themselves, of others and  of the world,  they are able to identify their needs, establish long term plans and then work toward achieving their desired outcomes. These children are able to establish and maintain relationships and engage others' support when needed.

The capacity for self-control remains undeveloped for the child who grows up in a chaotic, unsafe, unresponsive relational environment.   As the infant's internal needs are stimulated, their arousal system is activated.  Without the assistance of a responsive caregiver, the infant's coping capacity is overwhelmed. These children are forced to rely on alternative self soothing strategies because they are unable to meet their needs independently.  Their template of the world is that it is  a scary, unsafe, and unpredictable place that cannot be trusted. If there is something they need they should take it because it might not be available later. Focused on short term survival strategies, they are unable to allocate resources toward longer term achievements. Later in life these children are at greater risk of turning to drugs, alcohol, food and sex to satisfy their early unmet needs. Their engagement in these high risk coping strategies exposes them to negative social experiences and the risk for involvement in crimes. Once you are on the wrong track, the destinations you pass are different and very dangerous.

Science is beginning to demonstrate that early childhood relational interactions creates genetic markers that increase or decrease the expression of our genetic codes. These epigenetic influences increase tolerance or sensitivity to stress and our ability to inhibit, organize and modulate reflexive behavioral responses. Even though both groups of children may possess equal genetic potential, some get exposed to the experiences that allow them to express their potential. The question is whether you can change the trajectory of these children's lives once they have been set on course. The answer to that question is YES.

If children are placed in healthy relational environments that provide them with the opportunity to associate with attentive, attuned adults who respond to the child in a developmentally appropriate manner, self-control can be improved. If we can educate new parents and caregivers about the need to actively attend to infants we can increase the probability for a healthy start. When we identify a child in a daycare or pre-school, we shouldn’t wait until they experience multiple failures before intervening. An intervention may include educating the providers about developmental activities and strategies that can be used to activate the brain regions necessary to develop self regulation. The longer we wait,  the intensity, frequency and duration of therapeutic interventions increase, along with the costs.