Understanding teenagersand wellbeing

with Nicola Morgan

Up-to-date science, classroom materials, advice, books and more: www.nicolamorgan.com

www.nicolamorgan.com•Today’s blogpost on my website:•Handouts, free downloads, links

•Books:

Ten Things I’d Like Parents to Know

About Adolescence

1. It is not a modern phenomenon

It’s a natural, biologically driven, universal, necessary and positive

developmental stage

2. The aim is separation

Explains conflict, change and the power of peer pressure

3. The prefrontal cortex develops last

And isn’t fully developed until the mid-twenties – sorry!

Prefrontal cortex vs limbic systemPrefrontal cortex (pfc):• Control: reason, logic, prediction, analysis, impulse control,

moral values, decisions

Limbic system (including amygdala): • Emotions + instinct:Reactive, impulsive, motivating

Amygdala

PFC

Consequences Strong amygdala/limbic system vs weak prefrontal cortex•Affects emotions: • volatility and control

• Impulse control • Empathy•And risk-taking

4. Sleep patterns change

Double whammy of sleep change:• Greater sleep need• Adolescent “body clock” acts differently:• Switches melatonin ON later at night• But switches it OFF later in the morning

• Lots of advice on my website

5. Teenage stress has significant differences

They have some different stressors

•Perfect storm of change

•A regular schoolday is a catalogue of stress: pressure to concentrate/perform + friendship/peer group issues + self-consciousness

And “new” stresses1. Exams: higher pressure, frequency + stakes

2. Internet and social media: • Highly appealing/addictive• Pressure to conform with tribe – “FOMO”• Biological drive to share personal info risk• Distraction: “Continual partial attention” (more later)

The downsides of stress are the same

1. Cortisol build-up: sleep, mood, immune system, control (words+actions), focus, performance

2. “Preoccupation”• Think about brain “bandwidth”: every thought/action

requires bandwidth• Teenagers very vulnerable: intrusive, negative thoughts

6. Teenagers are no better at multi-tasking than we are

• If part of focus is elsewhere, cannot perform 100%• (But certain non-cognitive tasks can be done together)•We do not improve at multi-tasking• Those who practise distraction most are most

distractible• Attempting to multi-task causes cognitive stress/cost

The Organized Mind by Daniel Levitin

7. So social media a two-fold problem for teenagers

1. Biologically drawn to social media through peer pressure2. Yet prevented from doing best work as continually

distracted

• Educate; strategies; modelling; motivation – “Self-control”

8. Resilience is damaged by over-protection•Resilience: ability to bounce back •Must face and discuss scary, difficult things•Must learn that we can control own growth – praise

effort more than talent•Must learn to bounce back after failure – make

failures feel small and temporary•Be a safety-net parent, not a helicopter parent

9. They know a lot about a lot but…

Very little about a lot of other things!

Daily relaxation is not luxury: it helps performance

1. Instant breathing/relaxation technique – my website

2. Daily “downtime” – different, varied and deliberate

3. Perspective – “This too shall pass”; “You are not alone”; “Talk” – and emotions are normal + healthy

10. Teenagers who read daily for pleasure…•Do better at school and afterwards•Have higher self-esteem•Understand themselves and others better•Have greater knowledge and vocabulary•Have a perfect strategy for managing stress• Engagement; escape; reduce stress chemicals

• See my website: “Readaxation”

For you today:• Three chances to win: signed Deathwatch (set in GWC) and The

Passionflower Massacre (rare out of print edition), a Help! Teenager! tea-towel + a USB stick loaded with ebooks, Mondays are Red, Sleepwalking + The Passionflower Massacre• AND three chances to win a copy of Study Skills• To enter, buy a book tonight and put your name in the hat. Six names

will be picked at random. The school will contact you if you’ve won.

• Good luck!

Understanding teenagersand wellbeing

with Nicola Morgan

Up-to-date science, classroom materials, advice books and more: www.nicolamorgan.com