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Adolescent Brain Adolescent Brain DevelopmentDevelopment

Your Trainer:Your Trainer:

Chuck MarquardtChuck Marquardt

Presented by the Presented by the California Family Health Council, IncCalifornia Family Health Council, Inc..

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Program ObjectivesProgram Objectives At the conclusion of this workshop participants will be able to:At the conclusion of this workshop participants will be able to:

DiscussDiscuss current research on adolescent brain current research on adolescent brain developmentdevelopment

DescribeDescribe practical applications of knowledge about practical applications of knowledge about adolescent brain and psychosocial development.adolescent brain and psychosocial development.

DemonstrateDemonstrate education and counseling techniques education and counseling techniques that apply the theory of adolescent development to that apply the theory of adolescent development to real life scenarios.real life scenarios.

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Adolescent Adolescent DevelopmentDevelopment

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Thought CycleThought Cycle

Thoughts

Feelings

Behavior

Results

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Adolescent Psychosocial Adolescent Psychosocial DevelopmentDevelopment

Internal InfluencesInternal Influences Adolescent Cognitive DevelopmentAdolescent Cognitive Development

External InfluencesExternal Influences Adolescent Social DevelopmentAdolescent Social Development

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Internal Influences Internal Influences on Teen on Teen

RelationshipsRelationships

Adolescent Cognitive DevelopmentAdolescent Cognitive Development

READREAD

www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,994126,00.htmlwww.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,994126,00.html

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Adolescent Cognitive Adolescent Cognitive DevelopmentDevelopment

Recent News about Brain DevelopmentRecent News about Brain Development

Different areas of the brain mature at Different areas of the brain mature at different ratesdifferent rates

Area controlling executive functions is the Area controlling executive functions is the last part of the adolescent brain to maturelast part of the adolescent brain to mature

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Adolescent Cognitive Adolescent Cognitive DevelopmentDevelopment Prefrontal cortex Prefrontal cortex

regulates:regulates: planningplanning setting prioritiessetting priorities organizing thoughtsorganizing thoughts suppressing impulsessuppressing impulses weighing weighing

consequences of consequences of one’s actionsone’s actions

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Adolescent Cognitive Adolescent Cognitive DevelopmentDevelopment

Concrete vs. Abstract ThinkingConcrete vs. Abstract Thinking How will knowing this affect how you work and How will knowing this affect how you work and

talk with teens?talk with teens?

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Adolescent Cognitive Adolescent Cognitive DevelopmentDevelopment

HormonesHormones Increased hormones during puberty contribute to Increased hormones during puberty contribute to

excitability in teens by affecting the brain’s excitability in teens by affecting the brain’s emotional centeremotional center

Hormones also activate the ability for intense Hormones also activate the ability for intense feelings in teensfeelings in teens

How will knowing this affect how you work and How will knowing this affect how you work and talk with teens?talk with teens?

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Adolescent Cognitive Adolescent Cognitive DevelopmentDevelopment

The hormone-brain relationship contributes The hormone-brain relationship contributes to increased risk-taking at a time when the to increased risk-taking at a time when the center of the brain that puts on the brakes is center of the brain that puts on the brakes is still under construction.still under construction.

How will knowing this affect how you work and How will knowing this affect how you work and talk with teens?talk with teens?

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External Influences External Influences on Teenson Teens

Adolescent Social DevelopmentAdolescent Social Development

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Adolescent Social Adolescent Social DevelopmentDevelopment

Key social developmental task Key social developmental task establishment of own identityestablishment of own identity to separate from the familyto separate from the family

Put that together with what we just learned Put that together with what we just learned about cognitive developmentabout cognitive development

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The Need toThe Need toSeparateSeparate

from from FamilyFamily

Drive TowardsDrive TowardsAutonomy andAutonomy and

Self-identitySelf-identity

ImmatureImmatureBrain DevelopmentBrain Development

IncreasedIncreasedRisk TakingRisk Taking

Teens sometimes strugglingTeens sometimes struggling

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Adolescent Social Adolescent Social DevelopmentDevelopment

Teens are influenced by:Teens are influenced by: FamilyFamily PeersPeers SchoolSchool Community normsCommunity norms Cultural normsCultural norms

Teens are influenced by pTeens are influenced by personal ersonal experiencesexperiences

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Relationship TasksRelationship Tasks

To navigate their world, teens need to To navigate their world, teens need to develop: develop:

biologicallybiologically (brain) (brain)

emotionallyemotionally (maturity) or (maturity) or

sociallysocially (self-identity vs. peer pressure) (self-identity vs. peer pressure)

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Relationship TasksRelationship Tasks

Biologic MaturityBiologic Maturity Movement from concrete thinking to abstract Movement from concrete thinking to abstract

thinking affects teens’ ability to evaluate thinking affects teens’ ability to evaluate how how today’s actions will affect tomorrow.today’s actions will affect tomorrow.

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Relationship TasksRelationship Tasks

Emotional maturityEmotional maturity::

The ability to navigate power and control The ability to navigate power and control dynamics within a relationship.dynamics within a relationship.

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Relationship TasksRelationship Tasks

Social MaturitySocial Maturity

The process of adolescent individuation The process of adolescent individuation (separating themselves from parents and (separating themselves from parents and family) is a family) is a normal developmental tasknormal developmental task. .

If this process is rebellious it can If this process is rebellious it can contribute to some teens making contribute to some teens making unhealthy choicesunhealthy choices about who they about who they associate with. associate with.

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Learning Point #1Learning Point #1Brain development research is Brain development research is

reinforcing what program evaluation is reinforcing what program evaluation is already telling us.already telling us.

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The Good News:The Good News:We Know We Know

What Can Help –What Can Help –Youth Development!Youth Development!

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ResiliencyResiliency

DefinitionDefinition

The capacity for healthy development and successful The capacity for healthy development and successful learning in spite of challenges.learning in spite of challenges.

15 year old Shawn’s definition:15 year old Shawn’s definition:

““Resiliency is about bouncing back Resiliency is about bouncing back from problems and stuff with power from problems and stuff with power

and more smarts.”and more smarts.”

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Core Messages of Resilience Core Messages of Resilience ResearchResearch

Core Message #1Core Message #1

Resilience is a capacity all youth Resilience is a capacity all youth have for healthy development and have for healthy development and successful learning.successful learning.

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Core Messages of Resilience Core Messages of Resilience ResearchResearch

Core Message #2Core Message #2

Certain personal strengths are Certain personal strengths are associated with healthy development associated with healthy development and successful learning.and successful learning.

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Core Messages of Resilience Core Messages of Resilience ResearchResearch

Personal StrengthsPersonal Strengths Social Competence:Social Competence: relationship skills relationship skills Autonomy:Autonomy: sense of self/identity sense of self/identity Problem-Solving SkillsProblem-Solving Skills Sense of Purpose and FutureSense of Purpose and Future

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Core Messages of Resilience Core Messages of Resilience ResearchResearch

Core Message #3Core Message #3

Certain characteristics of families, Certain characteristics of families, schools, and communities are schools, and communities are associated with the development of associated with the development of personal strengths and, in turn, healthy personal strengths and, in turn, healthy development and successful learning.development and successful learning.

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Core Messages of Resilience Core Messages of Resilience ResearchResearch

Environmental Protective FactorsEnvironmental Protective Factors Caring RelationshipsCaring Relationships High Expectations High Expectations Opportunities for ParticipationOpportunities for Participation

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Core Messages of Resilience Core Messages of Resilience ResearchResearch

Core Message #4Core Message #4Changing the life trajectories of Changing the life trajectories of children and youth from risk to children and youth from risk to resilience starts with resilience starts with changing the changing the beliefs of the adultsbeliefs of the adults in their families, in their families, schools, and communities. schools, and communities.

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Core Messages of Resilience Core Messages of Resilience ResearchResearch

Communicate to Youth their Ability to:Communicate to Youth their Ability to: Succeed in life Succeed in life To be happy To be happy To be proud of themselvesTo be proud of themselves

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Developmental AssetsDevelopmental Assets

40 Developmental Assets for 40 Developmental Assets for Adolescents Adolescents Source: Source: www.search-institute.orgwww.search-institute.org

The more assets, the betterThe more assets, the better Youth Development: strengthening and Youth Development: strengthening and

developing more assetsdeveloping more assets

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Resiliency, Youth Resiliency, Youth Development and Development and YouYou

Adults are an essential part of teen’s Adults are an essential part of teen’s environmental protective factorsenvironmental protective factors

Resilience strengths (assets) are critical Resilience strengths (assets) are critical survival skillssurvival skills

Success is seen with Success is seen with DevelopmentalDevelopmental vs. vs. BehavioralBehavioral program program

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Resiliency, Youth Resiliency, Youth Development and Development and YouYou

Teens express characteristics or skills that they have Teens express characteristics or skills that they have had a chance to develophad a chance to develop

LESSON: Help them develop skillsLESSON: Help them develop skills

How does Brain Development research impact How does Brain Development research impact this?this?

Draw on ability to think, even if in concrete terms.Draw on ability to think, even if in concrete terms.

EXAMPLE - TheoEXAMPLE - Theo

Use emotional thinking to your advantage.Use emotional thinking to your advantage.

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Resiliency, Youth Resiliency, Youth Development and Development and YouYou

The characteristic must be valued and modeled The characteristic must be valued and modeled within teen’s communitywithin teen’s community

LESSON: Role model the characteristics you LESSON: Role model the characteristics you want them to developwant them to develop

How does Brain Development research impact How does Brain Development research impact this?this?

Draw on ability to think, even if in concrete terms.Draw on ability to think, even if in concrete terms.

EXAMPLE – Answering questions about sex – ASK BACKEXAMPLE – Answering questions about sex – ASK BACK

Use emotional thinking to your advantage.Use emotional thinking to your advantage.

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Resiliency, Youth Resiliency, Youth Development and Development and YouYou

Create a climate where the characteristics Create a climate where the characteristics that you would like to see developed are the that you would like to see developed are the norm, even if only at your site.norm, even if only at your site.

LESSON: Treat teens and adults with LESSON: Treat teens and adults with respect and require the same in returnrespect and require the same in return

Draw on ability to think, even if in concrete Draw on ability to think, even if in concrete terms.terms.

Use emotional thinking to your advantage.Use emotional thinking to your advantage.

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Resiliency, Youth Resiliency, Youth Development and Development and YouYou

LESSON: To build problem solving skills you LESSON: To build problem solving skills you have to give teens the chance to make real have to give teens the chance to make real decisions about the things thatdecisions about the things that they care aboutthey care about..

What do many teens care most about?What do many teens care most about?

Their relationshipsTheir relationships

Other?Other?

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Resilience Research: Resilience Research: In ConclusionIn Conclusion

70% of at-risk teens grow 70% of at-risk teens grow into thriving adultsinto thriving adults

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Thinking it ThroughThinking it Through

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Get into groups of 2Get into groups of 2 Chuck will assign the roles of Adult and YouthChuck will assign the roles of Adult and Youth

The Youth in this role play is a 14 year old girl The Youth in this role play is a 14 year old girl who wants to be pregnant.who wants to be pregnant.

The adult will take the 14 year old through the The adult will take the 14 year old through the thought process WITHOUT thinking for them. thought process WITHOUT thinking for them.

Report Back!Report Back!

Thinking it Thinking it ThroughThrough

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Answering Answering Questions about SexQuestions about Sex

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Get into groups of 2Get into groups of 2 Everyone gets a question careEveryone gets a question care Choose who will be the adult and youthChoose who will be the adult and youth Youth, tell the adult what your age isYouth, tell the adult what your age is Youth, ask your adult your questionYouth, ask your adult your question Adult, do your best to answer it. Keep in mind:Adult, do your best to answer it. Keep in mind:

Demonstrate skills and characteristics you want to role modelDemonstrate skills and characteristics you want to role model

Ask back – learn what the youth already knows. Value their Ask back – learn what the youth already knows. Value their knowledge.knowledge.

Provide answers in terms that match the youth’s development Provide answers in terms that match the youth’s development – concrete or abstract as well as social development.– concrete or abstract as well as social development.

Thinking it Thinking it ThroughThrough

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ThankThankYou!You!

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your Evaluationyour Evaluation