Question

Adolescence can be a very challenging time period. Many teenagers engage in risky behaviors. A parent tells you that they don't understand why their teenager is making bad choices and being disrespectful. How can you use the theories of development to help explain the choices that teenagers make.

Answer 1

It’s true that adolescent age is one of the most crucial stages in human development. it’s at this stage, their cognitive development would be rapidly changing while also provide them freedom and autonomy to make choices. However, due to their developing cognition, they wouldn’t be able to make proper decisions because they would be guided by their impulsive behaviours in engaging in risk taking behaviours and they would be subjective to peer pressures. Most of the time they may know what they have to do but they would choose the opposite to enjoy and experience the thrill of it. They would also be rebellious about authority figures and may not like to be advised. However, it would be the attachment style, parental care and affection, supportive friends and family and a favourable social environment that would help adolescents make better choices. Nevertheless, it’s how human beings develop and at one point in time, they would turn their ways back and become productive.

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