Parenting Teens - The Teenage Brain

Key points about the teenage brain

• teenage brains are not ready or able to work in the same way as adult brains
• new research has found that teenagers are so different because their brains are undergoing a BIG change
• the change in teenage brains starts around puberty and continues through to their mid-20s
• this period of growth also means teenage brains are more sensitive to drug use than those of adults
• it is important for parents to delay and limit alcohol consumption and use by teenagers for as long as possible, and the same applies to tobacco and marijuana use

What's going on inside my teen's brain?

Teens' brains are undergoing a big change

We used to blame hormones for teenagers' often strange and impulsive behaviour. New research has found that they are so different because their brains are undergoing a BIG change, which starts around puberty and continues through to their mid-20s.

Teens don't think in the same way as adults

For teenagers, this means that they just don't think the same way as adults. Their brain is not ready or able to work in the same way as adults.

The greatest changes are to the parts of the brain that handle:

• impulse control
• judgement
• decision making
• planning
• organisation
• emotions

Teens' brains develop very quickly in relation to the things they experience

More importantly – the kinds of stimulation you provide for your teen can actually shape the structure of their brains. Current studies show that teenagers' brains develop very quickly in relation to the things that they experience. This is why they learn games like those for PlayStation more easily than older adults. Their brain grows and learns – constantly 'rewiring itself'.

Teens can face challanges

Since their brain isn't fully developed, it can be a big challenge for teenagers between coming up with an idea and being able to decide if it's actually a good one.

Are teenagers' brains more sensitive to drug use?

This period of growth also means teenagers' brains are more sensitive to drug use – much more so than those of adults.

Excessive alcohol can cause physical damage to teens' brains

Excessive alcohol – such as binge drinking (more than 5 standard drinks drunk quickly over a short period) can cause actual physical damage to their brain.

Alcohol can interfere with learning and lead to mental health problems

Alcohol also interferes with their learning, causing both short and long-term memory problems and can also lead to higher stress levels and risk of depression and suicide.

It's important to delay and limit alcohol consumption and use by teens

Starting to drink at an early age is also associated with alcohol dependency and related problems during adult life. For these reasons, it is important for parents to delay and limit alcohol consumption and use by teenagers for as long as possible and the same applies to tobacco and marijuana use.

One study showed that for young people who started drinking by the age of 14, almost half (1 out of every 2) went on to develop alcohol dependency problems, compared with only 1 in 10 who didn't drink alcohol until they were 21.¹

Find out more about adolescent brain development

See more KidsHealth content on parenting teens

Check out KidsHealth's section on parenting teens