Artwork: Galatea of the Spheres, Salvador Dali (1952).
What is it to be a teenager?
Throughout history, teenagers have been portrayed in different ways, but particularly in Developmental Psychology, for a long time, they were conceptualised from an adult perspective that mainly emphasised the instability of this stage and its more negative aspects. Aristotle defined teenagers as intense, passionate, and prone to giving in to impulses. Sigmund Freud (1878/95) associated adolescence with crisis and the transition to mature psychosexual development, while Stanley Hall (1904), in turn, linked it to a period of heightened emotionality, marked by stress, excitement, and depression. It was Erik Erikson (1968) who began to offer new insights into adolescence, seeing it as a phase of transformation and crisis, much like other stages of life, but also containing its own charms and novelties. I will, therefore, discuss some of the challenges of adolescence, as well as the characteristics that make it a unique stage from which we can learn a great deal.
People, at different ages, are subject not only to certain biological capacities and limitations (a baby, for instance, cannot run, just as a child has not yet matured enough to understand certain topics) but also to socially and culturally contextualised demands for their life stage. While, for example, the task of a child might be to resolve the dilemma between feeling safe and protected and being able to explore the environment, the adolescent’s crisis centres around the dilemma of constructing their identity and choosing roles to play from the many options presented by family, social networks, and cultural and ideological offerings.
Today, adolescence is seen as a complex stage, with significant quantitative and qualitative changes in the individual’s biological, psychological, and social levels. To exemplify some of these processes, on a biological level, there is increased hormone production, the onset of puberty, and changes in body image, along with more intense emotional experiences and all the social and psychological consequences of these changes. On a social level, there are new academic demands, new forms of socialising, and a significant expansion of social networks, as well as the initiation of romantic and sexual relationships, and towards the end of adolescence, decisions about career paths. Psychologically, there are also significant changes, which will be briefly outlined; however, amid so many changes, the biological, psychological, and social spheres are in constant interaction and transformation, and it is up to the adolescent to take on the difficult task of understanding and integrating these changes into their personal identity.
Despite the emphasis on the emotional activities of adolescents, particularly their intensity and instability, it is highly relevant to consider their peculiarities in acquiring new cognitive abilities, with a rationality distinctly different from that of childhood. According to Jean Piaget's theories, this is due to two structural changes in psychological development: the emergence of hypothetical-deductive thinking and autonomous morality. Hypothetical-deductive thinking is characterised by the ability to perform complex mental operations, allowing for greater abstraction of thought, virtualisation, and relativisation of concepts and ideas. Thus, beyond the numerous modifications with which adolescents contend, the reality that once seemed true in childhood becomes subject to relativisation and questioning. "What is truth? Who am I?" are examples of fundamental questions that arise during youth. Autonomous morality, on the other hand, refers to the questioning of the morals and rules imposed upon them, both by parents and society, making it natural for adolescents to idealise and pursue ethical ideals and revolutionary causes with which they identify and wish to follow.
As Carvalho (1996) aptly stated: "Adolescence is a phase that drives the individual towards a redefinition of identity, as they assess their place in the spatial-temporal plane, integrating the past, with its identifications and conflicts, with the future, with its perspectives and anticipations."
Constructing identity is a difficult and innovative task. If, in childhood, identification through imitation constituted the primary means of socialisation, adolescence brings about the need for autonomy and differentiation. Such phenomena may be even more pronounced among urban youth, where it is common to identify with subcultures such as Emo, Gothic, Hippie, among others. Concurrently with these questions, young people live and experiment to define themselves, a process that often brings significant concerns due to their new experience of freedom: the realisation of the consequences of making different choices. What to choose? What is gained or lost with each choice? What impact will it have on my life? What does this make of me? Adolescents frequently negotiate meanings between pairs of opposites, seeking to overcome these dichotomies and find a new personal balance, for example: Is this me or just the influence of others? To be or not to be? Masculine or feminine? Heterosexual or homosexual? Autonomy or intimacy? Freedom or security?
Thinkers such as Jean Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir conceptualised adolescence well, defining it as the duality between paralysing anxiety and the need for freedom and self-identity construction. They called this the "Morality of Ambiguity." Adolescents are no longer children subjected to a world, rules, and values that are pre-made and external (acting in Bad Faith), but neither are they fully-fledged adults, conscious, responsible, with personal convictions and the freedom to construct their own reality (Will to Power). Instead, they are aware that the current reality is merely one among many existing possibilities.
Another significant aspect of adolescence is its unique relationship with time and mortality. Adolescents, with a greater awareness of the scarcity of time to fulfil all their dreams, projects, and possibilities, often retreat into a "false eternity," the famous concept that teenagers act as if they were to live forever. Adolescents constantly travel through mental time: there is the retrospective look at childhood, the prospect of adult life, the "no-time" of immediate pleasure, and the ambiguous time of deciding what to dedicate themselves to and what to abandon.
These characteristics make adolescence a unique phase, and although adults also possess the capacity for relativisation, criticism, and questioning, these are much more intense in young people, whose energy often brings about new social movements and trends that end up transforming reality. Adolescents are essential, often inspiring, dreaming, and acting in society with a conviction and hope that many adults, taken by a certain conformism, no longer experience.
Given the great difficulties, changes, and complexity of this stage, it is crucial to allow adolescents the freedom to communicate and express themselves, providing them with a means to elaborate on their identity. Listening to hours of music, writing and reading poetry, identifying with characters and movie stars, drawing, painting, arguing about theories and hypotheses, socialising, and having a great need to interact with friends and non-family members: these are all symbolic, plastic languages and needs that give some coherence to the tumultuous mix of ideas, fears, and desires. This intimate exploration of language variations, where adolescents seek to associate art and cultural productions with their subjective material—what they feel and identify with—helps them achieve greater self-knowledge, expression, and integration of their personal identity.
But beyond the benefits of language (in its broad sense—verbal, artistic, symbolic, representational), what can foster a functional and well-being adolescence, and what might pose significant risks to their mental health?
Well, there is no formula or exact method, as in psychology, each case is unique. However, we can talk about protective factors in adolescence and risk factors, from which I have developed a small anticipatory guide for parents and educators:
GUIDE
Given the complexity of adolescence, it is important to accompany identity transition processes with a perspective aimed at continuity rather than rupture. This means fostering a gradual, harmonious transition through a healthy adolescence that promotes a coherent, conscious, and free adult. Adolescents can integrate new experiences into what they already hold as their own and familiar.
In adolescence, existential conflicts are common, relating not only to the adolescent’s identity and values but also to their family and society at large. Therefore, it is important for the family to be a point of support, offering availability to listen to questions and validate emotions. Although the adolescent’s ideas and behaviours may conflict with family values and beliefs, it is important to understand the underlying causes of these processes and seek to guide, educate, and supervise rather than punish. This way, the adolescent becomes aware of their actions and the responsibility they have, and will continue to have, for their entire life. Even when they are driven by idealisations and intolerance towards opposition (common in some teenagers), it is essential they feel open to discuss their ideas at home, feeling not only respected but also more receptive to advice and guidance. Parental understanding and support during the adolescent’s identity construction are crucial for healthy development. However, understanding does not mean unconditional approval, as young people, in their still-fragile identity, are easily influenced by peer pressure and need guidance to distinguish what they truly want for themselves and what they are pressured or influenced into. Ethical boundaries must always be stressed to ensure adolescents do nothing harmful to themselves or others and remain aware of the laws and rules that govern society.
Parents must also be assertive in setting limits, especially regarding common adolescent issues such as sexuality, substance use, professional choices, and the questioning of social constructs. Families should encourage open dialogue about these topics, providing the necessary information for conscious and responsible experiences.
It is essential to promote and facilitate socialisation with peers, respecting the adolescent’s need for autonomy and exploration.
Adolescence is a time of insecurity about various issues (social and academic skills, physical appearance, sexuality, relationships...), so it is important to value, motivate, and encourage the adolescent while guiding them to improve their resilience in areas where they struggle.
Lastly, it is essential to remain attentive, as it is not easy for adolescents to process and manage the whirlwind of changes they experience. Significant and sustained behavioural and mood changes, accompanied by a disruption in previous functioning and a decline in daily performance, should be carefully observed, especially if there is a family history of psychopathology or psychological difficulties in childhood. Psychotherapy may be a crucial preventative measure during this stage, helping young people navigate their identity search, resolve conflicts, and gain greater self-awareness, thus preventing the development of psychological disorders.
Symptoms to watch for: • Depressed mood (frequent crying, loss of interest in previously enjoyable activities)• Somatic complaints (pain, migraines, sleep problems)• Self-harming behaviour• Isolation and loneliness• Deviant behaviours such as theft• Changes in academic performance• Substance abuse• Significant weight gain or loss• Hyperactivity and euphoria.
In conclusion, adolescence is a unique, beautiful, and rich developmental stage that should be understood in its entirety, giving adolescents a voice in the conceptualisation and assessment of their challenges and needs. It is essential to understand the adolescent’s world as they experience it, valuing their perspectives and emotions, rather than imposing a negative adult viewpoint. The key is to remain open to dialogue and negotiation, while not forgetting that, as they are not adults yet, they still need guidance, love, and validation.
Bibliographic References
Beauvoir, Simone de. (1970) Moral of Ambiguity. Rio de Janeiro: Paz e Terra.
Coleman, J.; Hagell, A. (2007) Adolescence, Risk and Resilience, John Wiley & Sons.
Erikson, E. H. (1968) Identity: Youth and Crisis. New York: Norton.
Michaud, P.A.; Fombonne, E. (2005) ABC of Adolescence; Common Mental Health Problems. BMJ v.330 (9 April), p.835-838.
Oliveira, Maria C. (2006) Identity, Narrative and Development in Adolescence. Psychology in Study, v.11, n.2, p. 427-436. Maringá, Brazil.
Senna, Sylvia Regina Carmo Magalhães & Dessen, Maria (2005). Contributions of Human Development Theories to the Contemporary Concept of Adolescence. Psych.: Theor. and Research. [online]. 2012, vol.28, n.1, pp.101-108.
Sapienza, G.; Pedromônico, M. R. (2010) **Risk, Protection and Resilience
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