50 September 2014 www.womanthismonth.com LIFESTYLE | parenting Powerful technologies, such as neuroimaging and advanced brainwave scanners, have shown that adolescent brains undergo considerable structural change particularly in the prefrontal cortex during the teenage years. The prefrontal cortex is involved in selfawareness and the ability to understand other peoples’ perspective, which is why many young teenagers explore their own self-image and seem insensitive to others’ feelings and concerns. We also know that adolescents are particularly susceptible to influence by their peer groups. This is why you see predominance of social sub-cultures, such as goths, emos, punks and any other trendy things we are out of touch with! This brain change also affects the decision making ability. Making a choice Trials have shown that adolescents are more prone to making riskier decisions when in a peer group, which probably accounts for the fact that most adolescents commit crimes with peers. Research has also started to show that although the brain is 95 per cent its adult size at age six, the grey matter (or thinking part of the brain) continues to develop throughout childhood. In the frontal part of the brain, this development peaks around 11 in girls and 12 in boys, which is roughly about the age of puberty. The grey matter then starts to thin as excess connections are eliminated or pruned. Much research is now focussed around the postulation of the “use it or lose it” principle, namely a premise that those connections that are used will survive and flourish and those that aren’t will wither and die. So around the critical time of puberty, the young teenager not only has hormones gushing through their system, but the brain functions are also being enhanced or reduced. All the life choices (sports, art, music or academia) are there, but start getting whittled How many times do you hear your child say, “Mom you just don’t get it!” Well actually you do and they don’t “get it”. Here’s why there’s a bridge between understanding each other. Parents Teens Don't Understand by DR CLARE BECKETT-MCINROY and MIKE JACKSON
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