Rebellion in adolescence: why it appears and what to do about it

Several recommendations and keys to manage rebellion in adolescents.

Whether because we have experienced it ourselves or because we have children or relatives at this stage of development, most of the population already knows that adolescence is a complicated stage to live through. It is common that during this period of development and maturation, quarrels, arguments or even conflicts appear in the relationship between parents and children, or between adolescents and adults in general. Rebelliousness in adolescence is one of the main points that can make contact between youngsters and adults difficult.

But although sometimes it can be frustrating for both "sides", it is not something strange or bad: a great majority of people have had at some point some kind of rebellious and defiant phase towards the established, being something not only frequent but also healthy for the development of one's own identity. In this article we are going to talk briefly about what this rebellious phase entails or why it appears and how to react to it in education. how to react to it in the education and family context..

Adolescence: a complex stage

The first thing that we have to bear in mind at the moment of speaking of adolescence is the fact that, independently of which rebelliousness appears or not, we are before a complicated and strange moment. Adolescence is the most important period of maturation and growth. of our development, this stage being the passage to adulthood from childhood and running approximately between eleven and twenty years of age.

In adolescence, puberty arrives and the body begins to undergo an accelerated transformation. Sexual characteristics appear, our voice changes, our size and strength increase greatly and there are great hormonal changes that alter our moods and our personality. alter our moods and behavior..

At the same time, we begin to leave behind the infantile stage and society's increasingly complicated, more adult demands begin to appear. A certain amount of responsibility for one's own actions begins to be demanded and more and more importance begins to be given to social relationships.

Parents are no longer seen as perfect beings and their limitations and the differences between them and the adolescent begin to be seen, even though the adolescent continues to be dependent on them. In general, there is a certain distance from the family and friendships become the focus of the future adult's attention and preference.

Thinking also changes, both as an effect of brain maturational changes and psychosocial changes derived from them. It is during the course of adolescence that most of the executive functions develop. most of the executive functions are developed, such as the ability to plansuch as planning capacity, goal orientation, initiation of behavioral control and inhibition, organization of one's own activity or mental flexibility.

It is also a stage of explorationIn addition to all of the above, new possibilities are opening up and there is a greater openness and search for experiences. Also, little by little, identity will be generated as different behavioral patterns are explored and the core values that will drive our behavior are selected.

Taking all this into account, adolescence can become very distressing and generate great tension in those who suffer from it, and may react with certain hostility and rebelliousness.

Rebelliousness in adolescents: why does it happen?

Observing the previous point, we can identify and take into account some of the reasons why rebelliousness may appear in adolescents. Some of them are explained below.

Biological and hormonal changes

Part of the rebelliousness present in adolescents has a Biological origin (although this should not serve as a justification for undesirable behavior). On the one hand, the brain and especially the frontal lobe and especially the prefrontal lobe are not yet fully developed, this being the main biological substratum that allows the development of skills such as the capacity for response inhibitionThe brain of an adolescent is much more sensitive to stimulation of neurotransmitters such as dopamine, something that promotes experimentation and the search for pleasurable sensations.

It also highlights the fact that the adolescent brain is much more sensitive to the stimulation of neurotransmitters such as dopamine, something that promotes experimentation and the search for pleasurable sensations (being something that favors, for example, the taking of risky and dangerous attitudes for one's own health).

In addition to this, we must also take into account the presence of hormonal changesTestosterone is associated, for example, with an increase in competitiveness and aggressiveness, while the hormonal changes that occur during the menstrual cycle (which appears during puberty) can more easily generate irritability and mood swings.

2. Egocentric thinking

Another reason for adolescent rebellion is the assumption of egocentric thinking typical of that age: the adolescent believes he/she is invulnerable and omnipotent, being overconfident in his/her own ideas and presenting biases confident in his or her own ideas and presenting biases that diminish the that diminish the importance of information contrary to them.

It is more complex to detect and accept the existence of alternative visions of reality that are equally valid (although they may be opposites), considering them false or wrong.

3. Search for autonomy and identity creation

Another of the main causes of rebelliousness is the search for autonomy and the creation of personal identity. The adolescent is at a stage where needs to experiment in order to determine who he/she isThe adolescent is at a stage where he/she needs to experiment in order to determine who he/she is, performing different behaviors and observing whether or not they conform to his/her values and preferences or the effects they have.

The rebelliousness may also be a search for autonomy, an attempt to be recognized by authority figures not as a child or in a submissive role but as an active and independent agent. It may be asking for a reduction of the limits existing up to the moment or seeking to achieve to observe himself as an independent subject.

While rebelliousness is often seen as frustrating or as a response to an unacknowledged authorityThe truth is that the rebellious adolescent may also be asking for limits that indicate what is right or wrong, how far he/she can go or what is expected of him/her.

5. Confusion in the face of changes and demands

We have already indicated that the adolescent is immersed in a stage of continuous changes and contradictions: he/she is not a child but not an adult, responsibilities are demanded of him/her that did not exist until now, and although he/she wants autonomy, he/she still wants the affection of the family environment.

It is also common that they do not know where to direct their efforts, something that can generate great frustration for them.. The adolescent also tends to feel misunderstood, their experience not being shared by others in the same way or with the same intensity. Rebelliousness can also appear as a frustrated response to these contradictions and sensations.

6. Interpersonal and social conflicts

During adolescence it is common for different interpersonal conflicts to appear. This is the stage in which friendships are more important, displacing the family as the focus of affection, and also when the first couple relationships begin to take place. Likewise, academic life becomes more demanding, which can lead to frustrations.which can lead to frustrations. All this can have an effect on the adolescent, with rebelliousness appearing as a means of escape or emotional ventilation.

7. More severe problems

The phenomena discussed so far are normative, but we cannot ignore the possibility of rebelliousness or irritability appearing in response to aversive situations or pain. response to aversive or painful situations situations that are not the usual ones. For example, the experience of school bullying, drug use, abuse of some kind or suffering from a mental health problem such as depression.

What to do with a rebellious adolescent?

It can be complicated to relate to a rebellious teenager, but the first thing to keep in mind is that with some exceptions, rebelliousness is actually positive because it will eventually help them find their own independent path. The fact that there is rebelliousness does not imply that they no longer love their environment or that they no longer need your protection.

We must first of all try to be empathetic and understand the profound changes that the adolescent is undergoing. Fluid communication between the environment and the adolescent is also very important. It is not a matter of forcing them to talk if they do not really want to, but of making them see that we are willing to listen. Sharing one's own experience can also be useful (all adults have gone through adolescence, after all) when it comes to providing them with some kind of role model, although unsolicited advice is generally not well received.

And almost more important than talking is listening, and it is important that the child feels listened to. The adolescent is no longer a child and his or her opinion should be taken into account.Moreover, active listening favors the expression of fears and doubts that other types of attitudes would not allow. Likewise, debating and valuing opinions on different topics can help to a better mutual understanding.

Another aspect to take into account is the social environment in which the child moves. As we have seen above friendships have become one of the most important influences on the child.It is important to favor (without forcing) positive environments and to analyze problems such as bullying.

We must also try not to be authoritarian and respect the freedom and autonomy of the adolescent: in case of disagreement, negotiation can be an optimal way to find a position that pleases both parties. Prohibition or unjustified punishment will only generate reactance and a possible more marked disobedience. However, if rebellion is good to a certain extent, it should not cross certain limits: obvious disrespect or aggression should not be tolerated, and the fact of negotiating does not imply giving in to everything you want.