The 8 most common behavior problems in adolescents (and what to do).

A summary of the main behavioral problems that tend to occur in adolescence.

Adolescence brings with it a series of life experiences that, for better and for worse, affect the way young people interpret the world, interpret themselves and develop behavioral and emotional management styles.

Some open the door to very enriching experiences that allow them to develop their individuality on another level (e.g., taking on more responsibility and learning on their own about issues they can begin to understand), but others make adolescents more likely to develop certain problematic psychological patterns in terms of their coexistence with the rest of the family and parenting strategies.

For this reason, many parents notice that after several years of thinking that they know their son or daughter well, more or less when they reach puberty, they change in a relatively short time into someone else; someone whose upbringing creates new challenges that are difficult to face. In this article we will review the most relevant complications in this regard, the behavioral problems that often appear in adolescence, and we will look at some tips on how to deal with them.and we will see some advice on how to solve them in the best possible way.

What are the main behavioral problems that occur in adolescence?

Adolescence is one of the most studied stages of human development in the field of Psychology due to the large number of physical, cognitive and emotional changes that occur in it and the importance that this has in the phase of adulthood.

In this sense, there are several problems at the psychological level that are characteristic of the teenage years; it is clear that each person is different and we do not always experience the same type of experiences, but there are some general trends regarding the most common behavioral problems that occur during this period.. Let's see which are the most important ones, as well as several tips and strategies to solve them through education at home and family coexistence.

1. Reckless behavior

During adolescence it is relatively common that the person carries out a series of reckless behaviors that threaten not only their own safety but also that of the people around them.

These reckless behaviors are explained by the different way of seeing reality that adolescents have, and usually have to do with the social approval-seeking and attention-seeking dynamics that occur among young people of the same age or slightly older.. They are more common among males than females, and can be seen as a way of vindicating the value of rebelliousness and bravery in a stage of life characterized by the search for individuality and the questioning of "formal" norms.

On the other hand, adolescents generally lack sufficient experience to make lack sufficient experience to make sound judgments about the risks involved in the world around them, as well as the dangers to which they are exposed.They are also unaware of the dangers to which they expose themselves by committing imprudent acts such as risky sports, fights, drug use or even "games" designed specifically to see who dares to expose themselves to the greatest risk of injury or accident.

For families, a strategy that is often effective is, beyond setting very strict rules at home (this does not prevent them from committing imprudent acts outside the domestic context and getting used to fleeing from the police atmosphere that reigns at home), to provide them with role models that they can come to respect and that instill in them the value of self-care and prudence: fictional characters or even young influencers who set a good example and in whom they can reflect themselves.

2. Angry outbursts

Aggressive behaviors are also common in many teenagers, and this facilitates many fights and frequent arguments between people of the same age or even with older people. It is the result of the lack of skills to manage their emotions and to channel their anger in a constructive and solution-oriented way. and oriented towards finding concrete solutions.

Aggressiveness can be facilitated by a wide variety of factors, from physiological and hormonal changes typical of age, to personal frustration due to stress related to school work, dissatisfaction with one's own body (which changes rapidly and sometimes in a "not so tidy" way), the feeling of being misunderstood by people from other generations, etc.

In the face of such problems, it is good that as parents we teach them ways to express their dissatisfaction through constructive discussions, that they do not limit themselves to externalizing frustration and nothing else.. For example, criticize the actions they find annoying instead of the people who perform them, give examples about what they would like and what they do not like, show them that if they do not communicate well the people around them cannot guess what they want, and above all, recognize and appreciate the progress they make in managing this kind of emotions.

3. Avoidance of responsibilities

Another of the most common behavioral problems associated with the adolescent stage is the avoidance of all types of responsibilities. the avoidance of all kinds of responsibilities typical of their age, either for fear of not knowing how to handle them.This may be due to fear of not knowing how to carry them out and of failing, or simply due to a lack of interest or concern.

Shying away from any activity that tests their performance can also be a sign that the adolescent feels disoriented in a period between childhood and adulthood. Therefore, it is important to support them so that, based on our instructions and examples, they are able to learn new household chores or even how to take care of their siblings.

But the most important thing is not to show them the "instructions" about what they should do to make it easy for them; it is to show them that the acquisition of responsibility is the path to psychological maturation, and that this is embodied in the kind of respect we show them.The following is a key point: boys and girls who are able to take on new roles that bring them closer to adulthood are also increasingly treated as young adults, something that most teenagers appreciate very much.

5. Behaviors that are too erratic

Erratic and inconsistent behavior is one of the classic characteristics of adolescence, and is explained because the person is trying to create his or her own personality and at the same time deal with the disorientation and the lack of reference points that many young people experience.. Therefore, it is not uncommon that from one week to the next they start behaving as if they were a character in a work of fiction, which restricts their freedom and disorients their families.

These changes of behavior and constant changes of course in the adolescent's day-to-day life often generate confusion or discomfort in their parents and in the long run can end in arguments or conflicts between parents and children.

To help them with this type of phenomena, it is good that as parents we help them to become aware of the elements of their identity, expressing what we think of their way of behaving, of developing hobbies, of relating to others... All of this, making reference to their actions and trying to avoid putting "labels" on them. In this way, in their mind a more complete self-concept rich in nuances will be generated and they will not feel the need to go on and they won't feel the need to go around in circles to see what type of behavioral style brings them more approval or attracts more attention in the desired way.

6. Generational conflict

Conflicts between parents and adolescent children are a classic in this stage of human development and are generally produced because the adolescent is building his own personality apart from his parents and usually adopts the attitude of systematically going against them, since he associates the figure of their elders with a whole system of restrictions that limit their freedom..

At the same time, it is common for discussions to be conceived by the adolescent as personal conflicts and ego struggles, since he does not yet know how to manage disagreements well nor how to regulate his emotions.

In the face of this type of problem, the most useful tool is assertive communication: show him that it is possible to show disagreement from empathy and at the same time without biting one's tongue, and always with respect. This will allow you to better understand the way of thinking of previous generations and disagree with some of their ideas, but understand them for what they are and do not interpret them through caricatures..

7. Challenging authority figures

In addition to defying parents, adolescents have a tendency to defy any other authority figure that stands in their way, be it teachers, other family members or even police officers.

This phenomenon makes possible in some adolescents the appearance of behaviors contrary to the basic rules of coexistence and civility, truancy and even school absenteeism.This is one of the most complex problems of our society.

This is one of the most complex problems to deal with, and for that reason, in general lines, it is recommended that the families resort to the expert psychologists in infantile-juvenile therapy to avoid that these dynamics weigh down the development of their children and lead them to the school failure.

8. Social isolation

During adolescence it is common that there are some self-esteem problems that significantly affect the mood of the person.

This phenomenon, associated with the fear of rejection or failure that most adolescents feel, can lead to a tendency to become socially isolated, can lead to a tendency to socially isolate and withdraw into themselves for a period of time. and withdraw into themselves for a long period of time.

Faced with this, families can, in addition to turning to a psychologist (because this kind of problem generates a lot of discomfort in young people), do everything possible so that the boy or girl can meet other young people of their age with similar interests; there is no reason why they should restrict their social life to school.

Looking for psychological support?

If you are interested in professional psychological assistance for adolescents, parents or families, we invite you to contact us.

At Adhara Psychology we work adapting to each case both from face-to-face sessions in our center in Madrid or through the online modality by video call.