Understanding Your Teenagers: Some insights from brain development research

A talk by Prof Alex Hassett at the new Salomons Institute for Applied Psychology in the centre of Tunbridge Wells

Why is it that the behaviour of teenagers can sometimes seem so unfathomable to us as adults? It often feels like as they grow older they can become uncommunicative, emotional and unpredictable. We used to think that this behaviour was due to a sudden surge in hormones, but modern neuroscience shows us that it may be more complicated than that.

This talk will present some of the new discoveries that help us understand what happens to the teenage brain in this crucial period and how this impacts on their behaviour, their moods, risk taking and many other facets of their lives. Some of these new findings include:

• The teenage brain continues to develop and re-wire well into their early twenties.
• Most of the rewiring that happens is in the front of the brain, the area associated with judgement, planning, organisation and emotional and behavioural regulation, meaning their emotional centres are more dominant.

Adolescence is a window of opportunity with a brain that is incredibly flexible and open to change.

One of a series of public talks at the new Salomons Institute in the centre of Tunbridge Wells. The talks are designed to appeal to the local community and aim to be affordable, interesting and accessible to all.

Prof Alex Hassett is Deputy Director of the Salomons Institute for Applied Psychology. He has a Masters in Educational Psychology and Research Psychology, a PhD in Psychology and Post Graduate Diploma in Cognitive Therapy. Alex’s research interests focus on emotional well-being and mental health of children and young people, particularly how teenagers engage with mental health services. He develops and delivers training to practitioners in young people’s emotional well-being, mental health and relationship building. He is also a psychotherapist working predominantly with teenagers.