Adolescence is among several life stages, which is not childhood but not yet close to adulthood. It can be characterized as the transformational moment in an individual’s life, which involves changes in both physical and mental states. While many people might understand such a transition and be respectful to young individuals, others prefer to treat them like adults, which leads to negative implications. Thus, the positive implications of adequate treatment of adolescents involve proper nutrition, hygiene, and fewer signs of violence, bullying, and self-harm; meanwhile, complete control of adolescents leads to substance abuse.
Since this stage of life is typically regarded as the healthiest in a person’s lifespan, adolescents have indeed been neglected in worldwide social and medical regulations, and the specific health issues related to adolescence have been misunderstood or overlooked in favor of more urgent issues of public health. For many years, hormonal output fluctuation was blamed for adolescents’ behavioral changes (Best & Ban, 2021). Yet, recent research indicates that the brain similarly undergoes changes throughout this time (Best & Ban, 2021). For instance, during puberty, the brain’s prefrontal cortex undergoes remodeling (Best & Ban, 2021). This area of the brain is engaged in decision-making and is in charge of an adolescent person’s capacity to concentrate, think through the implications of their choices, and inhibit urges (Best & Ban, 2021). As a result, understanding adolescent neural development may assist in comprehending a young person’s cognitive and behavioral patterns, and improper attitudes can lead to severe implications.
Among the implications of contemporary ways adolescents are treated in society is increased stress on young individuals, which will expose them to violent activities and harmful habits, such as addiction issues. Here, such implications are usually spurred by controlling parental treatment. When analyzing specific behavioral patterns of adolescents, certain facts should receive more attention. As mentioned, younger individuals have poor judgment skills and, consequently, might be more inclined to risk-taking or rebellious behaviors. With increased pressure on young individuals, they will experience elevated stress levels, which will have a detrimental impact on their mental health. However, as shown in the findings of Baig and colleagues’ (2021) study, higher control of children leads to poor mental health and substance abuse.
On the contrary, there might be positive implications for specific treatment methods for adolescents, such as nurturing approaches. Research by Baig and colleagues (2021) additionally showed that parental involvement and less strict approaches resulted in lower bullying and physical harm rates and involved better nutrition and hygiene. In this sense, when the stakeholders do not treat adolescents as adults, exposing them to more significant pressure and stress, and instead treat them with respect, the implications might be optimistic.
As for the rights and responsibilities that adolescents must have and comprehend, these include the right to autonomy and therapeutic help and the responsibilities which include accountability for one’s actions. In this sense, as mentioned, when adolescents are faced with restrictions, they become more susceptible to self-harming actions. As a result, children should have the right to autonomy when their actions are not fully limited. Reading the responsibility, young individuals must take accountability for their actions. It was mentioned that at this developmental stage, young people have poor judgment skills; therefore, such responsibility will help them become more aware of the consequences of their actions.
In sum, the benefits of providing teenagers with enough care include good diet, hygiene, and fewer indications of aggression, bullying, and self-harm; in contrast, total control of adolescents results in substance abuse. One effect of how teenagers are handled in society nowadays is that they are under more stress, which exposes them to hazardous behaviors like addiction and aggressive behavior. On the contrary, there could be advantages to some teen treatment strategies, such as nurturing ways. Adolescents need to understand their rights and obligations, which include the right to autonomy, the right to therapeutic support, and the need to take responsibility for one’s actions. In total, this might have a positive effect on their conduct.
References
Baig, T., Ganesan, G. S., Ibrahim, H., Yousuf, W., & Mahfoud, Z. R. (2021). The association of parental involvement with adolescents’ well-being in Oman: evidence from the 2015 Global School Health Survey. BMC Psychology, 9(1), 1-9. Web.
Best, O., & Ban, S. (2021). Adolescence: Physical changes and neurological development. British Journal of Nursing, 30(5), 272-275. Web.