Myths and Misunderstandings

Myth: Adolescents are immature and refuse to listen to authority.

Adolescents may appear to be immature because they lack the social skills emotional development that would match their cognitive and physical maturity. This causes them to appear older than they are in some aspects, while still appearing to be mentally immature. Also, this is a vital time for adolescents to develop socially, morally, and psychologically, and the adult authority or role models like teachers, coaches, and parents are often sources of advice and understanding for many children at this age. Adolescents will gravitate towards role models that encourage them to pursue their passions and interests. Adolescents will typically gain their moral beliefs and values from their parents and these other role models.

Myth: Adolescents just want to be left alone.

While some students are discovering their identities as introverts and choose to be more independent, the majority of adolescents want to be a part of a group, and will look for acceptance into a friend group or a community at school. Many time this may lead to students joining a rebellious group to feel like they are a part of something.

Myth: Adolescents don’t care about what anyone else thinks about them.

This is not true. During this time of development, many adolescents base their actions on how they believe someone else is going to react, often looking for approval in whatever they do. They are also typically looking for peer acceptance during this time.

Myth: Adolescents are immoral.

This is far from the truth. Young adolescents during this time are trying to figure out their moral beliefs and their spirituality. Adolescents are often looking to see how other people are affected by the actions they take, which can cause create moral dilemmas, such as if their benefit is more important than others.

 

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