Mental states of adolescents during the crisis. Mental states of adolescents

Introduction

Chapter I Mental states and age characteristics of the subject

1.1. Psychological features of adolescence 10

1.1.1. Psychological characteristics of different stages of adolescence 24

1.2. Mental states in different age periods 30

1.2.1. Features of mental states in adolescence 47

Chapter II. Phenomenological features of the mental states of adolescent children

2.1. Organization and methods of research of mental states, processes and personality traits in adolescence 59

2.2. Phenomenological characteristics of the mental states of adolescents 72

2.2.1. Characteristics of typical mental states at various stages of adolescence 81

2.2.2. Reliefs of typical mental states at various stages of adolescence 97

Chapter III. Features of the relationship of mental states, processes and personality traits in adolescence

3.1. The relationship of mental states and mental processes in adolescence 121

3.2. Features of the relationship between mental states and personality traits in adolescence 156

Conclusion and conclusions 180

Literature 183

Applications 207

Introduction to work

Relevance of the research topic. The study of mental states in modern psychology is particularly relevant, since thanks to the integrating function of states, the unity of the mental is ensured, as a result of which an integral psychological structure of the personality is formed, including properties, states, processes and their relationships. For psychological practice, the significance of studies of mental states is associated with their influence on the effectiveness of all types of human life.

An analysis of studies on the problem of mental states allows us to conclude that in addition to a small number of works performed in line with general psychology (V.A. Ganzen, N.D. Levitov, A.O. Prokhorov, etc.), the study of states was carried out within the framework of special psychological disciplines : engineering psychology (L.G. Dikaya, A.B. Leonova, A.I. Fukin, etc.), sports psychology (V.L. Marishchuk, V.K. Safonov, O.A. Chernikova, etc.) , pedagogical psychology (V.P. Balakirev, T.N. Vasilyeva, L.M. Strakhova, etc.), medical psychology (B.D. Karvasarsky, T.A. Nemchin, etc.), etc.

At the same time, many researchers note that the mental states of a person should certainly be considered taking into account the age period, since each of the periods of development leaves its mark on awareness, intensity, number and quality of experienced states, the ability to regulate them (SV Velieva, G N. Gening, A. O. Prokhorov, Yu. E. Sosnovikova and others). This is due to the fact that the actualization and repetition of typical mental states, in turn, lead to changes mental development adolescent, influencing the cognitive sphere of the personality and the formation of psychological properties (A.O. Prokhorov, E.B. Tsagarelli, etc.). The influence of states is mediated by the social situation of development, the leading activity and the psychological characteristics of the individual. In this context, the study of

the relationship of mental states with mental processes and personality traits in different age periods, bearing the influence of the above-mentioned determinants.

Of particular relevance is the study of mental states in adolescence. Features of adolescence (increased conflict, anxiety, dependence on peers, preoccupation with gender issues, the search for one's "I-image", a sense of adulthood, reflection, etc.) and an adolescent crisis, which some scientists (D.B. Elkonin, T.V. Dragunov and others) consider it the most difficult, contribute to the emergence of acute emotional instability. In modern conditions, the problem of constant complication joins the typical problems of adolescence. learning activities, which is expressed in an increase in the number of subjects studied, the total amount of information and the need for a fairly early professional self-determination. The difficulty also lies in the fact that, starting preparation for professional activities, adolescents are not yet ready to treat themselves in an adult way and, in particular, effectively regulate their mental states, which cannot but affect the productivity of activities and relationships with others.

Mental states of adolescents, which are the most important factor in the activity and development, formation mental functions and personality, are little studied in developmental psychology, which theoretically manifests itself in the lack of completeness of the psychological characteristics of this age group, reducing the effectiveness of training, education, interaction with children and development in general. Marked contradiction defined problem of this study: identifying the characteristics of the mental states of adolescent children.

An object research - psychological features teenagers of different age groups.

Subject research - mental states and features of their relationship with mental processes and personality traits in adolescents.

Target research consisted in a comparative study of the characteristics of typical mental states and their relationship with mental processes and personality traits at different stages of adolescent ontogenesis.

Hypothesis The study is based on the assumption that the mental states of children at various stages of adolescence are characterized by a specific phenomenology, the manifestations of which are associated with mental processes and properties of a developing personality.

Achieving the goal and testing the hypothesis required solving the following tasks:

Identify and describe the features of mental states typical of adolescents of different age groups (pre-teenager - 10-11 years old; younger teenage - 12-13 years old; middle teenage - 14-15 years old; older teenage - 16-17 years old).

To study the relationship between mental processes and mental states that arise at various stages of adolescence.

To explore the relationship between mental states and personality traits at various stages of adolescence.

Methodological bases and research methods. The research was carried out on the basis of the subject-activity approach developed in the works of S.L. Rubinstein, A.V. Brushlinsky, K.A. Abulkhanova-Slavskaya and others, who consider the psyche and development not as a separate independent phenomenon, but an integral part of activity, as well as the principles of heterochrony and uneven development put forward by L.S. Vygotsky, and the age structure proposed by D.B. Elkonin and others. The theoretical principles and conceptual

ideas about non-equilibrium mental states of a person and their integrating function A.O. Prokhorov.

The method of organization of the study was the method of age cuts. To study mental states, the technique of A.O. Prokhorov "Relief of the mental state". To diagnose mental processes, methods were used to memorize words and geometric shapes, correction test, Gorbov tables, Gorbov-Schulte tables, columns of numbers, STUR, Raven's method, "Offers" and Warteg's "Circles" method.

The characteristics of the personality of the subjects were studied using the R. Cattell technique (youthful version - 14PF) and a questionnaire for assessing the areas of communication, will, emotions, intelligence, self-esteem - the technique of N.M. Peisakhov, as well as the questionnaire developed by us for determining the severity of a sense of adulthood.

Statistical processing used parametric tests of association (Pearson's correlation analysis) and differences (Student's t-test).

The sample consisted of adolescents aged 10-17, students of middle and senior grades (grades 5-11) of a secondary general education school. A total of 1062 subjects took part in the study: 502 boys and 560 girls. The study was conducted during the period of educational activity.

The scientific novelty of the study lies in the fact that for the first time in the work:

Mental states are revealed, their relief and structure, typical for children of adolescence, are determined. A characteristic feature of adolescence was the presence of "through" states and states that are typical only for certain sub-periods of this age.

The relationship of mental states with the characteristics of mental processes in various sub-periods of adolescence is shown. It is expressed in the greatest influence of states on mnemonic processes and

differential influence on thinking, imagination, attention at different stages of adolescent development.

Features of the relationship between personality traits and mental states typical of adolescent children are found. These relationships are characterized by the closest interrelations of mental states with the emotional and intellectual properties of the individual. The specificity of the influence of a sense of adulthood, volitional properties and self-esteem on mental states in different periods of adolescence is shown.

It is shown that there is a difference in the age when the increase in the number of correlations of mental states with the processes and personality traits begins, which indicates the heterochrony and uneven development of the personality of a teenager.

Theoretical significance research lies in the fact that its results complement the scientific understanding of mental states and their age features, and also expand the theoretical and empirical base of developmental psychology by describing the patterns of the relationship of mental states with mental processes and personality traits in adolescence. Both “through”, typical conditions characteristic of the entire adolescence, and specific conditions characteristic of its individual sub-periods have been established. Important in theoretical terms are the results that testify to the presence of a certain age-related cyclicity in changes in mental states, structural transformations of these states and the specifics of their relationships with mental processes and personality traits, reflecting the heterochrony and unevenness of the process of adolescent personality development.

Practical significance work lies in the fact that in the education system the results obtained can serve as the basis for the development of new pedagogical technologies for training, education and development

adolescents, as well as to improve the general psychological preparation of students in universities. The results of the study make it possible to eliminate the gap in general, pedagogical and developmental psychology regarding the mental states of adolescent children and can be recommended for inclusion of these data in courses on pedagogy and psychology for students of pedagogical universities and universities, students of advanced training courses for teachers, etc. "feelings of adulthood" can be used in developmental and educational psychology. The following provisions are put forward for defense:

Each age stage of adolescence is characterized by the specifics of the manifestation of the forms and structures of mental states: there is a dominance of certain aspects of the structure.

The relationship of mental states and processes is characterized by a change in the intensity of interaction at different stages of adolescent personality development. Characteristic features are a change in the frequency of correlation of mental states and processes, the stability of connections with mnemonic processes in a differentiated relationship with other processes in the course of adolescent ontogenesis. It was found that the states of activation and drowsiness influence the thinking to the greatest extent, the states of activation and fear affect attention and imagination.

A characteristic feature of the relationship between mental states and personality traits is the stability of connections with emotional and intellectual properties, while differentiating connections with a sense of adulthood, volitional properties, sociability, self-esteem in various sub-periods of adolescent personality development.

4. One of the confirmations of heterochrony and uneven development
personality of a teenager is the difference in age when it begins
an increase in the number of correlations of mental states with processes and
personality traits.

The reliability of the results was ensured by a comprehensive analysis of the problem in determining the initial theoretical and methodological positions; application of methods of mathematical statistics, adequate to the tasks, purpose and logic of the study; experimental-empirical testing of the hypothesis; quantitative and qualitative analysis empirical material.

Approbation and implementation of the results. Theoretical and empirical provisions and results of the study were discussed at the Regional Scientific and Practical Conference (Naberezhnye Chelny, 2001), III Congress of the Russian Psychological Society (St. Petersburg, 2003), I All-Russian Scientific and Practical Conference "Modern technologies in Russian system Education” (Penza, 2003), the All-Russian Scientific and Methodological Conference “Modernization of Education. Regional aspect "(Vologda, 2003), XI All-Russian scientific and practical conference "Spirituality, health and creativity in the monitoring of the quality of education" (Kazan, 2003), Russian scientific and practical conference "Actual problems of education at the present stage" (Bugulma, 2003).

Implementation. The results of the dissertation research were used in the educational process in the training of specialists at the Faculty of Psychology of the Institute of Economics, Management and Law (Kazan). These studies formed the basis for the individual consultations students and teachers in schools of the Republic of Tatarstan.

There are 12 publications on the topic of the dissertation with a total volume of 2.5 pp.

Work structure. The dissertation consists of an introduction, three chapters, a conclusion, conclusions, a list of references, including 237 titles, and four appendices. The work contains 11 tables and 18 figures. The total volume is 206 typewritten pages, excluding appendices.

Psychological features of adolescence

The study of the psychology of adolescence is one of the leading directions in the study of developmental psychology (L.S. Vygotsky, I.S. Kon. A.E. Lichko. D.B. Elkonin. E. Erikson. and others). Various aspects of adolescence are disclosed in sufficient detail in the psychological literature. Adolescence is the area in which research is most numerous. Despite this, there is not even a single periodization of adolescence, so different are the approaches to this period in different cultures, different theories and when considering various aspects of adolescence.

The boundaries of adolescence in modern foreign and domestic medical, pedagogical, psychological, sociological and legal literature are understood differently. So, in E. Erickson, adolescence (adolescence) is not separated from youth and takes the age of 12-18 years. The disadvantage of this periodization can be called a mixture of two age periods into one, since adolescence and youth have significant differences in physical maturation, leading activities, interests, etc. In jurisprudence, persons aged 14-17 are considered minors. The main disadvantage of these periodizations is the conventionality of the beginning and end of the period and the lack of consideration of gender differences when characterizing the period. In modern textbooks on developmental psychology and developmental psychology, the boundaries of adolescence also differ. For example, B.C. Mukhina is the age from 11-12 to 15-16 years; at E.E. Sapogova - from 9-11 to 14-15 years old, and in the textbook edited by T.D. Martsinkowska gives various periodizations without specifying the periodization taken as a basis.

It should be emphasized that the above authors consider adolescence to be a single period, but there are also periodizations that single out a number of sub-periods in it. Thus, Sherrod, Haggeity, and Featherman note that under the definition of a teenager in English language(teenager - English - teenager) are persons aged 13-19 years. However, such age limits are too general to describe the complex developmental process at a given age, so it is proposed to subdivide adolescence into two: early adolescence (11-14 years) and middle or older adolescence (15-19 years). In Russian age physiology, different boundaries of adolescence for boys and girls are accepted, since development proceeds at different rates and qualitatively differs in children of different sexes, and the following substages are distinguished: 1) pituitary (from 8-10 to 9-12 years old in girls and from 10-13 to 12-14 years old in boys); 2) activation of the gonads (from 9-12 to 10-13 years old in girls and from 12-14 to 12-16 years old in boys); 3) maximum steroidogenesis (from 10-13 to 11-14 years in girls and from 12-16 to 15-17 years in boys); 4) the final formation of the reproductive system (from 11-14 to 15-16 years old in girls and from 15-17 to 17-18 years old in boys). This periodization is valid for the analysis of the rates of puberty, but it does not take into account the psychological characteristics of adolescence, which can be considered a major drawback. L.S. Vygotsky distinguishes two phases in adolescence: negative (the phase of drives) and positive (the phase of interests). The first phase is associated with the collapse and withering away of the previously established system of interests and with the processes of maturation and the appearance of the first organic drives. Symptoms of the first phase of adolescence are characterized by extreme variability, situational dependence, heterogeneity and complexity of behavior. The second phase is characterized by the maturation of a new core of interests. L.I. Bozovic also believes that adolescence consists of two phases: 12-15 years old and 15-17 years old.

One of the most common periodizations of adolescence is the periodization of D.B. Elkonin, who, based on the criteria for changing the leading forms of activity, divides it into two stages: middle school age (11-15 years old), when communication is the leading activity, and senior school age (15-17 years old), when educational- professional activity. However, it should be noted that in modern school even in the upper grades, such great importance is not always attached to socially useful work as was previously attached to it. Therefore, the question arises whether it is possible to consider activities in the upper grades as educational and professional, or professional interests, research skills and the ability to make life plans are formed later, during the period of vocational training in a secondary specialized or higher educational institution.

Such ambiguity in the periodization of adolescence is due to the fact that one of its most important characteristics is heterochrony and uneven development. So, already L.S. Vygotsky distinguishes three lines of maturation: organic, sexual, and social, which begin to diverge in adolescence. B. Livehud proposes to distinguish between biological rhythm, mental and spiritual development that go at different paces throughout life. A.V. Mudrik proposes to distinguish four types of age: chronological age - the number of years lived by a given individual, physiological age- degree physical development human, psychological age- the degree of mental development, pedagogical age - the degree of mastery of the culture of a given society.

Features of mental states in adolescence

As noted above, adolescence is one of the most important stages in the formation of personality, when children show both childish and adult traits. Features characteristic only of adolescence can also be seen in the study of the mental states of children of this age period.

E.P. Ilyin notes that the mental states experienced by adolescents are largely associated with communication, which determines both their content and character. At the same time, adolescents retain a negative attitude towards themselves, which is why this age is characterized by a predisposition to negative emotions and a mismatch in the motivational sphere.

E.P. Ilyin identifies the following features characteristic of the emotional sphere of adolescents:

1. Very high emotional excitability, because of which adolescents are distinguished by their temper, violent manifestation of their feelings, passion: they passionately take up an interesting business, passionately defend their views, are ready to “explode” at the slightest injustice to themselves and their comrades;

2. Great stability emotional experiences compared to younger students

3. Increased willingness to experience fear, manifested in anxiety;

4. Inconsistency of feelings: for example, they can passionately defend their comrade, although they understand that he is worthy of condemnation.

5. The emergence of feelings not only about the evaluation of adolescents by others, but also about self-esteem;

6. A strongly developed sense of belonging to a group, because of which adolescents experience the disapproval of their comrades more sharply and more painfully than the disapproval of adults; fear of being rejected by the group often manifests itself;

7. Making high demands on friendship, which is based on a common interest, moral feelings;

8. Manifestation of civil feeling of patriotism.

In the study of mental states of adolescence, Yu.E. Sosnovikova identifies the following groups of negative states:

1) Internal discomfort, irritability, aimlessness, when it is difficult to gather one's thoughts, control one's actions. The will is reduced, emotions are disinhibited, thoughts are not collected. Adolescents are subject to the situation and can perform adverse actions under its influence, without having a special intention for this.

2) Expressed dissatisfaction, hostility, negative attitude towards others, which is not directed at a specific object, action or person, but extends to almost everyone who is nearby.

3) States close to aggressiveness, pugnacity, anger, rudeness, which cause conflicts with peers and adults.

4) Affective outbursts - a fight, rudeness, insults, violations of discipline.

Yu.E. Sosnovikava found that negative states often occur against the background of fatigue, that is, at the end of a working day or week. Nevertheless, despite the breadth of the range of manifestations of negative states, there are significant individual differences associated with the attitudes and success of adolescents.

Positive states, most often experienced by adolescents, are (ibid.): 1) States of increased good joyful mood, elation, disposition, emotional activity, sociability. 2) The state of stormy joy, delight when achieving the desired, with success in school or sports, watching movies or listening to music, etc. 3) The desire for active physical activity. 4) States of intellectual performance, which are most often combined with volitional efforts.

Positive emotional and intellectual states of adolescents are mostly not conscious in nature and are caused by external causes, while volitional states are conscious and are caused by internal causes.

THEM. Mirziyev revealed that high school students and students most often experience 29 emotional mental states (enthusiasm, fear, love, mental pain, fear, etc.), 6 volitional mental states (laziness, helplessness, uncertainty, etc.), 5 intellectual mental states (bewilderment, doubt, etc.), 5 psychophysiological states (stress, depression, fatigue, etc.). Speaking about emotional states, 27% of respondents admitted that they experience excitement more often than other states, 14% - inspiration and joy, 10% - indignation, followed by fear, etc. From volitional states 30% most often experience laziness, 15% - expectation, 12% - uncertainty, 10% indecision. Of the intellectual states, 23% of the respondents singled out contemplation, 18% - doubt, 6% - duality, etc. Of the psychophysiological conditions, 18% of the respondents experience fatigue, 9% - calmness, 5% - depression, stress, depression.

Organization and methods of research of mental states, processes and personality traits in adolescence

Sample of test subjects. Since the purpose of this study was to study the characteristics of mental states in adolescence, the sample consisted of adolescents aged 10-17 years, that is, students of middle and senior grades (grades 5-11) of a secondary general education school. In accordance with the periodization of A.E. Lichko, adolescents were divided into age subgroups: pre-teenage - 10-11 years old - 155 people (80 - male, 75 - female), younger teenage - 12-13 years old - 184 people (80 - male, 104 - female), middle teenage - 14-15 years old - 209 people (104 - male, 105 female), older teenage - 16-17 years old - 215 people (93 - male, 122 female).

Thus, at the first stage of work, 763 adolescents aged 10 to 17 years old took part in the study: 357 males and 406 females. In addition, 127 adolescents participated in the study to compile a questionnaire to determine the severity of a sense of adulthood.

At the second stage, the study involved 172 adolescents aged 10 to 17 years (94 males and 78 females), also divided into age subgroups: pre-adolescent - 10-11 years old - 42 people (23 - males, 19 - female), junior teenage - 12-13 years old - 47 people (28 - male, 19 - female), middle teenage - 14-15 years old - 47 people (25 - male, 22 - female), older teenage - 16- 17 years - 36 people (18 - male, 18 - female).

In total, 1062 subjects took part in various studies.

Stages of experimental research. At the first stage, typical mental states of adolescents that occur during educational activities were identified. In addition, the main causes of these conditions and the methods of regulation of mental states most often used by adolescents were identified. At this stage, the following methods were used: the method of questioning and conversation. The study was conducted individually, with small groups of adolescents and in classroom groups.

Theoretical analysis has shown that a specific sense of adulthood arises in adolescence. However, there are no methods for studying this feeling. With the help of a survey, it was found that adolescents understand the concept of "adulthood, maturity". This survey involved 127 people of older adolescence (51 males, 76 females). The qualities identified by adolescents as the hallmarks of an adult are shown in Table 1.

Based on the results of the survey, a questionnaire was compiled to determine the level of expression of a sense of adulthood in adolescents.

At the second stage, an empirical study of typical mental states of adolescents and their relationship with mental processes in educational activities was carried out; as well as a study of the relationship between mental states and personality traits of adolescents.

We studied conditions typical for all sub-periods of adolescence (fear, joy, activation, sleepiness), and conditions typical for this sub-period (interest and revival - in pre-adolescence, fatigue - in older adolescence)

Peculiarities of changes in the severity of the parameters of typical mental states of adolescents (mental processes, physiological reactions, experience and behavior) in various age subgroups of adolescence were revealed.

When adolescents experience typical mental states, such mental processes as memory (short-term and long-term verbal and figurative memory), attention (productivity, stability, switching, concentration, attention span), thinking and imagination were studied.

In addition, personality traits of the subjects, as well as personality traits characteristic of adolescence, were identified using the author's questionnaire to determine the severity of a sense of adulthood.

To process the results, statistical methods of Pearson's correlation analysis were applied, the significance of differences was assessed using Student's t-test. Figures, tables, histograms and radar charts were used to illustrate the results.

The relationship of mental states and mental processes in adolescence

This paragraph analyzes the differences between states, as well as between the experience of one state in different age sub-periods (Table 10). Mean indicators of mental processes in various sub-periods of adolescence are presented in Appendix 3.

Note: Animation/aliveness and interest are specific to preadolescence, while fatigue is to older adolescence, so they are not considered in other age sub-periods.

The table shows that at a significance level of p 0.01 in preadolescent age, mental processes have the most correlations with the state of activation and least of all with the state of fear. In early adolescence, mental processes have the most correlations with the state of drowsiness. The same pattern, as in younger adolescence, is observed in middle adolescence, although in this age sub-period the number of correlations of fear with processes approaches the number of correlations of drowsiness. The decrease in coherence between mental processes and states from sub-period to sub-period of adolescence (up to senior adolescence) is consistent with the data of G.N. Gening, who revealed a similar trend in younger schoolchildren.

In older adolescence, the number of correlations between mental processes and states is much higher than in previous age sub-periods. The number of correlations of fear, activation and drowsiness with processes in the older adolescence is approximately twice as high as the number of correlations in the younger and middle adolescence, and joy - 3 times. The number of correlations of mental processes and states in older adolescence is comparable to the number of correlations in preadolescence, however, in this case, there is some increase. The state of drowsiness has the most correlations with mental processes, a. least of all - fear.

It can be assumed that a decrease in the relationship of most states (joy, activation, and sleepiness) with mental processes from preadolescence to mid-adolescence indicates an increase in the stability of processes. This trend does not correspond only to the state of fear, the number of correlations with the processes of which grows throughout adolescence. Perhaps this is due to the fact that at school and at home the appeal to punishment for failure or bad behavior traditionally prevails. As a result, the focus on avoiding punishment and, consequently, fear, as a habitual state, is fixed and motivates activity to the greatest extent. A sharp increase in the number of correlations of all states with processes in older adolescence is associated with the approach of adolescents to the pre-critical phase of the crisis of 17 years (just as in pre-adolescence - before the adolescent crisis).

When analyzing the results of the study and their correlations, not only quantitative but also qualitative differences were revealed in the influence of mental states on mental processes in different age sub-periods. Correlations between indicators of mental processes and mental states in various sub-periods of adolescence are indicated in the figures.

Let us consider the features of the relationship between mental states and various types of memory (short-term and long-term verbal, short-term and long-term figurative) (Fig. 11).

Relationships of states with different types of memory in preadolescence (10-11 years old) can be reflected in the form of a figure (Fig. 11).

There is a correlation at a significance level of p 0.01 between the indicator of short-term verbal memory and the states of joy, activation (positive relationship) and revival / liveliness (negative relationship). To the greatest extent, this type of memory is associated with the ability to self-control in states of joy and activation: the better this ability, the more productive short-term verbal memory in the above states. This suggests that self-control and self-regulation of states in children aged 10-11 are still imperfect, situational, dependent on the level of volitional development, and their intensive development continues. In a state of revival/animation, this type of memory is associated, first of all, with the peculiarities of speech. However, this relationship is negative: with an increase in activity, tempo, and loudness of speech in a state of animation/animation, short-term verbal memory worsens, as attention is scattered between speaking and memorizing.

One of the features of the image modern teenager is addiction to alcohol, which gave rise to such a socio-cultural and medical phenomenon as teenage alcoholism. This phenomenon is not new, but in the new historical conditions it has declared itself in a special way. No less common is the regular use of energy drinks. This is largely due to the consequences of the rapid growth of capitalist production in Russia in the 1990s, which aroused young people's interest in a new lifestyle, and drinking alcohol was perceived by many adolescents as an affordable way to emancipate and achieve freedom. Unfortunately, unscrupulous and immoral advertising played its unkind role here, which was reflected primarily in the "beer culture", which put a significant part of young people on the path of beer alcoholism. The reaction of the state and society to this problem and changes in legislation have somewhat suspended this process.

The problem of drug addiction and early drug addiction also remains relevant. The intensification of the use of narcotic drugs by adolescents was in many ways a continuation of what the Russian state and society faced in the late 1980s. - with teenage substance abuse and widespread use of tobacco products. At the same time, the increasing availability of information about narcotic drugs, the increase in the volume and methods of acquiring narcotic drugs, the expansion of the range of drugs offered have led to new problems that the state and society have to solve today.

At present, the work of youth and adolescent specialists is developing in several general directions in order to reduce the risk of initiation to the use of drugs and alcohol:

• the formation in adolescents of a clear attitude towards the rejection of drugs and alcohol through educational work, the dissemination of information about the causes, forms and consequences of the abuse of psychoactive substances and alcohol, propaganda healthy lifestyle life;
• identifying risk groups among young people and providing them with targeted socio-pedagogical and psychological help;
• introduction of ways to organize leisure activities that exclude the use of drugs and alcohol;
• psychological work aimed at the formation of strategic motivation in young people (long-term prospects), support for the motives for the formation of a socially successful personality and strengthening the protective mechanisms of the individual from the use of psychoactive substances;
• providing conditions for pro-social activity of adolescents and youth, for participation in socially useful activities, creating conditions for professional orientation and professional self-realization;
• inclusion of young people in activities to support other representatives of the risk group, including preventive measures and psychological correction of emotional problems, conflict resolution;
• the formation of young people's values ​​associated with the development of such ideas as responsibility, rationality, social solidarity.

Juvenile delinquency is an extremely acute problem. The number of crimes committed by teenagers is growing noticeably (by 3.5% over the past five years) and the number of minors who have taken part in crimes (by 4.1% over the past five years). Today, one of the specific features of juvenile delinquency is its group nature. Moreover, gang crime of minors acquires signs of organization. Among the crimes committed by teenagers, mercenary and violent acts (theft, robbery) stand out. For example, the largest number of crimes recorded under Art. 158 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation and 161 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (more than 15 thousand teenagers are convicted under this article every year). Up to 85% of the criminal acts of minors are crimes against property (theft, fraud, robbery, robbery, theft of a vehicle, deliberate destruction or damage to property). Approximately 10-12% of crimes committed by teenagers are crimes against public safety and public health. Traditional crimes (hooliganism, illegal actions with drugs, weapons and explosives, violence) with the development of modern technologies have been supplemented by cyber crime, dissemination of illegal information, hacking, Internet and telephone terrorism.

Researchers often explain the propensity of adolescents to criminal activity by the mutual influence of negative environmental factors and the personality of the minor himself, where aggression is formed that can cause a tendency to violate norms.

Auto-aggression and suicide are topical issues of our time. Every year, hundreds of thousands of people voluntarily leave life, and even more people attempt their lives. According to WHO statistics, in the age group of 15-29 years, suicide ranks 2nd-3rd in the structure of the main causes of death.

Cultural and social causes of auto-aggression and suicide can include psychological problems that arise as a result of rejection or conflict between the individual and the external environment.

Among the main reasons are the following: family breakdown, ethical suffering, low level self-esteem, feeling of low attention from other people, marginalization, feeling of loneliness, feeling of misunderstanding and underestimation, inability to cope with difficult mental states (external pressure, stress, shock), inability to come to terms with failures, feeling of loss, phobias (for example, hostility towards other people) .

Traditionally, suicide has been considered a form of pathology requiring legal, medical, or moral condemnation. The process of depathologization of suicide, carried out in the studies of scientists of the 19th-20th centuries, formed the idea that suicide is a legitimate, conscious decision of the individual, the same as the inalienable right of the individual to control his own existence. For example, humanitarian approaches to the phenomenon of suicide refute the obligatory connection between psychopathological conditions and suicide (E. Durkheim), associate suicide with a "religious illness of the intellect" (W. James). Russian philosopher N.A. Berdyaev believed that suicide is caused by a person's immersion in himself and is the result of a close interaction between a person and the World. As main reason voluntary desire to die K. Jaspers and D. Hume single out the loss of the meaning of existence, the emergence of an existential vacuum. Most of the above conclusions about the causes of suicide can apply to the older age group, the last remark is related to adolescence. This is due to the fact that in adolescence, an existential vacuum is not formed by the displacement of previous experience and the meaning of life, but its occurrence is caused by the initial feeling of emptiness and meaninglessness. Society is responsible for the process of developing meanings for the younger generation, considering it the main task of educational and upbringing activities, which should exclude insincerity, outright lies and everything that, with age, may be subject to rethinking and rejection.

Bullitt- a socio-psychological phenomenon common in adolescents, similar to mobbing, which is a characteristic of negative relations in the adult community, manifests itself in work collectives in the form of harassment or violence by management (bossing) or colleagues (staffing). Bulliig is bullying by peers of other children and adolescents in children's and educational institutions. it Long procces the provision of physical or psychological violence by an individual (or group) against another individual (or group) who does not have sufficient strength to withstand the harm caused. Bullying can manifest itself in the forms of both direct physical violence and forms of psychological and emotional (insults, humiliation, ignorance, group boycott, all forms of relational aggression). At the same time, psychological bullying in its consequences can be more traumatic than physical bullying, as it significantly reduces the self-esteem and self-esteem of the individual, develops in him a feeling of insecurity and helplessness. Note that physical bullying is almost always accompanied by psychological bullying.

In most countries, bullying is an extremely acute problem in the education system. Approximate number of bullyig participants in different countries- from 5 to 30% (in some places up to 40%).

Scientists identify several reasons for the appearance and manifestation of bullyig:

• the psychological setting of the individual to choose the position of the aggressor or victim ("sketch theory");
• socio-economic factors associated with emphasizing the role of social inequality, poverty, having many children, economic problems of families in which "aggressors" grow up, shortcomings of municipal public schools with a large number of students, etc.;
• the interaction of three factors - the personality characteristics of a person, the characteristics of the environment and the behavior itself (according to the theory of reciprocal determinism). As the reasons for the emergence and consolidation of bullying in the adolescent community, it is necessary to consider environmental characteristics - the socio-economic situation of the family, the situation at school, personal characteristics and characteristics of the behavior of "victims" and "aggressors", as well as such a factor as the "position of the school", indicating that the severity and duration of bullying are mainly determined by the position of the school administration;
• the impact of all possible variables involved in bullying (using a complex (multifactorial) approach), primarily personal characteristics, as well as two groups of environmental factors - the socio-psychological and economic situation in the family, the characteristics of group interaction, the phenomenon of rejection in a group, highlighting the "extreme" (or "scapegoat").

One of the most important reasons The inability of adolescents to resist bullying is a poor possession of social skills, primarily communicative ones. A negative role is also played by the lack of conflict resolution skills, the typical behavior of the “victim” in response to verbal or physical aggression, the inability to stand up for oneself, the perception of violence as something acceptable, “funny”, etc. Often, victims of continuous bullying, unable to respond and defend themselves, canalize their anger and resentment, terrorizing even weaker and defenseless members of the group, turning into “half-victims-half-offenders”. Anyone can become a victim of bullying.

Among the ways to prevent and counteract violence in the educational space, researchers are most effective in the formation of the resilience of a personal resource and the development of various forms of social support. In particular, social support ensures the development of the ability to effectively counteract stress (including social stress) through the development of a number of specific socio-psychological effects, the most important of which for victims of bullying are:

• "buffer effect", which creates a kind of barrier between the negative impact of the situation (in our case, the situation of bullying) and the possible victim of this situation. Social support for bullying can not only alleviate tension, but also neutralize Negative influence school bullying on the victim;
• an undirected effect arising from a high level of social support, the ability to use it and contributing to an increase in self-confidence, an increase in self-esteem, self-acceptance, and self-esteem.

Developing the ability to find and use various forms social support can be an important factor in the prevention of bullying.

To understand the mechanisms of development of mental properties of secondary school students, it is necessary to keep in mind two of their main sources: natural data (congenital biological, including genetic) and social factors (family characteristics, upbringing, training and other forms of social relations that form personality).

The most interesting in the study of age in general and adolescence in particular are still the classics of Russian psychology: L. S. Vygotsky, D. B. Elkonin, L. I. Bozhovich. The works of such famous scientists as A. P. Krakovsky, V. A. Krutetsky, A. I. Kochetov, D. I. Feldstein, T. V. Dragunova, L. F. Obukhova, G. A. Tsukerman, S. A. Belicheva and many others. In foreign psychology, various authors addressed the study of adolescence: Z. Freud, J. Piaget, E. Erickson, A. Freud, H. Remschmidt, K. Levin, E. Spranger, St. Hall and others.

Domestic research on adolescents that appeared after the 60s of the twentieth century can be conditionally divided into pre-perestroika and post-perestroika works. The difference between them is that the latter clearly show the two trends discussed above, namely: a certain influence of Western theories, on the one hand, and a focus on modern changes in society, on the other. This is quite noticeable in a number of recent publications covering, among other things, adolescence (the works of D.I. Feldstein, L.F. Obukhova, T.V. Dragunova, G.A. Tsukerman and many others).

There are many studies, hypotheses and theories of adolescence. Most authors define this stage of child development as the transition from childhood to adulthood. According to the Explanatory Dictionary of V. Dahl, the word "teenager" means "a child in the undergrowth." “In general, this is the period of completion of childhood and the beginning of “growing” out of it” (V. Dahl, 1989).

Psychologists are of the opinion that any age, including adolescence, has no clear boundaries, and if they exist, they are very conditional. This opinion is dictated by the studies of anthropologists (M. Mead, R. Benedict and others), who, studying a number of tribes, drew attention to the short duration and inconspicuousness of the adolescent period there. It was convincingly demonstrated that adolescence is nothing but a fact of precisely our civilization, that the nature of adolescence depends on the complexity of society, on the distance that it establishes between age groups, from the way of transition from one group to another. After the works of M. Mead and a number of other studies, the transitional age begins to be viewed not as a psychological transformation due to puberty, but as a cultural process of the child entering the social life of an adult.

T.V. Dragunova, analyzing the views on adolescence not only of anthropologists, but also of psychologists and biologists, argues that this period of development in different peoples and cultures proceeds differently and has different age boundaries. She believes that the boundaries of age can both converge and expand, increasing the transition period. According to the author, the number of years for the transition from childhood to adulthood has increased significantly in modern society(T.V. Dragunova, 1972).

This idea coincides with the point of view of L.S. Vygotsky, who notes that the three phases of maturation in adolescents in a civilized society often do not coincide: “Puberty begins and ends earlier than the adolescent reaches the final stage of his socio-cultural formation” (L.S. Vygotsky, 1984). Such mismatch of maturation phases gives rise to considerable difficulties. The fact is that puberty is ahead of organic, and then, in turn, social, which leads to some imbalances in the development of a teenager. Interesting and productive is the thought of L.S. Vygotsky about the significance of historical time for the development of a teenager. In his opinion, the cultural and historical environment and the immediate environment most of all influence this particular age. At the same time, the influence of the environment can both narrow and significantly expand the boundaries of adolescence. The more sexual, organic and social maturation coincide, the shorter the period of transition from childhood to adulthood, and the more they diverge in time, the longer this period becomes, the longer the transition.

According to the German philosopher and psychologist E. Spranger, adolescence is the age of growing into culture. He wrote that mental development is the growth of the individual psyche into the objective and normative spirit of a given era. But considering adolescence requires a clear vision of its boundaries. There are several definitions of the boundaries of this life span. For example, G. Grim limits adolescence to the age of 12-15 years for girls and 13-16 years for boys. According to A. Gezzell, the transition from childhood to adulthood lasts from 11 to 21 years. And J. Birren believes that this period covers 12-17 years. In the classification of D.B. Bramley, this age is determined by 11-15 years. The same duration is indicated by the authors of a longitudinal study by the Institute for Human Development at the University of California. J. Piaget refers to adolescence age 12-15 years (I.V. Dubrovina, 1987).

It seems that the boundaries of adolescence are most adequately outlined in the periodization of ontogenesis proposed by D.B. Elkonin, in which the emphasis is on the emergence of new mental formations, determined by the change and development of the leading types of activity. The boundaries of adolescence in this periodization are established between 11-15 years (D.B. Elkonin, 1989).

Consider the main neoplasms in adolescence. The unevenness, inconsistency, and complexity of mental development in adolescence are not accidental. Development is characterized by those more or less stable mental characteristics that have developed, as well as new qualities of personality and activity that first appear at a given age with the existing training in a given child. These new qualitative changes in the structure of the personality, in the behavior, in the activities of the child L.S. Vygotsky called mental neoplasms of age (L.S. Vygotsky, 1984). And in adolescence, there are psychological features that are inherent in primary school age, and new psychological education characteristic of a given age stage of development.

The main neoplasm of transitional age, according to L.S. Vygotsky, that now “a new actor, a new qualitatively unique factor - the personality of the adolescent himself ... In connection with the emergence of self-consciousness, an immeasurably deeper and broader understanding of other people becomes possible for the adolescent. Social development, which leads to the formation of a personality, acquires support in self-consciousness for its further development” (L.S. Vygotsky, 1984).

As many authors note, the “sense of adulthood” becomes the central moment in the sphere of feelings of a teenager. A teenager begins to feel like an adult, strives to be and be considered as such. He rejects his belonging to children, but he still does not have a feeling of true full-fledged adulthood, but he has a great need for the recognition of his adulthood by others.

D.B. Elkonin considers the formation of self-esteem, a critical attitude towards other people, the desire for “adulthood” and independence, the ability to obey the norms of collective life to be the most important neoplasms of adolescence (D.B. Elkonin, 1989).

The main neoplasm of this age, according to Sprangler, is the discovery of the "I", the development of reflection, the awareness of one's own individuality and its properties; the emergence of a life plan, installation on a conscious construction own life; gradual growth into various spheres of life. This process goes from the inside out: from the discovery of the "I" to the practical inclusion in different kinds life activity (I.S. Kon, 1989).

Many psychologists (Gezzel, Levin, Erickson, Blos) used the concept of "development task". So E. Erickson writes that adolescence is built around an identity crisis, consisting of a series of social and individual-personal choices, identifications and self-determinations. Feelings of one's uniqueness, individuality, dissimilarity to others appear, in the negative version - a diffuse, vague "I" (E. Erickson, 1996).

The main idea of ​​J. Piaget about the characteristics of adolescents is that they develop a new age-related opportunity - hypothetical-deductive thinking. According to the scientist, the main intellectual neoplasm of this period is the ability to reason with the help of verbally formulated hypotheses, and not manipulations with specific objects, thinking develops to the stage of formal operations.

Michel Kle notes that the development of the intellectual sphere of a teenager is characterized by qualitative and quantitative changes that distinguish him from children's fashion knowledge of the world. The formation of cognitive abilities is marked by two main achievements: “the development of the ability for abstract thinking and the expansion of the temporal perspective” (M. Kle, 1991). According to M. Kle, adolescence is also characterized by important changes in social ties and socialization, as the predominant influence of the family is gradually replaced by the influence of the peer group. These changes proceed in two directions, in accordance with two development tasks:

1) release from parental care;

2) gradual entry into the peer group.

Many psychologists note that in adolescence, everyone without exception reaches a very high level of development. cognitive processes. home new feature, which appears in the psychology of a teenager compared to a child of primary school age, is a higher level of self-awareness. Adolescence is the time of the formation of true individuality, independence in learning and work.

Transitional age- this is a period of increased emotionality, which manifests itself in mild excitability, passion, and frequent changes in the mood of adolescents (I.V. Zapesotskaya, 2006).

Emotions arise only about such events or results of activities that are associated with motives. In the theory of activity, emotions are defined as a reflection of the relationship between the result of an activity and its motive. If, from the point of view of the motive, the activity is successful, there are positive emotions, negative - vice versa.

Based on the materials obtained in the studies of I.S. Kohn and other psychologists, it can be argued that during adolescence, a certain, relatively stable orientation of the personality is already taking shape (I.S. Kon, 1989). It determines the moral side of his personality, as well as many features of his behavior in activities.

So, needs underlie all other stimuli of human behavior, including the highest ones. Motives are a special series of stimuli of behavior.

Of the specific human motivators of behavior, self-esteem occupies a special place. Its formation is closely connected with the process of self-consciousness, which develops especially intensively in adolescence. It is at this age that children are often guided by the assessment of others, self-esteem and self-esteem are especially intensively formed.

The process of the formation of self-consciousness and, above all, such an important component of it as self-esteem, closely correlates with various psychological states of a teenager, in particular, such as anxiety, fears, self-doubt, etc. These are peculiar emotional indicators of the development of both self-esteem and self-awareness.

As A.I. Zakharov, the fears experienced by adolescents are largely due to one of the main contradictions of this age: the contradiction between the desire of a teenager to be himself, to preserve his individuality and at the same time be together with everyone, i.e. belong to the group, comply with its values ​​and norms (A.I. Zakharov, 2000). To resolve it, a teenager has two ways: either to withdraw into himself at the cost of losing ties with peers, or to give up excellent freedom, independence in judgments and assessments and completely submit to the group. In other words, a teenager faces the choice of either self-centeredness or conformity. This contradictory situation in which the teenager finds himself is one of the main sources of his fears, which have an obvious social conditionality.

One of the first places in this series is the fear of not being yourself, which in fact means the fear of change. His "provocateur" is the experiences of a teenager, due to changes in the image of his body. Therefore, adolescents are so afraid of their own physical and mental deformity, which is paradoxically expressed in their intolerance for such shortcomings of other people or in obsessive thoughts about the deformity of their figure.

Adolescents are also characterized by fears of attack, fire, getting sick, which is especially typical for boys, as well as the elements and confined spaces, which are more typical for girls. All of them are in the nature of fears and are somehow connected with the fear of death.

The number of fears in the field of interpersonal relations, noted in previous ages, also increases at this age. One of the stimulators of such fears is the lack of emotionally warm relationships with parents, as well as conflicting relationships with them. This narrows the teenager's social circle and leaves him alone with his peers. Since the value of communication at this age is extremely high, a teenager is afraid of losing this only channel of communication.

The consequences of fears are manifold, but the main one is the growing uncertainty, both in oneself and in other people. The first becomes a solid basis for alertness, and the second for suspicion. As a result, this turns into a biased attitude towards people, conflict and isolation of the “I”. All this is A.I. Zakharov also qualifies as a manifestation of obsessive fears or anxiety. Obsessive fear (anxiety) is perceived by a teenager as something alien, going involuntarily, like some kind of obsession. Attempts to cope with it on your own only contribute to its strengthening and growth of anxiety.

It has been established that at the age of 13-14, the feeling of anxiety is significantly higher than at the age of 15-16. Moreover, if for the former it remains practically unchanged, then for the latter at the age of 15 it significantly decreases in comparison with the previous period, and at the age of 16 it sharply rises again.

And one more interesting fact. If at 13-14 years old (grades 7-8) there are no differences in the level of anxiety in boys and girls, then at 16 years old (grade 10) girls have a higher level than boys. Thus, anxiety at the age of 13-14 is an age characteristic overlapping individual characteristics development, which is desirable to take into account in terms of preventing the mental development of a teenager.

Comparing the dynamics of anxiety with the dynamics of self-esteem, it is easy to detect their close interdependence, and especially in the senior grades. The higher and more adequate self-esteem, the less anxiety and more confidence in oneself and one's abilities (A.M. Prikhozhan, 2000).

Another feature in the development of self-awareness of a teenager is a heightened sense of self-worth. It often seems to a teenager that they want to humiliate him. For him, as noted above, in general, an increased need for human kindness is characteristic. He painfully reacts to falsehood, pretense, although he often behaves in a similar way (T.V. Molodtsova, 1997).

So, although in 15-16-year-old adolescents all aspects of the self-consciousness of the individual are represented, it is not necessary to speak of its completeness and formation. This conclusion is also valid for the period of early youth (16-17 years).

As for the younger adolescence, it is difficult to talk about the structural readiness of self-consciousness. Some of its components are just being formed.

The emotional distress of adolescents is not directly related to the material well-being of the family and is far from always related to the parameters that are considered to be significant at this age: study, communication with peers. It turns out that adolescents suffer most from the loss or significant deterioration of emotional contacts with their parents (no matter how “adult” and independent of their parents they try to seem to themselves and others).

Unfortunately, parents, who are mostly busy with their own problems, do not often think about what price their growing children can pay and pay for their employment. But the emotional depression of modern adolescents leads to a delay in social development, conflict of character and, as a result, maladaptation in society.

Thus, the boundaries of adolescence (between 11-15 years) are most adequately outlined in the periodization of ontogenesis proposed by D.B. Elkonin, in which the emphasis is on the emergence of new mental formations, determined by the change and development of the leading types of activity. Most researchers define middle school age as the transition from childhood to adulthood (D.B. Elkonin, 1989).

Neoplasms of adolescence include: the formation of self-esteem, a critical attitude towards other people, the desire for "adulthood" and independence, the ability to obey the norms of collective life, the development of the intellectual sphere. Transitional age is a period of increased emotionality, which manifests itself in mild excitability, passion, anxiety, and frequent mood swings in adolescents.

Adolescence is one of the most important and fundamental stages in a child's development. It is during this period that parents need to look very carefully at the behavior of the child. At least 20% of adolescents from year to year experience serious psychological problems, which later can lead to severe disorders and more deplorable circumstances. Therefore, it is very important to take the necessary actions in time and, if necessary, take the child to a psychologist.

Adolescence is the time when a child begins to become independent, when he tries to behave like an adult, however, while still being a child. In some moments, they may already act like mature people, while in other situations they cannot yet make an adult decision. Therefore, during this period, the environment is very important, various kinds of propaganda take place everywhere, false stereotypes and priorities are imposed on children. Be careful!

But despite this state of affairs, the child still needs to be given freedom. You can’t control it all the time and put a bunch of bans, because of this it can only get worse. The child needs to be trusted and told about it so that he feels responsible for his actions. Let your teenager experiment with his independence, let him try to work during the summer holidays, go to camp or travel, etc. Always be ready to help, give the right advice. Sometimes it makes more sense to give a child some experience within the walls of their own home than to get it on the street, for example, by allowing them to try alcohol.

Reminder for parents

Remember, if a child has similar behavior, which is given below, then there is no cause for concern. It is normal that a teenager behaves like this, he needs it:

1. Mess in the room. This is the most common complaint of parents, but it is not a cause for concern and such behavior does not entail a serious psychological problem.
2. Little communication. A teenager needs solitude, sometimes he needs to be alone with himself: listen to music, think, talk on the phone, etc. Try not to control his life, limit yourself to questions about homework and how the day went, do not torment the child with constant questions about his friends and problems.
3. The appearance of idols. Finding an idal, the child tries to establish his own identity.
4. Weird clothes and hair. It is a form of protest that fades with time. Try to quarrel less on this basis with the child and focus less.
5. Mood variability. Such fluctuations are typical for most adolescents, this may be due to certain events or relationships with peers. If this problem does not affect the learning process, then this is not a cause for concern.

If the child had the following violations, then you need to pay attention to this issue close attention and consult your doctor:

1. Loss of interest in usual activities.
2. Lack of friends and interest in them.
3. Constant insomnia.
4. A sharp decline in school performance.
5. Frequent walks.
6. The protest of the child against the usual rules.
7. Aggression and hatred towards people.
8. Smoking and drinking alcohol.
9. Melancholy, depression, suicidal thoughts.
10. Active interest in religion.

We all went through difficulties at one time. But only when we become parents, we can fully appreciate the severity of this period of life. Someone is afraid that his child will not fall into a bad company, someone is alarmed by the overly aggressive or, conversely, apathetic behavior of the child. It is the worries about children that make us delve into the psychology of adolescents, look for ways to solve their problems. However, do not be surprised if the child rejects your help: in the puberty period, all advice, especially from adults, is perceived with hostility.

To help a teenager overcome difficulties, one should keep in mind the variety of mental states of his personality during this period. Let's find out what the mental and emotional states of adolescents can be and why this happens.

Everyone knows that the mood of children aged 11-15 can very often change to the opposite. The reason for this is the hormonal restructuring of the body of a child who is already preparing to become an adult. And there is nothing surprising in the fact that these changes affect the psyche - after all, this is the most vulnerable place, the "Achilles heel" of any person. Psychologists distinguish the following types of psycho-emotional state of adolescents:

• activity - passivity;
• passion - indifference;
• agitation - lethargy;
• tension - emancipation;
• fear is joy;
• decisiveness - confusion;
• hope is doom;
• anxiety - serenity;
• confidence is self-doubt.

Despite the fact that these mental processes are opposite, in adolescents they can alternate and change over short periods of time. As mentioned above, this is due to a hormonal storm and may be characteristic of a completely healthy, normal child. Now he can chat with you in a friendly way, and after two minutes he can withdraw into himself or make a scandal and leave, slamming the door. And even this is not a cause for concern, but just a variant of the norm.

However, those conditions that prevail in the child's behavior at this age contribute to the formation of appropriate character traits (high or low self-esteem, anxiety or cheerfulness, optimism or pessimism, etc.), and this will affect his entire future life.

Ways of regulation and self-regulation of mental states in adolescence

The most common advice for parents of a teenager is that you just need to “survive”, endure this time. Indeed, mentally healthy child able to overcome the difficulties that arise for him. Parents should simply be sympathetic to his behavior and be no more strict with him than usual. On the contrary, the easier you treat your maturing child, the easier it will be for him to build relationships with you. Reconsider your principles in the parent-child relationship, communicate with him, if not on an equal footing, then at least as an equal to yourself. Remember that at this age the child is very vulnerable, even if he does not show it. And he must know that his parents are always on his side, that he is not alone, and in case of problems, you will come to him anyway. help. But at the same time, this help should not be imposed - it will be relevant only if the teenager is unable to cope on his own and asks for help, or you see that he is in dire need of it.

If necessary, do not hesitate to seek the advice of a psychologist who specializes in, and if more serious problems arise, a qualified psychiatrist.

Dear Parents! Do not forget that you need to build a trusting relationship with your child, starting from the very beginning. early age. This will avoid many problems in adolescence.