Title: Our Teens Are More Stressed Than Ever: Why, and What Can You Do About It? — Developmental Science
Headings: Our Teens Are More Stressed Than Ever: Why, and What Can You Do About It?
Our Teens Are More Stressed Than Ever: Why, and What Can You Do About It?
The popular bogeyman
Are teens the canaries in the coal mine?
Resurrecting an old theory: Healthy identity development
What else is protective against stress?
Photo credits: D. Divecha, Unknown, D. Divecha, S. Burkhart, M. Divecha, R. Archibald
Copyright 2019 Diana Divecha

Content: Stress and adolescence can make for a perfect storm. Until recently, scientists believed that an individual’s baseline for stress reactivity was more or less set in the first two years of life. However, new research suggests that puberty might open that window of sensitivity again for a second chance at recalibrating the stress system—for better or for worse depending on the context: If the environment is supportive in adolescence, this second opportunity might smooth out earlier problems and improve coping in the long run. However, if the context is harsh and stressful without relief or repair, the stress system can remodel for vulnerability and set the stage for later mental and physical health disease systems. Policymakers should be worried about rising teen stress, not only for the sake of teens’ psychological health (which should be enough cause), but for the health of the country. Teen stress might be an important warning that the nation is off-course. As influential developmental scientist Urie Bronfenbrenner said, “There is no more critical indicator of the future of a society than the character, competence, and integrity of its youth.” [ iii] Put more bluntly: If we squander our human capital now, we can’t expect a robust society in the future.