The teenage years of development are notoriously tempestuous due to a mixture of rapid brain development and raging hormones.
But at least one recent study suggests that if teen strife with family and friends goes unchecked, its effects can reverberate through a lifetime of relationship troubles and contribute to premature ageing.
In the study, psychologists followed 121 teenagers from age 13 to 30, bringing in their parents and peers to help assess individual levels of aggression, conflict and hostility.
The teens were originally recruited when they were 13 years old from schools in the southeastern US.
At the end of the study, their ‘biological age’ was estimated with a combination of health markers, including blood pressure, cholesterol level and inflammatory indicators.
Those 13-year-olds who rated themselves as more aggressive had more conflict with their fathers (though not their mothers) and went on to have relationship difficulties in later life – they showed higher levels of aggressive or hostile behaviour towards friends in their 20s.
By the time they turned 30, they were more likely to have a more advanced biological age and a higher body mass index (BMI).
So, it looks like aggressive tendencies that take root in teens not only grow into difficulties managing conflict and relationships in adulthood but can also have important consequences for physical health.
The authors of the study advise “early intervention” to stop this runaway train of relationship stress, although they don’t say what that should involve.
Does this mean we need to be addressing typical teen behaviour differently?
As a parent, it’s hard to judge when normal behaviour becomes problem behaviour and if extra help is needed when learning to manage conflict.
But chances are, if you’re the sort of parent who is concerned enough to be seeking help, you’re probably doing your best already – and extra worry around the long-term consequences of teen angst won’t be of any benefit.
This article is an answer to the question (asked by Charlotte Gibbs, via email) 'Should I be worried about my teenager's moods?'
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