Cognitive and Emotional Maturity Diverge in Adolescents, Study Suggests
October 12th, 2009 |
A GoodTherapy.org News Headline
Those who have spent a fair amount of time with a teenager are likely to agree that adolescents can often perform cognitive tasks on par with adults. But when it comes to emotional, maturity, this age group is less developed than those in their twenties. A study performed at Temple University has found that cognitive maturity does not necessarily signal emotional maturity, a conclusion the authors suggest may support rational decision making in medical environments but which may prove to “mitigate [the adolescents'] criminal responsibility” within the context of law-breaking. The study examined the emotional and cognitive qualities of participants aged ten to thirty, finding significant increases in the latter area through the age of sixteen, while emotional maturity appeared lacking until teens reached their twenties.
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4 comments so far
Could’nt agree more. I turned 20 a couple of months ago, and when I reflect back to my teen-years, I can clearly recall that when I was 14, I felt like I was big and could take on bigger tasks and things, when I was 16, I laughed at what I thought when I was 14,but thought I could do those things then, later when I was 18, I laughed at what I thought while I was 16 for having been immatured,and thought I am 18 now and am indeed a grown-up, and now when I reflect back to being 18,I feel like I was still a kid then,but feel like am big now… and I’m pretty sure I would be smiling about what I think now a couple of hence… every teen,at different stages, thinks of himself as being a grown-up, but the truth is that real maturity does not occur until a person is in his 20s…
It is true that teens think of themselves as being grown-up and might take things onto themselves which are actually a bit too much for them. Parental counseling can help in making them realise that they are not so ‘grown-up’ after all… this needs to be done so as to prevent any crime-related situation that are a possibility with any teen, and to keep them content and safe with themselves and their abilities.
It’s kind of like how there are so many young girls who look way older than what they really are. It takes a while for everything to catch up and all be on the same page.
Adolescents experience an increase in their physical abilities to a certain extent and I think this triggers a false notion in them…that of being grown-up… Of being capable of handling any task…whether it involves physical or emotional ability…