Adolescent Emotional Development: Foundation for a Healthy Life Janis Whitlock 2011 Cornell University Family Life Development Center, Cornell University Cooperative Extension of New York City, New York State Center for School Safety, University of Rochester Medical Center Div. of Adolescent Health

Adolescent Emotional Development Janis Whitlock 2011 “A mental state that arises spontaneously rather than through conscious effort. “ “The part of the consciousness that involves feeling.” What is emotion ?

Emotion and emotion regulation is central to healthy mental, cognitive, social, and moral functioning Why is emotion important? Adolescent Emotional Development Janis Whitlock 2011

Emotions are central to people’s capacity to make meaning in their lives Emotions are strongly linked to coping style and capacity which is, in turn, linked to behavior and social relationships Why is emotion important? (cont.) Adolescent Emotional Development Janis Whitlock 2011

Why is emotion important? (cont.) Sticks & stones may break my bones… Emotional pain registers in same brain regions that register physical pain Recall of emotional pain elicits a greater brain pain response than recall of physical pain

The way human beings become aware of and express feelings The role of emotion in everyday life The change over time in a person’s capacity to cognitively identify, process, manage, and express feelings What is emotional development? Adolescent Emotional Development Janis Whitlock 2011

Emotional intelligence “The ability to monitor one's own and others' feelings and emotions, to discriminate among them and to use this information to guide one's thinking and actions.” - Peter Salovey and John D. Mayer Adolescent Emotional Development Janis Whitlock 2011

About themselves: Identify their own emotions Accept emotion Recognize common patterns in emotion, thoughts, and behaviors Separate their emotions from others Manage their emotions Emotional intelligence means that adolescents need to learn: About others: Identify emotion Accept emotion Separate their emotions from others Practice compassion Understand how to assist without need to save Adolescent Emotional Development Janis Whitlock 2011

Mood swings Difficulty labeling and talking about feelings Difficulty separating emotions from thoughts and behaviors Difficulty interpreting other people’s emotions and intentions Internalizing and / or externalizing behavior Assume feelings represent reality accurately Emotional development in early adolescence: Challenges Adolescent Emotional Development Janis Whitlock 2011

Receptive to understanding more about emotions Interested in other’s feelings (especially peers!) Capable of intense emotion Capable of learning to separate thoughts and behaviors from emotions Emotional development in early adolescence: Opportunities Adolescent Emotional Development Janis Whitlock 2011

Compared with early adolescence, older adolescence is better integrated with and moderated by cognitive capacity. Emotional development in older adolescence Adolescent Emotional Development Janis Whitlock 2011

When compared to females, males: Show higher confidence, adaptability, and optimism than females Use internal and cognitively driven mechanisms for managing emotions Emotion and gender Adolescent Emotional Development Janis Whitlock 2011 When compared to males, females: Are more aware of their emotions and are more empathetic Tend to nurture themselves and others and to form alliances with a larger social group. Use “tend and befriend” responses to cope with emotional upset

Basic emotions are universal but vary significantly by culture Social norms for managing emotion Desirable and undesirable emotion Feeling rules Display rules Emotion and culture Adolescent Emotional Development Janis Whitlock 2011

Model Build on strengths Respect variations in style Provide opportunities to practice: Accepting and being with emotion Self-reflection skills Perspective-taking skills Being in the moment Questioning negative cultural messages Sharing emotions How can we support healthy emotional development? Adolescent Emotional Development Janis Whitlock 2011

Web-based resources Raise awareness and emphasize value of emotion and self-knowing Enneagram: Multiple intelligence and types: Skill building activities to enhance emotional intelligence Emotional Intelligence Activities for Teens Ages (University of Illinois Extension) Emotional Intelligence Activities for Children Ages 8-10 (University of Illinois Extension) Social skills activities (WINGS): Reachout.com: Understanding Adolescence Understanding Adolescence: Adolescent Development, Sexual Health, Mental Health (ACT for Youth) Adolescent Emotional Development Janis Whitlock 2011

ACT for Youth Center of Excellence ACT for Youth Center of Excellence The ACT for Youth Center of Excellence connects positive youth development resources and research to practice in New York State and beyond. The Center provides:  Support for youth-serving programs funded by the New York State Department of Health.  Youth Development resources: publications, narrated presentations, and the e-letter ACT for Youth Update. Subscribe at  A home base for the ACT Youth Network. Visit the network at Was this presentation useful? Please give us your feedback: