When you were in high school, there were the kids dressed nicely, had cool cars, having (or pretending to have) sex and were mean to the others -- especially those who couldn't afford the latest pair of shoes. Your parents warned you to not pay attention to hazing, because the popular kids would wind up pregnant, dead, in jail, in low-skilled jobs etc.
Though these teens' rebellious, romantic or mature behavior is considered normal in pop culture and the science community, it can lead to a less glamorous future.
A study published in Child Development found that early adolescent pseudomature behavior, ranging from minor delinquency to precocious romantic involvement, predicted long-term difficulties in close relationships, as well as significant problems with alcohol and substance use, and criminal behavior.
After examining 184 people, The study found that such behavior in early adolescence predicted short-term success in their teen years but significant struggles in social functioning 10 years later.
Though the pseudomature behavior brought on popularity during teen years, the continued behavior led to a decline in popularity, the study showed. Early marijuana and alcohol use was also a predictor for future use in early adult years. (That seems like a no-brainier). Participants also showed less competence when having close friendships during early adulthood.
Being a social butterfly doesn't definitely lead to a dismal future, but growing up too fast in high school could hinder the ability to blossom in the real world.
Suck on that Regina George.
No comments:
Post a Comment