Discuss adolescent moodiness

What will be an ideal response?

A common belief is that puberty has something to do with adolescent moodiness and the desire for greater physical and psychological separation from parents. Higher pubertal hormone levels are linked to greater moodiness, but only modestly so. In several studies, adolescents' moods were less favorable that moods of school-age children and adults. But their negative moods were linked to an increase in negative life events, such as conflicts with parents, disciplinary actions at school, and breaking up with a boyfriend or girlfriend. Furthermore, compared with the moods of older adolescents and adults, those of younger adolescents ( ages 12 to 16 ) were less stable and strongly related to situational changes. Low points tended to occur in adult-structured settings—class, job, and religious services. High points were times spent with peers and coincided with Friday and Saturday evenings, especially in high school. Going out with friends and romantic partners increases so dramatically during adolescence that it becomes a "cultural script" for what is supposed to happen. Consequently, teenagers who spend weekend evenings at home often feel profoundly lonely. Fortunately, frequent reports of negative mood level off in late adolescence. And overall, teenagers with supportive family and peer relationships less often report negative moods than their agemates with few social supports. Poorly adjusted young people with low self-esteem and conduct difficulties often express intense negative emotion to unpleasant daily experiences, which compounds their adjustment problems.