Social connection and teen health

Dr Asha Pemberton

teenhealth.tt@gmail.com

SOCIAL connection and peer acceptance play a pivotal role in the overall health and well-being of teenagers and young adults. Starting in late childhood and rapidly developing through adolescence, young people are not only developing their identities but are doing so in the context of complex social dynamics.

Young people want to experience a sense of belonging. They are often unable to immediately distinguish positive from negative influences. The overall goal is the feeling of acceptance. This is why youth will actively rebel against efforts by adults who try to forcibly end their friendships.

By understanding the importance of social connection to young people, parents and mentors are better able to guide them to make supportive relationships.

Tweens and teens experience significant stress in their daily lives. Their friends and peers provide support and often understand the nuances of their emotions even better than their parents.

Young people typically feel comfortable expressing their true emotions to those who accept, understand and are willing to engage them without judgement. This explains why young people who share similar experiences of trauma often connect and develop friendships.

While on the surface such alliances make parents uncomfortable, they must recognise that common life experiences, both positive and negative, will often pull young people into a shared space of safety with each other.

Supportive relationships also enhance the sense of self-worth of young people. Positive reinforcement from friends leads to greater confidence in one’s abilities and decisions. In fact, receiving accolades and praise from other young people is usually more valuable to young people than hearing the very same words from their parents.

This is a testament to the importance of social connection in adolescence. It is an aspect of normal development. Socially connected teens often experience lower rates of anxiety and depression by providing consistent distraction and companionship.

Strong social connections contribute to the development of resilience. Psychological resilience is the ability to bounce back from setbacks. A network of supportive friends gives young people the space and support to navigate challenges. They can also provide practical advice that young people are willing to accept and integrate into their lives.

The skills of emotional resilience are developed through relationships. These include empathy, conflict resolution, patience and open-mindedness. It is only through the lived experiences of friendships, the ups and downs and in-betweens, do youth learn the skills that take them forward into adult life.

While parents will often cringe at the dynamics of adolescent friendships and be tempted to directly intervene, young people learn best through moving through moments of discomfort and applying valuable lessons along the journey.

While much attention is placed on the negative aspects of social connections, it is important to note that friends often influence each other regarding their general well-being. This includes diet, physical activity, attention to hygiene and general self-care.

The current cohort of young people is more literate regarding mental health well-being than ever before. Positive peer pressure can promote healthier lifestyle choices, such as preferring water over sugar-sweetened beverages; creating schedules and implementing time management skills; or improved body confidence and self-esteem.

Critical to social development in adolescence is the consistent opportunity to meet and engage with a range of young people. Tweens and teens are encouraged to participate in clubs, sports and community activities. There they can interact with new peers and also strengthen existing relationships by interacting in a different dynamic.

It is often true that some classmates may not interact much during school hours but enjoy a completely different relationship during an extracurricular or after-school activity. These are the peculiarities of adolescent friendships.

Social connection is the cornerstone of teen health, providing emotional support, enhancing mental well-being, and fostering the development of essential life skills. Some adolescents, due to neurobiological or behavioural concerns, will struggle with social interactions and connections.

These youth will require additional support as many times they seek to connect and sustain relationships, but require the tools and guidance to be able to sustainably do so. Prioritising relationships can lead to healthier, happier adolescents who are better equipped to navigate the ups and downs of life.

Encouraging teens to cultivate meaningful connections will benefit their overall health and well-being now and into their young adult lives.

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