Parenting Impulsive Teens

Are you parenting an impulsive teenager? Impulsivity and curiosity can often lead teenagers into troubled. In fact Researchers at the Pennsylvania School of Medicine and Georgetown University in the US interviewed 1 071 ninth graders at five public high schools. The students filled out a questionnaire that assessed their smoking habits, exposure to other smokers, receptivity to tobacco ads and the impulsive personality trait.

Impulsive students, both smokers and non-smokers, were twice as likely to be receptive to tobacco ads. The researchers conclude that impulsivity may be a key factor in greater receptivity to tobacco ads. This personality trait may also increase their risk of starting to smoke.

The heightened receptivity to tobacco advertising among youth high in novelty-seeking may be attributable to their greater need for stimulation and rewarding experiences, according to lead author Janet Audrain, assistant professor of psychiatry.

Programs that Can Help Impulsive Teens

Programs that help treat impulsive teens include boarding schools, residential treatment centers, wilderness programs, and boot camps. Impulsivity is common among teenangers and can frequently lead to trouble, as impulsive teens may not think through the consequences of their decisions. Programs treat impulsive teens by creating an environment where the relationship between actions and consequences is very clear, and where consequences both good and bad are enforced quickly and consistently. Repeating this process many times in a closed setting helps teens begin to think through consequences before they take action.