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Explore the factors contributing to at-risk behavior in teenagers and discover strategies for prevention and intervention. Learn more here.

Parents are understandably concerned about their children. Last year's spate of teenage at-risk behavious combined with high rates of stress in teenagers, has parents wondering what they can do to better help their children navigate the treacherous waters of adolescence.

Scientists who study teenagers' at risk behaviour, fortunately, have some preliminary advice. Scientists are getting a better understanding of what causes teen depression and how to prevent it by looking at new findings in neuroscience, as well as other psychological research and longitudinal data. Here are some of the scientific recommendations:

Recognising the Signs of Stress

Stress in children can be exhibited in multiple ways:

Anger and Irritability: Teenagers sometimes struggle to find the right words to express their emotions, which can lead to frustration and irritability. Students who are under stress may act angrier or more combative than usual.

Changes in behaviour: During adolescence, teenagers who were once a good listener may change his or her behaviour. A once-active adolescent now stays inside all day. Abrupt changes may indicate a high level of stress.

Sleeping problems: Complains of being tired all the time, sleeping more than usual, or having difficulty falling asleep at night is common. Do look out for sudden changes in routine of your child.

Neglecting responsibilities: Stress may be a factor if an adolescent suddenly drops the ball on homework, forgets obligations, or begins procrastinating more than usual.

Changes in diet: Stress can cause you to eat too much or too little.

Getting sick more frequently: Physical symptoms of stress are common. Children who are stressed frequently complain of headaches or stomach pain, and they may visit the school nurse's office frequently.

How Parents Can Help

Parents and other caregivers can help children and teens find stress-management strategies by adopting healthy habits themselves. Some actions that parents can take include:

1. Demonstrate healthy coping behaviour

Caregivers can talk with children about how they've thought about and dealt with stressful situations in their own lives.

2. Allow children to be problem solvers

It's understandable to want to solve your child's problems. When parents rush in to fix every little problem, their children miss out on learning healthy coping skills. Allow your children to solve low-stakes problems on their own, and they will gain confidence in their ability to deal with stressors and setbacks.

3. Encourage media literacy

Today's children spend a lot of time online, where they may encounter questionable content, cyberbullying, or social media peer pressure. Parents can assist their children by teaching them to be savvy digital consumers and by limiting screen time.

4. Encourage Your Child

"I'm a terrible math student." "I despise my hair." "I'm never going to make the team." "What's the point of trying?" Children and teenagers are especially vulnerable to negative thinking. Don't just disagree with children who use negative self-talk. Ask them to consider whether what they are saying is true, or remind them of times when they worked hard and improved. Learning to frame things positively will help them develop stress resilience.

Long-term stress, if unchecked, can contribute to a slew of physical and mental health issues. Stress can raise blood pressure, weaken the immune system, and contribute to diseases like obesity and heart disease. It can also lead to mental health issues like anxiety and depression, which are becoming more common in young people.

Stress in adolescents does not always resemble stress in adults. Children and teenagers, like adults, can find healthy coping mechanisms. Young people and their parents can learn to recognise the signs of excessive stress and manage it with the right tools.

5. Lead by example

Parents who maintain a healthy and positive atmosphere at home and have a positive outlook towards life tend to naturally mould their children into similar bent of mind. Children unknowingly make their life choices based on their parents and their micro environment. Therefore, it becomes crucial for parents to lead by example for how they want their children to grow up and think. These foundational years and quality time spent during these times helps children become stable adults who have a strong foundation to base their life decisions on.