The science of raising kids (Part 3): Why adolescent brains are wired differently | Jennifer Pfeifer

0:00Support for this episode comes from the University of Illinois Geese College of Business Online MBA, known as the IMBA, which provides unmatched flexibility that allows you to put your degree within reach. Christine Park, a second-year IMBA student, is experiencing the benefits firsthand. My name is Christine Park. I'm a current student at University of Illinois Geese College of Business IMBA program. My current role is channel business development manager, working at a company focusing on sustainability. And I'm also a proud mom of two beautiful boys. Motherhood is like an intense leadership laboratory.

0:44I learned in a hard way how to be resilient and how to handle this crisis management under pressure. but when I took a career break to raise my two young children, that short pause seemed to become a liability and I was just left with a resume that is not so attractive anymore. Later, I ended up getting a job and my re-entry into a corporate role proved my professional capabilities but to sustain the growth and keep reinventing myself, I needed to formalize my business knowledge with a world-class education. But these MBAs' flexibility and affordability and its reputation were unmatched, which allows me to balance a full-time professional role, family, and graduate school.

1:33This program is structured to real life. So I am able to apply the learning immediately to my work today. One of the first classes I took last semester was the business decision in leadership and teams. I was able to define what the leadership is and how can I be more effectively collaborating with other people as a team. My family is also a big part of this journey. I wanted to be seen by my child that mom is always trying hard and mom is always learning. And recently I noticed that every time I'm taking classes during the evening, I see them reading books and I see them doing some work on their own.

2:18So I felt like, oh, maybe I'm really modeling the value of lifelong learning. Upon graduating from Giz's IMBA, I want to try out some global role to better understand the business as a whole. Giz is helping me to get there by providing community. I want people to understand that a career break does not mean a broken career. Your value does not expire. I went from a rejected resume to leading a region in earning an MBA from a top university. So reinvention is always possible. Graduate education should fit your life, and the Geese College of Business online MBA does just that, offering flexible learning and new specializations like healthcare innovation, design, and entrepreneurship to meet your career goals.

3:07Learn more at geeseonline.illinois.edu.

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5:40This is TED Health, a podcast from TED, and I'm your host, Dr. Shoshana Ungerleiter. If you're raising a child right now or loving one, you already know that parenting is not a simple job. It's not just carpools and bedtime routines. It's questions that sit with you all day. Am I doing enough? Am I doing too much? How do I get it right? All month on TED Health, we're confronting that tension and exploring the health and science of parenting. We're listening to talks and prompting conversations all about raising young people. And we're breaking down how development actually unfolds in real lives, and not just in textbooks.

6:22Our episodes so far have covered topics like childhood independence, parental oversight, and how our daily environments impact children's health. And what has really stood out from those episodes is that there's common fear that people seem to have, even if it shows up in different ways. It's the fear that if we loosen our grip, something bad will happen. Fear that if we don't optimize every single choice, we're setting our kids up to fall behind. That if we miss a sign or choose the wrong thing, we won't get a second chance. And that fear makes total sense. Parenting has always mattered. But the modern version, with all the tech and connectivity that comes with it, can feel like parenting in public.

7:08Your phone turns into a running commentary in your pocket. a school portal that never sleeps, a headline that turns one new study into a mandate. And for many families, it's all happening on top of very real constraints. Time, money, child care, and the constant background stress of just trying to hold everything together. That pressure coming from all sides can feed the fear of messing things up. And that's not good for anyone. Today, we want to help take some of the pressure down a notch, if we can. Trade perfection for practicality, and replace some of the noise with a clearer picture of what matters most over time.

7:52And to do that, I'd like to move us into another life stage that many parents find especially confusing and emotionally charged. Adolescents. For decades, we've treated the teenage years as something to just endure. We talk about teens as reckless, fragile, glued to their phones, or ruled by hormones. Every generation seems convinced that the next one is in crisis. But what if that story is wrong, or at least incomplete? Today's TED Talk is by neuroscientist Jennifer Pfeiffer. She studies adolescent brains for a living, and she wants to challenge the way we think about this demographic. Her work looks at how biology, social relationships, mental health, and environment all interact during this long and powerful stage of development.

8:41And she argues that instead of a problem to be solved, adolescence is a period of enormous growth and opportunity. Jennifer's talk explains why puberty can be so destabilizing, why teens are especially sensitive to how they're seen by others, and why the teenage brain is not broken or unfinished, but uniquely tuned for learning, exploration, and connection. She also takes on one of the biggest fears many parents have right now, the idea that phones and social media are destroying this generation. And what she finds there may surprise you. What I appreciate most about this talk is how it fits into the larger arc of this series on parenting.

9:25We've looked at childhood independence and family environments. And as we shift to adolescent development, the through line remains the same. That young people are shaped by far more than their biology. It's about how we treat them, what we expect from them, and whether we see them as capable. And less about which parenting techniques your social media feed thinks are the right ones. instead of a source of worry and doom, I think this can be a powerful, hopeful opportunity. And now, Jennifer Pfeiffer. I study adolescent brains for a living. I also study their hormones, social lives, and mental health.

10:08But first, I fell in love with their brains. Unfortunately, the story we tell about adolescents isn't so amazing. We have, as a society, a long history of judging young people, underestimating them. We launch full-blown moral panics with every trend they set and technology they embrace. That sets up bad expectations where nobody wins. So, my mission is to use science to help change society's narrative. Think about it. Right now, the story we tell about adolescents is they're too anxious, too depressed, obsessed with their phones and full of FOMO. Rewind a couple decades, different story, equally unflattering.

10:57They're too rebellious, party animals, maybe glued to their TVs or Ataris. Why can't they be more like adults? who, of course, have exactly the right amount of mental health issues and other vices, right? Of course not. But when it comes to young people, it's a problem. And we look for something to blame. Is it their biology? Maybe the latest technology? I'm here to tell you what the science says. Adolescence isn't a problem to be solved. It's a transformative period of growth and opportunity, and we all have a role to play in helping them unlock its potential. So, let's dive into the science of adolescence.

11:46First things first, who is an adolescent? I can't see very well. I'm sure there are some in here. You're probably thinking teenagers, right? Thank you. Actually, no. Scientists say adolescent lasts from about 10 to 25 years of age. Why? Because of how it's defined. With a biological beginning in puberty and a social ending when they gain adult rights, roles, and responsibilities. Let's start with a biological beginning and something that probably nobody in this room is excited to talk about except me.

12:31Puberty is the best. Okay, let's take a quick guided tour. Puberty is a natural process everybody goes through starting around age 10, give or take a year, when our brains release hormones that ultimately change a lot about our bodies. We can't see what's going on inside our bodies. But there are a lot of outward puberty signs. From skin, hair, and voice changes, to body smells, shapes, and size, one puberty change that might be a surprise is sleep. Puberty kickstarts a sleep phase delay, which means an adolescent's biological clock doesn't make them feel tired until one or two hours later than before.

13:15Combine that with everything going on in their social lives. And ta-da, you have a new night owl in the family. Now, if you spend any time around middle schoolers, you'll know the range in these puberty signs is huge, especially between boys and girls. Because on average, girls start puberty about one or two years earlier than boys. So you can thank puberty for so many awkward middle school dances. is. When you see the signs that puberty is starting, something really important to know is this. Going through puberty earlier than your same age, same-sex peers is linked with more depression risk, especially in girls.

13:57But the surprising thing we've learned about that is it's not the hormones increasing that risk. It's how young people, girls, feel their bodies are changing compared to others. That's because having your body change so dramatically changes how you feel about yourself, and that matters for your mental health. It also changes how society sees you. One way this shows up is in something called adultification. When we see more grown-up looking bodies, we treat them differently. We have different expectations. For example, older boys assume early maturing girls are more interested in things like sex.

14:42And adultification also happens in our education and justice systems where it's extra harmful. The bigger picture here is we love to blame hormones, but biology matters less than how young people see themselves and how society sees them during this stage of life. That's actually a good thing. We can't avoid hormone changes forever, but we can make puberty a little easier by combining greater awareness of some of these puberty-related risks and biases I just talked about with open communication. Look, if you can talk candidly about puberty to a middle schooler, you have set the foundation for honest conversations, not just about physical health, but all kinds of important things to come.

15:35Besides hormones, another slice of adolescent biology we misunderstand is their brains. The idea that teenagers have immature brains, and that's why they make such bad decisions, it's everywhere. Where'd that come from? In the 1990s and 2000s, neuroscientists learned that adolescent brain changes don't really level out until your mid-20s. This brain science was so striking that it helped shape multiple Supreme Court decisions, most importantly, ending the death penalty for minors. Now we've basically... Yeah, applause for that. Science that matters. Now we've basically embraced the idea that the adolescent brain is still developing.

16:25That's fantastic. But there's a risk that the same science used to protect youth can be misapplied to limit their rights, like to vote or make their own health care decisions. So I have a really important message to share. Decades of research show adolescents can make good decisions about big things. Around age 16, their decision-making abilities basically match those of adults when they have the time and space to think carefully. It's interesting, right? I just told you the adolescent brain is still changing to the mid-20s, but these key decision-making abilities are online earlier. So I think that it's time we reframe our view of adolescent brains.

17:14Don't think of them as immature. They're perfectly suited to meet the needs of young people. Their brains prime them to explore, learn quickly from rewards, and be sensitive to social status. It's easy to think of those things as liabilities, but that would be a mistake. they're actually powerful assets in a time in life when building identity, independence, and new relationships outside the family really matters. So let's acknowledge all the amazing things that adolescents can do and to be super concrete, if you find that a young person's right to vote or make their own healthcare decisions is on the ballot in the future, don't forget research shows these are exactly the things they can do well by age 16.

18:16I thought I studied the biggest and baddest monsters of adolescence, and then smartphones entered the chat. Forget biology. The most explosive story right now is that social media is destroying this generation. It's true that youth anxiety, depression, and suicide risk are at alarming levels. But are smartphones to blame? Anyone want to know what science says? Okay, you ready? Social media use is one of the least influential factors shaping youth mental health. I know. This isn't what we're being told. And the kicker is, I know it probably doesn't feel true if you parent or teach adolescence. But here's the thing.

19:13Science doesn't care if something feels true.

19:23Let me tell you the facts. Scientists have a way of statistically summarizing information across all the studies on a topic. It's called a meta-analysis. Meta-analyses are great because they can keep you from getting science whiplash. You know, when the headlines ping-pong back and forth with each new shiny study. Anyways, there are a lot of them on this topic, and they consistently show really small effects. Excessive time on social media is linked with maybe 15 % higher levels of mental health problems in youth at most. That's like nudging from 20%, which is the current baseline risk for adolescent depression, up to 23%.

20:13The effect's so small, it almost gets lost in the noise. And in fact, when studies do a good job accounting for the many known risk factors, In adolescent depression, that's exactly what happens. The effect basically disappears. This makes sense if social media use is like a marker of youth mental health problems, a correlate and not the cause. Now, those other risk factors, those should be on your list because they have way more impact. Take relationships. Whether you're 16 or 60, they matter for your mental health. For example, youth who are bullied have double the risk of developing depression.

20:59That's a way bigger effect. But an adolescent with high-quality friendships, they can spend four or five hours a day online and still have over a 90 % chance of great mental health and well-being. If four to five hours a day kind of freaks you out, that's the current national average for 13 to 19-year-olds. What about families? The good news is they can protect against bad outcomes from even the worst experiences, including bullying. But parent mental health problems more than triple the risk of adolescents developing them to 3.5 times greater risk. I don't say this to blame parents. My point is just that parents matter way more than phones.

21:50Look, as someone deeply invested in the well-being of young people, both as a scientist and as a mom, I wish the answer were simply shutting off the phones. But the science is clear. We won't be able to solve this by focusing on social media alone. In fact, young people often turn online first for mental health resources and support. So what do we do? big system level changes are needed to fix this no question but we're not powerless if you're worried about youth mental health build their resilience listen provide support help them learn the feelings and failures are a normal part of adolescence because they're a normal part of life.

22:45I love how this message, it's for all of us. It's for parents especially. Even the best parents fail sometimes. We have hard days and big feelings, but too few of us get the support that we need. So if you're struggling with your own mental health, know that asking for help makes you a great parent. Because one of the best predictors of this generation's well-being is the mental health of those who care for them. In other words, put your own oxygen mask on first. All right. Let's... Yes. Yes.

23:33Let's land this thing. adolescence lasts from 10 to 25 years of age when bodies, brains, relationships, and mental health are all changing. But it's not the biological or psychological changes alone that define adolescence. We do. We are all in this together. That means we have to stop doom-shaming young people, if we keep saying this generation is being destroyed, how can we expect them to believe in their own potential?

24:18Instead, we need to respect their growing strengths, create space for them to contribute at home, at school, and in the community. Honestly, we need young people just as much as they need our love and support. Their ability to adapt to our rapidly changing world, it's a superpower. It's time to change the narrative. Adolescents, they're not a problem to be solved. They represent our brightest future. Thank you.

24:58that was Jennifer Pfeiffer at TEDx Portland in 2025 and that's it for today's episode this has been the final episode of our mini-series on parenting and health thanks so much for listening TED Health is a podcast from TED and I'd love to hear your thoughts about this episode, send me a message on Instagram at ShoshanaMD. This episode was produced by me, Shoshana Ungerleiter, and Jess Shane. Edited by Alejandra Salazar and fact-checked by Vanessa Garcia-Woodworth. Special thanks to Maria Lages, Farrah Degrunge, Daniela Balarezo, Constanza Gallardo, Tansika Sangmarniwang, and Roxanne Heilash.

25:54Support for this episode comes from the University of Illinois Geese College of Business Online MBA, known as the IMBA, which provides unmatched flexibility that allows you to put your degree within reach. Christine Park, a second-year IMBA student, is experiencing the benefits firsthand. My name is Christine Park. I'm a current student at University of Illinois Geese College of Business, IMBA program. My current role is channel business development manager, working at a company focusing on sustainability. And I'm also a proud mom of two beautiful boys. Motherhood is like an intense leadership laboratory.

26:38I learned in a hard way how to be resilient and how to handle this crisis management under pressure. But when I took a career break to raise my two young children, that short pause seemed to become a liability. And I was just left with a resume that is not so attractive anymore. Later, I ended up getting a job and my re-entry into a corporate role proved my professional capabilities. But to sustain the growth and keep reinventing myself, I needed to formalize my business knowledge with a world-class education. But these MBAs' flexibility and affordability and its reputation were unmatched, which allows me to balance a full-time professional role, family, and graduate school.

27:27This program is structured to real life. So I am able to apply the learning immediately to my work today. One of the first classes I took last semester was the business decision in leadership and teams. I was able to define what the leadership is and how can I be more effectively collaborating with other people as a team. My family is also a big part of this journey. I wanted to be seen by my child that mom is always trying hard and mom is always learning. And recently I noticed that every time I'm taking classes during the evening, I see them reading books and I see them doing some work on their own.

28:13So I felt like, oh, maybe I'm really modeling the value of lifelong learning. Upon graduating from Giz's IMBA, I want to try out some global role to better understand the business as a whole. Giz is helping me to get there by providing community. I want people to understand that a career break does not mean a broken career. Your value does not expire. I went from a rejected resume to leading a region in earning an MBA from a top university. So reinvention is always possible. Graduate education should fit your life. And the Geese College of Business Online MBA does just that. Offering flexible learning and new specializations like healthcare innovation, design, and entrepreneurship to meet your career goals.

29:02Learn more at geeseonline.illinois.edu.

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