The teenage years are infamous for at least a bit of rebellion, experimentation and risky behavior, and many people see it as a normal, healthy part of growing up.
A recent study out of the University of Pittsburgh may help explain teenage risk-taking, including why some teens “grow out of it” and others may not. The researcher also believes the findings may be related to why many teenagers drink alcohol and party less than previous generations.
“Adolescence is this fascinating period of the lifespan when teens are gaining independence from their caregivers, who they depend on heavily in childhood. They have more autonomy, and they’re taking more risks and exploring their environment,” said researcher Ashley Parr, of the University of Pittsburgh Psychiatry Department and the Laboratory of Neurocognitive Development. “This is important adaptive behavior because they’re learning about what works and what doesn’t in terms of the decisions that they make. It really helps support the transition to adulthood.”
However, the autonomy and exploration can lead to risky behavior, such as experimenting with alcohol, nicotine and drugs. Parr described risk-taking as a tendency to act without really considering the long-term consequences. Her research aims to better understand what influences risk-taking behavior such as substance use — and perhaps more importantly, why some teens grow out of it, while others develop long-term issues with substances and behaviors.
She and her colleagues examined a large amount of data on more than 800 teens from five sites, including Pittsburgh, starting at age 12 and up to age 30. This allowed the researchers to better understand what factors may influence who “grows out of it” and who continues to engage in risky behavior.
At as many as nine points in time, study participants received noninvasive brain scans to measure tissue iron in the brain, which is linked to how much dopamine a person has. Dopamine is a hormone and a neurotransmitter. It helps the body transmit signals and is heavily related to pleasure, motivation and reward.
The researchers found that teenage risk-taking may be the body’s response to lower dopamine levels. Teens who had lower levels of dopamine in the brain’s reward system were more likely to try substances than those with higher dopamine levels. As the teens got older, their dopamine systems matured. Their substance use tended to decrease as they matured, particularly after college age.
Most teens who experiment with substances do not develop substance use disorder as adults.
Previous research conducted in adults associated higher dopamine levels with risk-taking, so Parr’s findings challenge previously held assumptions that those findings, published in Nature Communications, would translate to teens. She and her team hope their work changes how scientists think about brain development in adolescence. Perhaps someday measurements of iron or dopamine could help identify which teens could benefit from additional support during this critical stage of development and growth.
The findings should be taken in the context of several other factors that also contribute to risk-taking in the teenage years, said Amber Sparrow, a licensed professional counselor and behavioral health therapist with Integrity Psychological Services who works mostly with children and teens.
“Teenagers are the age group most likely to engage in risky behaviors. From a brain development perspective, their limbic system, the part of the brain responsible for emotions, matures much more quickly than their prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for judgment, planning and impulse control,” she said. “This developmental gap is most pronounced during adolescence and contributes to an increased likelihood of risk-taking. At the same time, teenagers are highly motivated by social acceptance, which can lead them to underestimate the risks associated with certain behaviors.”
How teen risk-taking has changed
Many studies and reports indicate that teens are drinking and partying less than previous generations. Some possible explanations include being more health-conscious, being more aware of the negative consequences of substance use or less social interaction and therefore fewer opportunities to drink.
But both Sparrow and Parr said that doesn’t mean they are not participating in risky behavior.
“Today’s generation may not engage in drinking and partying to the same extent as previous generations, but I don’t believe that means they are taking fewer risks,” Sparrow said. “The risks have changed. In my experience, inappropriate social media use and vaping are now among the most common high-risk behaviors I see in teenagers. The underlying drive for risk-taking remains the same — it has simply taken a different form.”
Social media risks involve communicating with strangers, downloading age-inappropriate apps and sharing personal photos or information online.
“These modern-day behaviors that teens are engaging in are stimulating their dopamine system — social media, TikTok, Instagram, all of the reels that are at your fingertips delivering consistent rewards all the time, literally 24/7,” Parr said. “We think they’re likely engaging similar dopamine processes in the brain as these other reward-seeking behaviors.”
This type of risk-taking can be dangerous in a different way than substance use because they don’t have obvious, immediate consequences.
“When they don’t experience immediate consequences, it can create a false sense of invincibility and reinforce the belief that these behaviors are not dangerous,” Sparrow said.
Talking to your teen
Sparrow encourages parents and other adults to have honest, sometimes uncomfortable conversations with the teenagers in their lives. “Approaching these discussions with openness and without judgment helps create a safe environment where teens feel comfortable asking questions.”
She offered several tips for these conversations: avoid lengthy lectures, listen more than you talk, ask open-ended questions and give plenty of opportunities for your teen to share their thoughts.
Communicate your expectations and rules clearly.
Have regular, everyday conversations about a variety of topics, which builds trust and makes it more likely your teen will come to you when they need you.
If a teen asks questions about vaping, alcohol, drugs or social media, don’t assume the teen is necessarily engaging in those behaviors. They could just be looking for reliable information and a trusted adult to talk to.
Parents should also be aware of changes in behavior that go beyond typical teenage moodiness. Warning signs may include dramatic changes in academic performance, skipping school, lying about where they are or who they are with, withdrawing from activities they previously enjoyed and distancing themselves from long-term friends in favor of a completely new peer group.
“Understanding what drives these types of behaviors and understanding whether individuals are likely to grow out of them or not, this can really be leveraged to help parents, educators and individuals in the legal justice systems understand where this behavior and these decisions come,” Parr said. “And if you have a risk-taking teen, it doesn’t necessarily mean they’re going to continue on with these behaviors into adulthood.”