Since 2013, the Romanian office of UNICEF
\nhas been focusing on teenagers, a group whose problems and identity are viewed
\nas largely overlooked by public and educational policies. In their case, the
\nrisk-taking behaviour is quite frequent. According to 2013 surveys, 42% of
\nteenagers have drunk alcohol at least once in their lives, 23% have smoked at
\nleast one cigarette, 10% of all the 16-year olds have tried drugs at least
\nonce, and one-quarter of the teens over 14 years of age have already had sex.
\nThe social background as well as the psychological changes that prompt such
\nbehaviour in teenagers were the subject matter of a separate survey initiated
\nby UNICEF. Sandie Blanchet, the representative of UNICEF in Romania, told us that, although the teenage brain
\nis capable of adult intellectual performances, self-control and instincts are
\nstill immature. And parents and educators must take into account how the
\nteenage brain works. Here is Daniela Dumulescu, a psychologist with the
\nBabe\u015f-Bolyai University:<\/p>\n
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Unlike adults,
\nteenagers don’t yet have the brain structures in charge with self-control fully
\ndeveloped. This is why they are more impulsive, more willing to take risks,
\nmore instinctive and less reasonable. Moreover, they are more vulnerable to
\nemotions and want everything to happen here and now. Hence their urge to
\nexperiment. Grown-ups must take this propensity into account and try to guide
\nteens towards experimenting new things in a safe environment. Teenagers
\nunderstand they have a negative behaviour, but that part of their brains that
\nenables them to refrain from this behaviour is not yet developed. They perceive
\nit as being dangerous, but they are unable to hold back.<\/p>\n
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Besides their propensity for novel
\nexperiences and thrill and adventure, teenagers are very much influenced by
\ntheir peer group. Within this mini community they develop their own so-called
\nnorms and social beliefs about alcohol consumption, smoking, drug consumption
\nand sexuality. Fidelie Kalambay, a sociologist, explains: <\/p>\n
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Teenagers believe that all these risk-involving practices are unhealthy, are
\nnot necessary and can affect the social image of an adolescent or of a person
\nin general. But, although most of them have this belief, they still make room
\nfor some nuances. For instance, tasting alcohol is acceptable. Therefore they
\nmake a difference between drinking and tasting. Moreover, given that smoking
\nand drinking alcohol are common habits in a society, adolescents consider them
\naccepted deviances. These are behaviors that they consider negative but that
\ncan be tolerated. They affect your self-image but not to the extent that you
\nmay be excluded from society. <\/p>\n
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This type of
\nrelating to their peers or to society in general, but through the eyes of the
\npeer group, is also valid when it comes
\nto starting one’s sex life or taking drugs. Here is Fidelie Kalambay again: <\/p>\n
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I
\ntalked to a number of teenagers and have found out that they have the
\npredominant empirical belief that most adolescents smoke, drink alcohol and
\nhave started their sex life. Consequently, they said, if everybody is doing
\nthat, then they have no reason not to do it. But, oftentimes, this supposition
\nis false. In reality smoking, alcohol and early sex life are less widespread
\nthan my interviewees believed. Also I have identified something I had not
\nexpected, namely another normative belief: they believe that very few of their
\nfriends or rather none of them take drugs. We believe that one of the
\nexplanations for this kind of belief is the criminalization of drug
\nconsumption. Most teenagers won’t admit they have experienced taking drugs.
\nAnother explanation we have come up with as a hypothesis is their low level of
\nknowledge about drugs.<\/p>\n
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