What Causes Distractions in Teenagers?

The teenage years make up a stage in human development where youth go through numerous physical, emotional and social changes and seek their own independent identities. Teenagers are more inclined to spend time with their friends, pursuing activities that are of interest to them. However, a teenager may be driven to distraction for a number of reasons. This distraction will likely cause him to neglect certain aspects of his personal, family, social and school life.

  1. Phone Usage

    • According statistics from the Pew Research Center, 78 percent of teens aged 12 to 17 own phones. The study on teens and technology also notes that teenagers spend a significant amount of time calling, texting and accessing the Internet and other mobile applications on their phones. The CBS News website reports that electronic device usage is the leading cause of distracted driving among teens. Talking on the phone, texting while driving and checking out social media postings are some of the risky behaviors that teenagers engage in that distract them from responsible driving. Teenagers often forget to watch the road, wear their safety belts or even put on headsets when driving, leading to accidents and in some cases, fatalities.

    Peer Activities

    • Although teenagers need to spend time with their friends for social development during this phase of their lives, unregulated peer activities are a major source of distraction for them. Teenagers spend time shopping, playing outdoor games, talking and watching movies. However, when the teenager is constantly accepting invites to spend time with her friends, she gets distracted from her school work and other activities, such as household chores and bonding with her family members.

    Entertainment Media

    • Entertainment media, such as television, video games and especially social networks, can dominate a teenager̵7;s life and distract him from pursuing other activities. Excessive phone and computer usage reduces the amount of time teenagers spend physically interacting with their families and friends, engaging in extracurricular activities and pursuing other forms of recreation. Spending too much time on their screens may also cause teenagers to live sedentary lives and keep them from forming healthy eating, exercise and sleep habits.

    Personal Image

    • Teenagers may also get preoccupied with their personal image to an extent that it affects their daily lives. Teenagers need to feel "normal," so they spend a lot of time evaluating their physical and social development to find ways to fit in with their peers. Overemphasizing the importance of their personal body image is a significant distraction, particularly when society glorifies a certain type of beauty as the ideal. A teenager may become obsessed with losing weight or changing the way she wears her hair because she believes it will make her fit in. Parents need to constructively occupy their teenagers to keep them from suffering the overwhelming effects of this distraction.

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