For a training day for teachers and pastoral staff at Scotland's independent schools - Feb 24th 2016

1. Adolescent brains, stress
and wellbeing
with Nicola Morgan
Information, classroom materials and chances
to win books: www.nicolamorgan.com

2. More information:
• My books
– About the teenage brain
– About teenage stress
• Classroom resources:
– Brain Sticks
• Your handouts
• My website: www.nicolamorgan.com
– And my blog
• Free Brain Sane newsletter re wellbeing, brains, mental health,
adolescence, teenage stress, science of reading, digital matters

3. Today
1. Teenage brains and stress differences
2. Stress – what it is and why schools
should care
3. Strategies for wellbeing and mental
health

4. Core conditions for counselling
• Genuineness
• Acceptance
• Understanding

5. Consider:
• What would your pupils most benefit from
knowing?
• How might you share this knowledge with
them?
• And your colleagues?

6. Principles
• Generalisations and individuals
• Universal – with reservations
• State of Brain and Stage of Life
• Understanding is hugely empowering
• Understanding based on:
– Natural, necessary, temporary and positive
– With aim of independence – breaking away

7. Main brain differences
• 3 stages, fr age c11 (Gs usually before Bs)
1. Major increase in volume of grey matter
(from more connections)
2. Major pruning (ie loss) of connections
3. Strengthening (“myelination”) of connections
• Prefrontal cortex develops last (mid 20s)

8. Prefrontal cortex vs limbic system
Prefrontal cortex:
• Control: reason, logic, prediction, analysis,
impulse control, moral values, decisions
Limbic system (inc amygdala):
• Emotions + instinct:
Reactive, impulsive, motivating
Amygdala
PFC

9. Teenage brain in practice:
Lost connections
• Diminishing of a previous skill –
demoralising and stressful
• Clumsiness – especially in boys, as the
cerebellum changes more dramatically

10. Teenage brain in practice:
social creatures
• Human nature, for all age groups
• NB social alienation brings major downsides
– including depression
• May be greater drive to conform to group
• Peer presence  greater brain activation in
eg risk-taking
• Social embarrassment  some greater
brain activity in teenagers
See work by Sarah-Jayne Blakemore especially

11. Teenage brain in practice: Emotion

12. Teenage brain in practice: Emotion
• (Hormones + stress also affect emotions)
• Poorer at recognising emotions in faces
• Strong amygdala overpowers weaker pfc
• Control of feelings and responses may
be weaker

13. Teenage brain in practice: Risk

14. Teenage brain and risk
• Evolutionary drive/biology encourages
risk:
– Dopamine drives brain’s “reward system”
– In some teenagers, reward systems more
active
– And even more when peers are present
– Highly social teenage brain => great reward
for attracting peer respect
• Amygdala may overpower pfc
• More weight on immediate emotion

15. Teenage brain in practice:
Sleep

16. Teenage brain in practice: Sleep
• Teenagers need average 9.25 hours
• But melatonin switches on later at night
– And off later in the morning
• So very likely to be sleep deprived:
– Mood, stress, concentration, performance

17. Teenage stress

18. Teenage stresses
• Change: brain, body, chemistry, friends,
fears, expectations, pressure
• Biggest stresses: exams + friendship
issues
• A regular schoolday – full of stress
• Biological differences:
– a) self-consciousness
– b) more brain activity in stress responses?
– c) slower adaptation to stressors?

19. Teenage stresses cont’d
• “New” stresses:
1. Exams: higher pressure, frequency + stakes

20. New teenage stresses cont’d
2. The internet and social media:
• 24/7 bullying  low empathy + lack of eye contact
• Highly appealing/addictive – time-suck
• Over-sharing – drive to share personal info  risk
• Repetition of bad news stories
• Pressure to conform with tribe – “FOMO”
• Distraction: “Continual partial attention” (more later)
The Organized Mind by Daniel Levitin

21. Teenage brains in the
classroom
• Boys/girls reach stages at different times
• If young for year, brain at earlier stage
• Stress affects performance
• Self-consciousness can be huge stressor
• Learners often lack autonomy – special
problem for teenagers
• Brain “bandwidth” issues (later!)

22. Questions?

23. DISCUSS
1. What 2-4 things struck you most? Any
light bulb moments?
2. What do you think pupils would be
interested in? How would they benefit
from this understanding?
3. How would you share it with them?

24. Break

25. Adolescent brains, stress
and wellbeing
with Nicola Morgan
Part 2: Stress
Information, classroom materials and chances
to win books: www.nicolamorgan.com

26. What is stress?
• Fight or flight response
• Adrenalin and cortisol
 optimal performance
• But cortisol builds up if no relief
• Same negative effects for all ages:
– Immune system, concentration, mood, sleep
– Performance – cognitive and executive
• “Preoccupation”

27. “Preoccupation”
• The “bandwidth” issue and multi-tasking
• If part of focus is elsewhere, cannot
perform 100% on task
• Preoccupation diminishes performance/IQ:
– Cognitive capacity (aspects of learning)
– Executive control (aspects of behaviour)

28. When can preoccupation occur?
1. Worries and intrusive thoughts
2. “Scarcity” – time and food
3. Overload of information / tasks – attempts to
multi-task
NB:
– Social media/email/phones  distraction and
info-overload

29. No one can multi-task!
• Remember “bandwidth” – no one can
escape!
• (But certain non-cognitive tasks can be
done together)
• We do not improve at multi-tasking
– Those who practise distraction most are worse
at ignoring distractions
– Attempting to multi-task causes cognitive
stress/cost
The Organized Mind by Daniel Levitin

30. Extra stress for introverts
• Introversion is not about shyness
• Spend huge energy in all social situations
• May do least good work in collaboration
• Extra need for quiet time, switch-off time
• If needs aren’t met  more stress
• Most school situations highly stressful
• Society values extroverts  introverts may
undervalue selves

31. And for “Type A” personalities
(Ambitious; perfectionist; take on too much;
hurry)
• May deal poorly with failure
• “Rumination” instead of moving forward
• Need extra help with stress management
– And resilience

32. Anxious teenagers and intrusive
thoughts
• “Rumination”
• Creates a pathway in brain
– Huge effect on preoccupation  loss of focus
• Major factor in anxiety disorders and
depression
• Teenagers lack life experience, context etc
• May use “negative coping mechanisms”

33. Questions?

34. DISCUSS
1. What stress-inducing challenges does
our school day create?
2. What about our own stress? Do we
recognise any of the same triggers? How
do we cope? Do we sometimes expect
teenagers to “get on with it”?

35. Lunch

36. Adolescent brains, stress
and wellbeing
with Nicola Morgan
Part 3: Strategies
Information, classroom materials and chances
to win books: www.nicolamorgan.com

37. Strategies for Wellbeing
1. PERMA – “engagement”/”flow”
2. Build resilience
3. Value and cater for introverts + all
4. Educate re stress + anxiety
management
5. Improve sleep
6. Manage screentime
7. Read for Pleasure

38. 1. PERMA model of wellbeing
P = positive feelings
E = engagement
R = relationships
M = meaning
A = accomplishment
See Teaching Wellbeing in Schools by Ian Morris and Flourish by
Martin Seligman

39. 2. Build resilience
• Does not come from cotton-wool:
avoidance of danger/stress/upset/failure
• Nor from neglect or “stiff upper lip”
• Helicopter parenting vs safety net
parenting
– Teach skills; allow failure and trying again

40. Resilience benefits from
• “Growth” mindset – Carol Dweck
– DRIVE by Daniel Pink covers her work
– Praising effort not talent
• Recognising who might need extra
support: perfectionists, neglected etc
• Acknowledging “character strengths”
– FLOURISH by Martin Seligman
– What went well?

41. Resilience also benefits from
Using metacognition
– Why did that go wrong? Could I have acted
differently?
• What steps can I take to do better next time?
• How can I let go of that mistake?
1. youngminds.org for classroom resources
2. Teaching Happpiness & Wellbeing in Schools by Ian Morris
3. Authentic Happiness website

42. 3. Educate about stress
What stress IS – good and bad
– Cortisol effect
– “Cup of stress”
– “RELAXATION IS NOT A LUXURY”
• Emphasise that relaxation helps performance
• Teach about
– “Preoccupation” and
– Digital distraction

43. Educate about stress cont’d
• Strategies:
A. Breathing skills – for panic or general
relaxation
B. Down-time – activities to reduce cortisol
~ Different ~ Varied ~ Deliberate
C. Perspective:
~ you are not alone ~ this is not forever ~ talk
D. Teach intrusive thoughts tool

44. Anxiety management
A. Empathise re anxieties – “understanding,
acceptance and genuineness”
B. Breathing exercise
C. Intrusive thoughts – “pathways” exercise

45. Intrusive thoughts tool
• Every thought is a pathway in the brain
• The brain learns by repetition, creating
strong pathways that are easy to follow
• But the brain can learn negative, unhelpful
things, too => negative intrusive thoughts
• We can replace with positive thought

55. Mental Health First Aid
1. Assess for risk of suicide/harm
2. Listen without judgement
3. Reassure and inform
4. Encourage and facilitate seeking
professional help
5. Recommend other forms of help

56. 4. Value your introverts
• Think about which students they may be
• Educate all re personality strengths
– Thinkers, creative, good friends, sensitive,
great leaders, highly respected by many
• Teach self-awareness; motivate to practise
weaknesses; extra praise
• Be aware that they may do best work
alone
• Do not draw attention to quietness
• Offer sanctuary, time and space

57. 5. Improve sleep

58. Teach “Sleep hygiene”
1-2 hours before bed
Aim:
1. Wind down to lower heart rate/stress
2. Stimulate melatonin (sleep hormone)
3. Create routine
Many tips on handouts

59. 6. Educate re screen-time
• Screens hinder sleep
• Fact: we cannot focus as well on two
things
– “You will get your work done faster and better
if you switch off distraction”
• Tools: pomodoro technique; Antisocial
• Intrinsic motivation: experience of benefit

60. 7. Read for pleasure

61. 7. Read for pleasure
• “Readaxation” – see my website
• Substantial evidence:
– Self-esteem, relationships, knowledge,
vocabulary, attainment, empathy, mood, stress
• Book must be freely chosen
– NO judgment on book choice; fiction AND factual
• Aim is “engagement” or “flow”
– Reduces cortisol; stops rumination; improves
performance

62. CAUTION:
Children who read a lot
risk becoming
independent, open-
minded, questioning,
knowledgeable and
CONFIDENT

63. Discussion
Resilience ~ Stress education ~ Sleep ~ Screen-time
management ~ Introversion management ~ Reading
A. What are our biggest challenges in
school?
B. What might be an easy starting point?
C. Ideas for putting any of these into action?

64. Questions?

65. Adolescent brains, stress
and wellbeing
with Nicola Morgan
Information, classroom materials and chances
to win books: www.nicolamorgan.com

66. Online porn and relationships
• Boys tend to believe porn is educational; girls tend
to believe it’s harmful
• Most do what they think “everyone else” is doing –
need to fit in
• Young women (16-24) at greatest risk of violence;
evidence this is not improving
• Acting in moment, not looking ahead
• Core message: if you make a person do
something they don’t want, it’s assault
• And sharing indecent picture u18 is illegal
• www.thinkuknow.org

67. Self-harm
• Stats vague – 13%? 70% increase in A&E
• Variety of reasons – beware
generalisations
• Harmer often feels self-disgust; fear
• Physical urge => dopamine
• Distraction strategies; safety advice
• And essential to have talking therapy
• Dangerous to prevent, if no coping
strategy
• www.selfharm.co.uk

68. Depression
• Signs
– Gender differences
• May not ask for help
• Reassurance that this is an illness
• Get professional help – 3 steps
• Role of sleep
• Taking control in small steps