Age of Opportunity: Lessons from the New Science of Adolescence by Laurence Steinberg

Age of Opportunity: Lessons from the New Science of Adolescence Reviews

• 
  Erin

  I had to lock myself in a plane and at the DMV in order to finish this book. Nothing like an old, rich, white man hating on others!
• 
  sleeps9hours

  Excellent. I loved Steinberg's book on parenting, and this is a must-read as well.
  
  Tons of parts I liked from the book:
  
  p. 19 The Reminiscence Bump
  We recall more mundane events from adolescence, whereas unusual, emotion-laden momentous and self-defining events are recalled regardless of when they occur.
  
  p.70 Phases in the Development of the Adolescent Brain
  
  Phase One: Starting the Engines. Around the time of puberty, the limbic system becomes more easily aroused. During this time teenagers become more emotional (experiencing and displaying higher “highs” and lower “lows”), more sensitive to the opinions and evaluations of others (especially peers), and more determined to have exciting and intense experiences—something psychologists refer to as “sensation seeking.” In most families, bickering and squabbling become commonplace between parents and children in early adolescence. Because this aspect of brain maturation is driven mainly by the hormonal changes of puberty, the start and end of this phase will be determined by the ages at which the teenager starts and finishes maturing physically.
  
  Phase Two: Developing a Better Breaking System. During this segment, the prefrontal cortex slowly becomes better organized, a consequence of synaptic pruning and myelination. As information begins to flow more rapidly across longer distances in the brain, advanced thinking abilities—so-called “executive functions”—strengthen, which improves decision making, problem solving, and planning ahead. During middle adolescence—say, from fourteen to seventeen—parents often find that their children become much more reasonable and easier to discuss things with. A lot of the drama that had characterized the early adolescent years fades.
  
  Phase Three: Putting a Skilled Driver Behind the Wheel. In the third phase, which is not finished until the early twenties, the brain becomes more interconnected. This is especially true with respect to the connections between the prefrontal cortex and the limbic system. This increase in connectivity results in mature and more dependable self-regulation. During the late teens and early twenties, adolescents get better at controlling their impulses, thinking about the long-term consequences of their decisions, and resisting peer pressure. Their rational thought processes are less easily disrupted by fatigue, stress, or emotional arousal.
  
  p. 73 A small structure inside the limbic system (called the nucleus accumbens) is the most active part of the brain for the experience of pleasure—it’s the center of the reward center—and it actually gets bigger as we grow from childhood into adolescence, but, alas, smaller as we age from adolescence to adulthood.
  
  That is why nothing—whether it’s being with your friends, having sex, licking and ice-cream cone, zipping along in a convertible on a warm summer evening, hearing your favorite music—will ever feel as good as it did when you were a teenager.
  
  p. 92 Intellectually, adolescents can understand consequences, but emotionally they are less sensitive to them than are other age groups. One of my favorite illustrations of this comes from a brain-imaging study in which adolescents and adults were presented with a series of statements, and asked to push a button to indicate whether the activity was a good idea or a bad idea. Some of the activities were obviously good (“eat a salad”); others were obviously bad (“light your hair on fire”). As you’d expect, everyone, regardless of age, indicated that the good activities were fine and the bad ones weren’t. But adolescents took a little bit longer before making their decisions, even when the suggestions were as crazy as “swimming with sharks” or “drinking a can of Drano.”
  
  p. 92 The Peer Effect
  The mere presence of friends makes teenagers take more chances.
  
  p. 95 It hurts to be rejected at any age, but it’s actually more painful during adolescence than at any other time. (In fact, the pain of social rejection so closely resembles physical pain in neurobiological terms that taking acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol, actually can help alleviate it.)
  
  p. 117 Only about 25% of school performance is accounted for by intelligence.
  
  One of the reasons tests of intelligence, talent, or ability don’t predict much in school, work, or life is that they don’t measure characteristics like determination, persistence, or “grit.” By determination, I mean more than the willingness or ability to work hard—although that is surely a part of it. People who are determined are also dedicated enough to maintain their focus and persevere even when the going gets tough. Determination involves conscientiousness, stamina, and sustained commitment. It requires delay of gratification—investing time and energy in an activity that may not have an immediate payoff, putting work in now for a reward that won’t come until much later; and that may not come at all. Surprisingly, there is no correlation between determination and intelligence, ability, or talent.
  
  p.121 Self-regulation is at the heart of determination. The ability to control our emotions, thoughts, and behaviors is what enables us to stay focused, especially when things get difficult, unpleasant, or tedious.We rely on self-regulation to stop our minds from wandering, to force ourselves to push a little more even though we’re tired, and to keep still when we’d rather be moving around. Self-regulation is what separates the determined—and the successful—from the insecure, the distractible, and the easily discouraged.
  
  Self-regulation and the traits it influences, like determination, comprise one of the strongest predictors of many different types of success: achievement in school, success at work, more satisfying friendships and romantic relationships, and better physical and mental health. People who score high on measures of self-regulation complete more years of school, earn more money and have higher-status jobs, and are more likely to stay happily married. People who score low on these measures are more likely to get into trouble with the law and to suffer from a range of medical and psychological problems, including heart disease, obesity, depression, anxiety, and substance abuse.
  
  p. 122 Intelligence, as measured on most standardized tests of ability, is highly determined by genes. From about age six on, scores on tests of intelligence are remarkably stable.
  
  Intelligence isn’t as determined by one’s genes as is a physical trait like height, but it is more strongly determined by genetics than most other psychological traits.
  
  Because we can measure levels of self-regulation so early in life with the marshmallow test, and because those early levels are so predictive of future success, it’s tempting to conclude that problems in self-regulation must have strong genetic underpinnings that are engraved into the brain’s circuitry. Not so. Like all psychological traits, self-control has a substantial genetic component, but the influence of genes on self-control is only about half that of intelligence.
  
  On average, children who are relatively more impulsive when they are young are also relatively more impulsive when they are older, but the correlation between early and later impulsivity is surprisingly modest. This means that it is harder to predict adolescent impulsivity from measures of childhood impulsivity than it is to predict adolescent intelligence from childhood intelligence, in part because changes in self-control during adolescence are more influenced by the environment.
  
  Changing the environment of an infant can have a profound effect on many aspects of the baby’s development, including his intelligence. Unfortunately, taking an intellectually dull adolescent and moving him into a stimulating environment will do little, if anything, to alter how smart he is. But moving an adolescent with poor impulse control into an environment that encourages better self-regulation can make a real difference. Studies show that even the most impulsive, aggressive juvenile delinquents can be helped to develop better self-regulation.
  
  p. 125 How Parents Can Make a Difference
  
  Be Warm:
  You cannot love your child too much
  Be physically affectionate
  Try to understand and respond to your child’s emotional needs
  Provide a safe haven
  Be involved in your child’s life
  
  Be Firm:
  Make your expectations clear
  Explain your rules and decisions
  Be consistent
  Be fair
  Avoid harsh punishment
  
  Be Supportive:
  Set your child up to succeed
  Praise your child’s accomplishments, but focus on the effort, not the outcome
  Don’t be overly intrusive
  Relinquish control gradually, as your child gets better at managing her own life
  Help your child think through decisions rather than making them for him
  Protect when you must, but permit when you can
  
  p. 148 General competencies: being able to work effectively with others, being able to develop and carry out long-term strategic plans, knowing how to acquire and use new information, being able to think flexibly and creatively, and, of course, self-regulation.
  
  p. 151 KIPP focuses on zest, grit, self-control, optimism, curiosity, gratitude, and social intelligence.
  
  P. 156 How to Train Self-Regulation
  
  --Training Executive Functioning
  
  --Mindfulness meditation
  
  --Aerobic exercise
  
  --Mindful physical activity
  
  --Teaching self-regulation skills and strategies (SEL programs-social and emotional learning)
  
  --Sustained, Scaffolded Stimulation
  
  p. 165 Entering Adolescence at a Disadvantage
  
  The neurobiological advantage enjoyed by the affluent starts long before adolescence. Children from poor families are much more likely to have cognitive deficits than their peers from better-off backgrounds. Young people who grow up in poor households consistently score lower on tests of intelligence and executive functioning. These socioeconomic differences are apparent very early in life—as early as two years of age. And being born into economic disadvantage has long-lasting effects on a wide range of outcomes—not only educational achievement, but mental and physical health, antisocial behavior, substance use and abuse, and, of course, earnings.
  
  Many factors contribute to intellectual differences between children from different socioeconomic strata. One of the most notable factors is also one that’s unpopular to acknowledge—genetics. This must be so, given the high heritability of intelligence, and of executive functions in particular; strong and well-documented genetic influences on brain anatomy; and what social scientists call “assortative mating”—the tendency for people who bear children together to have certain characteristics in common, including socioeconomic background and intelligence.
  
  Genes clearly contribute to socioeconomic differences in intelligence, but environmental influences actually may be more important in explaining the relative intellectual deficiencies of children from poorer families. These environmental factors include both extreme trauma, such as violence inside and outside the home, and the chronic distress associated with poverty. Stress appears to have particularly toxic effects on brain regions like the prefrontal cortex that are crucial to advanced cognitive abilities and self-control. The good news is that, because the environment plays such a strong role in the development of this part of the brain, targeted interventions can help reduce inequality. We can narrow the divide between the haves and have-nots.
  
  p. 166 Brain imaging has shown how socioeconomic differences in executive functioning are reflected in brain anatomy. Recent studies have revealed structural differences in children’s prefrontal regions that are linked to their parents’ level of education. One aspect of brain development that is most disrupted by early stress involves the circuits that connect the prefrontal cortex with the limbic system. Early disruption of these circuits will tend to impair people’s later ability to rein in sensation seeking and control their emotions. So it’s hardly surprising that people from poor backgrounds are more likely to have all sorts of problems associated with impulse control, like substance abuse, crime, and aggression.
  
  p. 172 Parents from lower-class backgrounds rear their children in ways that are less likely to lead to strong self-regulation. They’re more likely to use harsh discipline and physical punishment. They tend to be more erratic and inconsistent, veering from excessive control to excessive permissiveness. They generally are less warm and less gentle. This is not the case for all lower-class parents, of course, nor is it true that all middle-class parents are models of temperance, kindness, and understanding. But these general differences between poor and affluent parents have been found in hundreds of studies.
  
  Socioeconomic differences in parenting arise from many causes. The circumstances under which poorer parents raise their children are more stressful and taxing. The communities in which they live tend to be more chaotic, dangerous, and unpredictable, which tends to make parents more controlling and less patient. They’re more likely to be parenting on their own, which often makes them more permissive. They have fewer resources that might allow them to take breaks from parenting when they’re burnt out, which makes it harder to stand firm when their children are demanding. And because there is a good chance they themselves were raised in similar circumstances, they’re less likely to have good self-control, which is essential to good parenting.
  
  Another reason that lower-SES parents are less likely to be calm and gentle is that, like all parents, their behavior is shaped by what their children do. Kids with weaker self-regulation are more impulsive and disobedient. Interacting with an impulsive and disobedient child makes parents themselves behave similarly—because their child flies off the handle easily, so do they. A “coercive cycle” is set in motion, in which harsh and inconsistent parenting produces problematic behavior in the child, which in turn evokes more harsh and inconsistent parenting. This cycle is more likely to occur in households where parents are stressed out.
  
  p. 177 In order to fully appreciate how the delayed transition into adulthood has disproportionately benefited the haves and hindered the have-nots, we must consider the different forms of “capital” and how they contribute to success in school, work, and life.
  
  In addition to financial capital, adolescents growing up in more affluent families are more likely to accumulate human capital (the skills and abilities necessary for success at school and work), cultural capital (the cultural knowledge, manners of speech and dress, and ways of behaving that signal membership in the higher social classes), and social capital (connections with others who are able to provide assistance). In case you had any doubts, social science has confirmed that it’s easier to succeed in life if you’re wealthy, educated, sophisticated, and well connected.
  
  Those who grow up in affluence have still another advantage that has become increasingly important: “psychological capital.” This term refers to the noncognitive skills that are now recognized as just as crucial to success as the skills that are ordinarily included in the category of human capital—it includes things like social intelligence, vitality, enthusiasm, and, of course, self-regulation. We don’t deliberately foster these things in school (although, as I pointed out in the previous chapter, we could), but being able to skillfully interact with others, light up a room, make people feel good about themselves, and exercise self-restraint are just as important, if not more so, than intelligence or talent.
  
  Various aspects of psychological capital contribute to well-being in different ways, but self-regulation is probably the most critical to success in school and at work, especially in a world in which the ability to delay gratification has become so crucial. Plenty of people succeed without being cheery, extroverted, or vivacious, but few people do so without being determined, hardworking, and persevering.
  
  I believe there is still another type of capital essential for success. For lack of a better label, let’s call it “neurobiological capital.” This is the advantage that accrues from having a protracted period of brain plasticity in an environment that is appropriately stimulating. The privileged have an advantage in neurobiological capital in early life, because they are likely to be exposed to environmental stimulation during infancy, the first period of heightened brain plasticity. But they also accumulate neurobiological capital by extending adolescence, because delaying the transition to adulthood keeps the window of plasticity open for a longer period of time while people can continue to expose themselves to the kinds of experience that improve the brain. The affluent also have the resources they need to buy access to stimulating environments during this time.
  
  As we’ve seen, prefrontal systems become stronger through scaffolded stimulation—challenges that requires us to use them in ways that are slightly more demanding than we’re accustomed to. These are precisely the sort of challenges offered by the colleges and universities young people form privileged families attend. The advantage of staying in school longer is not just in the additional skills, credentials, connections, and capacities that are accumulated through this experience—although these advantages in human, cultural, social, and psychological capital are certainly considerable. It also comes from the opportunity to accumulate neurobiological capital.
  
  p. 207 Some Recommendations
  
  For Parents:
  -Lessen the chance that your child will go through puberty early. Don’t let them be obese, limit screen time, avoid BPA (plastics 3 & 7), phthalates, and parabens.
  
  -Practice authoritative parenting. Be warm, be firm, and be supportive.
  
  -Encourage activities that are likely to contribute to self-regulation. Mindfulness meditation, yoga, tae kwon do or tai chi; or at least sufficient aerobic exercise and rest.
  
  -Be aware of the emotional and social circumstances that can undermine your child’s judgment. Stressed, fatigued, or in groups with other teenagers.
  
  -Reduce your child’s exposure to stress. Make your home feel as gentle and calm as possible. Be kind, physically affectionate, and relaxed. Strive to keep outside sources of stress from impinging on your home environment. Ensure children have time after school and on weekends when they can just unwind and do nothing in particular.
  
  -Don’t worry about whether your twenty-something child is taking too long to grow up. The longer one can stay immersed in a world characterized by new and stimulating experiences, the longer one can benefit from the positive effects such experiences have on the brain.
  
• 
  Blake Fraser

  Had to read this book for my developmental neuropsychology class. It was a very enjoyable read! The book goes through the neuroscience that sets apart adolescence, detailing the benefits and concerns that come along with the increased neural plasticity experienced during the adolescent developmental period. All in all, Dr. Steinberg approaches adolescent development with a balanced approach - placing emphasis on the neuroscientific literature to guide practical and applicational ideas of how to raise, teach, support, and guide developing adolescents! I would recommend this book to most people but especially to parents, teachers, pastors, and any others who interact directly with adolescents frequently.
• 
  Brian LePort

  Laurence Steinberg is a psychologist who happens to be one of the foremost experts on adolescence (see his fuller credentials here). His book, Age of Opportunity, applies the insights gathered by psychologists into what is going on in the minds and bodies of emerging adults.
  
  For a full review, go here:
  https://readingthebiblewithigen.home....
• 
  jenna roma

  *highly* recommend to anyone working/living with adolescents.
  
  steinberg presents a boat load of research pertaining to adolescent brain development and the implications said research has for educators, parents, employers, policy makers, and mental health professionals working with this population. the research is presented in a clear but digestible manner followed by numerous real world examples.
  
  i think i highlighted something on every page of this book, there is a lot to take away from it.
• 
  Katie

  I liked that this book cited scientific studies throughout. I also liked the information on how to be a better parent of a teen, and how to raise a teen who is more likely to succeed and less likely to get in trouble.
  
  I thought that certain sections dragged on, and entire paragraphs could have been omitted or replaced with a sentence.
  
  If you don't have a lot of time to read, reading the concluding chapter (+ the section called "Be supportive" in chapter 7 starting p 132 in my edition), will give you a good idea of the information in the book and will give you a starting point for knowing a good approach to parenting a teen.
• 
  Ash

  The Age of Opportunity was mandatory reading for a class I took in Juvenile Justice, but it turned out to be a great read that I would recommend anyone to digest, from casuals to upcoming parents. Having been involved in the studying of adolescence (and its various biochemopsycho properties that permanently impact kids) for many years now, Dr. Steinberg builds on his past decades of research to present conclusions about the nature of this delicate period of life and what he believes to be key takeaways for future bearers and fosterers of upcoming generations.
  
  Presenting this kind of information in a mass market publication is a difficult task; it can be easy to get caught up in facts & figures without delivering the kind of qualitative context that gets average joes hooked to data. Even harder to avoid is the trap of jargon and lingo exclusive to the professional field that would not be easily understood by those outside of it. And yet, Steinberg easily avoids both of these pitfalls. While backing his claims with hard stats and quantitative studies, he beautifully interweaves anecdotes and interpersonal memories (from either his own life or those of others) into his paragraphs, giving them a tangible quality that makes them all the more relatable. For example, adolescents' lack of impulse control as caused by neurochemical changes in the brain is attached to a tale of his son bailing when cops showed up over a disturbance. And with regards to the latter, there is no hard terminology that is not immediately defined by the good doctor.
  
  A lot of the revelations discussed in Age of Opportunity are honestly pretty eye opening, and I'd be lying if I said some of them didn't hit a little close to home. When I think back to some of the crazy stuff I did as a kid purely to impress girls, for instance, I can find justifiable explanations in Steinberg's text explaining why I did what I did. Even worse is when he makes larger observations about the early onset of puberty: its causes, effects, and ways to curb it before it leads to negative developmental effects in children. This is all backed by science and statistical evidence, and is genuinely something every parent should be made aware as they practice childrearing in an era that's only going to make this early-onset worse.
  
  I wish I could talk more about the specifics, but the reality is I could not do a halfway decent job at paraphrasing Steinberg's words. This is a topic that he is blatantly passionate about, and it exudes in his rhetoric, particularly when it comes to divulging conclusions and advice.
  
  All that being said, I had three contentions with the Age of Opportunity that warrant being addressed. The first is a very similar issue I had with Jeremy Scahill's Blackwater (
  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...) wherein he occasionally dips into taking a political stance that will inherently isolate a large chunk of the populace, something that is not wise considering we need bipartisan support to get the societal/educational changes implemented that he recommends. The part I'm particularly referring to is his semi-long section devoted to justifying why pregnant teenage girls are capable of making an informed decision on getting an abortion. I don't disagree with what he's saying, but it just felt pointless to put into the text, especially when that isn't a major problem these days. I also recall another small slice wherein he talks about feeling a sense of dread as he went deeper and deeper into red state territory. Again, completely unnecessary.
  
  The second contention is a general pet peeve I have with works that try and provide solutions to longstanding dilemmas: you know, quandaries that have existed for decades now and don't have clear answers. Well, lo and behold, you get an accredited individual who conveniently has ALL the answers, and goes out of their way to counter any Devil's Argument rebuttals. And that's exactly what Steinberg does, taking every possible counterstatement that could poke holes in his all-encompassing theory and stating how it isn't actually an issue. While it is important to address major criticisms, there is something to be said about acknowledging when your strategy has flaws rather than presenting it as an infallible plan. In the world of research and design, there is a constant awareness about the presence of confounding variables that could affect/account for the results of an experimental solution, and that of course extends to Steinberg's own propositions that are grounded in that exact same scientific method. It's not a sign of weakness to state that there are limitations to your framework.
  
  Finally, I vehemently disagreed with almost everything that Steinberg had to say about school. Lamenting that it's too easy, that the current Common Core curriculum is fine because it works with Asian students, and that teachers are not financially worse off than instructors in any other developed country. Every single one of these facets is blatantly wrong, and I'm surprised he did not see the holes in his presentations.
  
  First and foremost, in no way, shape, or form is American classwork considered too easy. Criticisms about homework being overbearing, lessons hammered in over taught organically, and the presence of AP and Honor's classifications blatantly exemplify that there are difficult lessons and assignments that students have to contend with on a daily basis. On a personal note, I even recall a time an Calculus teacher came into my Pre-Calc class to dissuade students from taking Calc AB due to the previous years having an above-average fail rate. And keep in mind, I went to high school in a wealthy county that did not have income disparity.
  
  Secondly, Common Core has been painfully ridiculed by members of academia and the general populace alike. It is widely considered to be one of the most erroneous educational institutions in first world countries, to the point where a video promoting it was hit with massive dislikes (back when YouTube had a dislike button)
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5s0rR.... To be clear, Steinberg doesn't actually refer to the term Common Core, but his consistent defense of the American schooling system inherently leads to him providing apologetics for Common Core as a whole.
  
  Lastly, the idea that teachers living in the United States should be fine because they're making as much money as fellow educators in other countries is mindbogglingly shortsighted on Steinberg's part, especially considering that he is a Professor himself. Even if I accept that the wages are relatively similar, that doesn't account for the many other socioeconomic factors that deal with quality-of-life, including: cost of living, inflation, property costs, necessary expenses (healthcare, groceries), and general happiness (that dictates the purchasing of unnecessary wants like drugs). It's quite clear that the US falls very far in those realms compared to other nations- healthcare costs alone could impede any monetary equality seemingly provided by hard salary numbers.
  
  I know it seems like those gripes are big, but there's a reason I ultimately gave Age of Opportunity a 4/5 on Goodreads's scale- it's a great piece of pop science literature. Seriously, I cannot understate just how important it is that every adolescent and adult read this- it provides insight and clarifications on SO MANY factors that go into that fragile period when our hormones go crazy and our mind refuses to control them. Tons of accidents and incidents happen during juvenescence, and having some foresight into what causes them (and what jumpstarts puberty for that matter) is vital to saving potentially many lives. In addition, you also learn about how factors like the wealth gap and industrialization play a hand in directly influencing contemporary child behavior, and why all these seemingly different components need to be addressed as a single unit if we are ever to make progress.
  
  A fascinating and book worthy of your time. Just keep my contentions in mind as you enjoy the insight provided by Steinberg.
• 
  Tia Bach

  As the mom of three girls ages 14, 12, and 9, I am just beginning to see the ebbs and flows of the adolescent years. I am also the oldest of three girls, so I remember those years as well. Just in one generation, I am shocked by the new averages being thrown at me about when girls entered puberty. One pediatrician told me the average was getting closer to 9 than 10.
  
  Age of Opportunity supports the idea that the adolescent phase of life is getting longer. The author states, "The brain is radically transformed by stress hormones like testosterone and estrogen." This is certainly not new information, but when coupled with data supporting an elongated adolescence, it's significant. I also found it interesting that while parents try to delay adolescence, society seems bent on a delayed adulthood.
  
  Further studies show, and are illustrated in this book, that our brain is heightened during these years and captures the corresponding memories with vivid detail. In addition to all the brain studies, the book provides worrisome data comparing our teens to those in other industrialized countries.
  
  At this point, I was convinced and craving solutions. After all, my kids are there and depending on me. I loved his basic principles: Be Warm, Be Firm, Be Supportive. It's the gray area that gets confusing. When is warm too warm (we create kids who go on American Idol and can't handle any critique and think they can sing even when faced with the reality that they can't) and firm too firm (although he does address that the punishment shouldn't be extreme and to be consistent and fair)?
  
  As a parent, we know what we should do in a perfect, calm environment. Unfortunately, too often the chaos and expectations of our time take center stage: pressure to perform in sports and academics, an overload of technology, and constantly changing education focuses (hello, Common Core).
  
  Overall, two-thirds of the book convinced me about a problem I suspected, while only one-third focused on possible solutions. I would have rather seen that flip-flopped.
  
  If you are looking for a kick in the pants to search out parenting solutions to benefit your children, this is a great starting point. It's a book I'd love to see followed up by a manual with more specific solutions and examples for parents craving to make that difference.
  
  Note: I received a complimentary copy for review purposes. A positive review was not requested or guaranteed; the opinions expressed are my own.
• 
  Poonam Dubal

  Research-heavy, but well-written. Steinberg summarizes in a surprisingly readable format all of the recent research around adolescent brain and body development. He provides basic information in compelling ways that really flip the way I understood adolescence and the way we treat this group of youth as a society. Some of the statistics he provides will blow your mind, especially around the treatment of adolescents by the criminal justice system. For instance, we know that most crimes are committed by indviduals under the age of 26 (the time the PFC is fully developed), and the likelihood of youth offenders (26 and under) to repeat crimes is very low. This means we are putting youth behind bars, forcing them to lose years of their lives for crimes committed before their brains had fully developed. A testament to the idea of prevention and intervention over criminalization.
• 
  Jen Winckler

  I read this as "assigned reading" for a parents of teens group, and I had my highlighter doing extra duty. I liked the hard scientific facts but also that it relates to actual scenarios that adolescents find themselves. It opened up not excuses for their behavior but an opportunity to see it differently as a parent and try to find ways to work within what is a physical as well as emotional situation. It's one more input into how to raise children, but one that I found helpful and not just more opinions from a parenting expert.
  
  The only section I didn't love was the advice on "authoritative parenting" because I thought as a science based book they didn't need to get into parenting advice necessarily, but it did flow with the book.
• 
  Lindsey

  Easily the best book on adolescent psychology that I have ever read (including Steinberg's Adolescence textbook, which I assigned last semester). I plan to replace his $100 textbook with this far more reasonably priced book for my next foray into teaching Psychology of Adolescence. This is an accessible, well-written, backpack-friendly, thoroughly researched work from one of the leading experts in the field. Great discussion of multiple applications, including education, parenting, and criminal justice. Not without a sense of humor. Perhaps redundant at points, but you won't forget what you learned from this book.
• 
  GalwayGirl

  Very good overall. There is lots of neuroscience info but explained clearly so people can understand it. Makes so much sense & really found this helpful as I struggle to parent a 13 year old girl. Some information I was already aware of but good to get further insights into parenting approaches & what works.
  
  Really liked that he clearly explained how to address problems & challenges, solid solutions were offered so I feel better equipped to handle this challenging parenting phase.
  
  Fascinating & really enlightening so far.
• 
  Lauren Liebenberg

  What a refreshing perspective on adolescence! The advances in neuroscience as explained by Dr Steinberg, have given us a new understanding of how our brains develop, which is fascinating in itself, but the development of the brain during adolescence in particular, explains why it is such a perilous but exciting time in our lives - why it is truly the age of opportunity. As someone on the brink of teen parenting this book was illuminating, invigorating - adolescents are on full throttle and brakes dont work - and liberating: like being handed a compass when you're lost. Highly recommended.
• 
  Christine

  Fascinating look at adolescent development through the lens of brain research. The key take-away from "Age of Opportunity" is the notion that for adolescents to thrive in both youth and adulthood, they must develop skills in delayed gratification and self-regulation. Culturally, we have come to understand that successful adults are the ones who exhibit "grit." Now we know that adolescence provides the last opportunity to develop that tenacity that will be needed for decades to come. A must-read for parents and educators.
• 
  Allison

  I really don't understand why the rating on this book is so high, I suspect that I am not the target audience. I struggled to accept many of Steinberg's ideas, like that adolescents just need more supervision. Overall, I felt like Steinberg looked at primarily well-off East Coast white adolescents and made claims about adolescents in general. Also, there are several sections that use hypersexual language when talking about young women, especially women of color, and that was unpleasant. I will be donating this book asap.
• 
  Ashley

  As an educator-to-be, I found much of the information in this book to be repetitive. It didn't introduce any new ideas regarding Adolescent Development, and I found the personal anecdotes to be boring - to say the least.
  
  This book could, however, provide a new perspective to parents of adolescents struggling to understand their child's' mind.
• 
  Q

  Some really excellent research and ideas here (though as someone who grew up in a place without decent public transit I completely disagree about the driving age), and presented in a coherent, interesting way. A good read for any parent or educator.
• 
  Jessica Lahey

  The best book on the science of adolescence I've read.
• 
  Caitlin Toliver

  SO repetitive
• 
  Don

  I think I learned more about adolescents in this book than I did in my entire MSW program. Excellent information and pretty well-written, although it could have been more succinct in places.
• 
  Brent Mckay

  Fascinating primer on teen brains & behavior.
• 
  Taleb Zaghmout

  Simply put, the best book I've ever read about adolescence psychology!
• 
  Savannah

  For school. The main idea is nice but the way this old white man with a phd talks about poor people is absolutely atrocious and I honestly can’t believe editors let him publish this in 2014.
• 
  Sarah

  Steinberg argues that society has incorrectly labeled adolescence as a period that teens just need to get through, and that current research on adolescence reveals that it is actually a window of opportunity to positively impact brain development. The chapters that focus on relaying results of research were well written and clear. He is quick to point out limitations of research when necessary.
  I learned a lot about how brain development shapes adolescent behavior. The chapters that give suggestions to parents and teachers were less data driven, (I suspect because there is so little data to support any interventions) so I didn't find them as compelling. He really drives home the message that we shouldn't treat adolescents like children and we shouldn't treat them like adults – we need to understand where they're at developmentally and respond to them/protect them appropriately. And if there's one thing we can encourage in our young people to make them successful adults, its the non cognitive skill of self-regulation. I highly recommend the book and have considered copying chunks of it for my students to read.
  
  Here are the notes I wrote as I summarized each chapter:
  
  - During adolescence the brain is easily excitable and bad at self-regulation – this makes adolescents very vulnerable
  - It's the last (and longest) window of brain plasticity (The first is during infancy)
  - Brain plasticity refers to the brain's ability to create and destroy neurons as well as strengthen or prune neural circuits
  - Plasticity early in life prunes circuits crucial for life (vision, language, motor skills, etc.)
  - Plasticity during adolescence focuses on higher order skills that largely depend on environment
  - Plasticity creates great opportunity and great risk, depending on the environment you're in
  - Adolescence typically lasts from age 10 to 25 (it starts with the end of puberty and ends with social independence and responsibility
  - Childhood obesity, lifestyle, stress, and environmental endocrine disruptors are driving the age of puberty down
  - Adolescence is longer now than it has ever been in the past, which means adolescents will spend more years in a vulnerable brain state
  - The limbic system and prefrontal cortex are both developing at different paces – our emotional systems come online before our ability to reason does
  - Adolescents are pleasure-seeking and risk-taking
  - Adolescents are fully capable of understanding risks, but they are emotionally more responsive to rewards than consequences
  - Being around peers increases pleasure-seeking and risk-taking behaviors
  - Social centers of the brain are developing, making them focus on peers while missing things around them
  - Increasing knowledge or consequences don't prevent risky behaviors
  - Self-regulation and its associated characteristics are better predictors of success than IQ (in terms of relationships, work and school)
  - Parents should focus on developing their child's maturity and self-regulation by being warm, firm and supportive
  - American adolescents are more disengaged in school than their international counterparts
  - It's acknowledged that schools need to develop students' self-regulation skills, but there are no proven methods to doing this
  - An extended adolescence widens the gap between different SES levels
  - Poor children are more likely to have under-developed self-control, which puts them on a path towards poverty (increasing their risk of crime, early parenthood, unemployment, and dropping out of school)
  - Poor children are more likely to go through puberty earlier, while middle- and upper-class children are more likely to end puberty later (so poor children spend more time with an active limbic system before their prefrontal cortex kicks in, and wealthier children have experiences that help them take full advantage of brain plasticity while they have more developed self-control)
  - There's no consensus on when an adolescent becomes an adult
  - We determine when to treat them as adults using contradictory approaches
  - Adolescents can reason as well as an adult in certain situations
• 
  Patrick Cook

  A useful read with a good overview of basic adolescent psychology more clearly than many other examples I've seen. The author makes some controversial claims, and has a tendency to go on and on about his pet subject of the importance of non-cognitive skills (not a bad point, but one that could have been made in no more than half the space actually given to it).
  
  Some take aways:
  
  — Adolescence is now longer than ever before, both because of a much earlier average start of puberty and the prolonging of adolescence into the early twenties. This should be seen as an opportunity, because adolescence is one of the two periods in human development with the highest neural plasticity. In other words, this is prime learning time.
  
  — Adolescents need to be progressively challenged and allowed to gradually develop self-regulation and independence.
  
  — Adolescents are more motivated by promised rewards than by the threat of negative outcomes. This is why risk-taking is the highest at this stage of life.
  
  — Adolescents are more capable of making mature decisions (and less likely to make risky choices) when given time for "cold reflection" and consulting with responsible adults. This is true for everyone, of course, but is even more true for adolescents.
  
  — Because of the point before, Steinberg makes a convincing argument that the age for voting (a decision made with "cold reflection") should be lowered to 16 but the age for driving (which requires short-term "hot" judgement) should ideally be raised to 18.
  
  
  
  
• 
  Rebecca

  Anyone who has teenagers or works with teenagers should read this book!
  
  What I want to remember:
  - He defines adolescence as a period of time between the ages of 10-25 years old (p. 5)
  - Adolescence is a period of tremendous "neuroplasticity" the term scientists use to describe the brain's potential to change through experience. Zero to three years old is a time during which children's experiences make a major, lasting difference in how their brains develop and their lives unfold. Most people don't realize that adolescence is a second period of heightened malleability. It is a time of tremendous opportunity and risk. If we expose our young people to positive, supportive environments, they will flourish. But if the environments are toxic, they will suffer in powerful and enduring ways. (p. 9)
  - The capacity for self-regulation is probably the single most important contributor to achievement, mental health, and social success. (p.16)
  - Nearly everyone recalls adolescence more powerfully than any other stage of life (p. 19)
  - The very connections between neurons that allow us to do something- think a particular thought, feel a particular feeling, perform a particular act, remember a map of city streets- are strengthened each time we do it. This is why things become simpler with practice...the brain circuits become stronger each time we use them. (p. 33-34)
  - It takes 10,000 hours to develop expertise in something...however, these hours need to be devoted to deliberate practice that is set up to progressively challenge the brain system being trained. Merely repeating the same activity over and over again, without making it more demanding, doesn't do much. (p. 35)
  - Three R's of adolescent brain development: the reward system, the relationship system, and the regulatory system (p. 37)
  - The adolescent brain is extraordinarily sensitive to stress (p. 37)
  - Teens need exposure to new experiences (p. 44)
  - Our ultimate actions depend on two things: the strength of the emotion and our ability to manage it (p. 72)
  - It's easier to change an adolescent's behavior by motivating him with the prospect of a reward than by threatening him with a potential punishment (p. 74)
  - Adolescents don't always know why they behave as they do (p. 84)
  - We should pay less attention to trying to change teenagers and more to trying to change the settings in which they spend time (p. 85)
  - When you are upset, they will pay more attention to your anger than the content of your words. It would be better to say "I'm too upset to talk about this right now. We will talk after I've calmed down." p. 96
  - Minimize the time that teenagers spend in unsupervised groups. They exercise poorer judgement when they are in groups than when they are alone (p. 99)
  - The prime time for adolescents' initial experimentation with alcohol, drugs, sex and delinquent behavior is not on Friday or Saturday nights but weekday afternoons (p. 100)
  - Programs aimed at enhancing adolescents' general capacity for self-regulation are far more likely to be effective in reducing risky behavior (p. 104)
  - "Doing homework isn't fun"..."Where did you ever get the idea that it was supposed to be?" (p.110)
  - Tenacity is more important than talent (p. 116)...it's all about the capacity to stay focused on a task and see it through to completion!
  - The most important environmental contributor to self-regulation is the family. (p. 124)
  - Children must be emotionally secure enough to move from external control to self-management; second, they must be behaviorally skilled enough to know how to act when they're on their own; third, they must be self-assured enough to seek and take responsibility for their own behavior...in other words, to develop adequate self-control, a child needs to be calm, competent, and confident. Parents need to be warm, firm, and supportive of their child's growing sense of self-reliance. (p. 125-126)
  - Be warm: you cannot love your child too much; be physically affectionate; try to understand and respond to your child's emotional needs; provide a safe haven; be involved in your child's life
  - Be firm: consistency of limits, structure helps children feel safe; we learn how to regulate ourselves by being regulated; make your expectations clear; explain your rules and decisions; be consistent; establish routines; be fair; avoid harsh punishment
  - Be supportive: scaffolding entails giving kids slightly more responsibility than they're used to...just enough so that they feel the benefits if they succeed but not suffer dire consequences should they fail (p. 132); set your child up to succeed; praise your child's accomplishments but focus on the effort not the outcome; don't be overly intrusive (they need to know there are plenty of situations they can handle with out you); relinquish control gradually, as your child gets better at managing their own life; each time you ease a restriction you should watch and see how your child responds; help your child think through decisions rather than making them for them; protect when you must, but permit when you can (p. 135)
  - Authoritative parents emphasize self-direction (p. 138)
  - The most promising efforts to improve self-regulation: exercises designed to improve executive functioning, mindfulness, aerobic exercise, physical regimens that require intense concentration, and specific strategies designed to boost self-control or strengthen the ability to delay gratification (p. 155)
  - To have a decent life: stay in school, don't have children until you're married, don't break the law, avoid being idle! (p. 169)
  - Instead of saying "Do it because I said so" or "Do what you want"...try "Here's what I'd like you to do, and here's why." (p. 171)
  - Stress, poverty, and chaos all make it harder to be firm, warm, and vigilant. (p. 175)
  - Currently, most of our countries efforts to influence adolescent development are aimed at preventing or treating problems, rather than optimizing healthy development. We spend our time telling adolescents what they shouldn't do, rather than guiding them toward what they should- and can- do. (p. 205)
  - If we can help children and adolescents develop better self-regulation, we will significantly improve the health and well-being of the nation as a whole (p. 206)
  - Provide adolescents with new experiences and responsibilities that stimulate brain development, while limiting their exposure to situations and substances that threaten their health while their self-control is still immature. (p. 207)
• 
  Joe Bathelt

  This book provides an excellent overview of the science of adolescence from a pioneer in the field. The book covers the science and ties it in with practical applications. Parents, educators, and researchers will find much useful information in here. I particularly liked the last chapters that distils the knowledge and provide practical advice for these stakeholders. I also liked the case examples that bring the theory to life and illustrate that this research is sorely needed to transform many aspects of society to better serve adolescents.
  The book is a few years old now and some of the information is a bit outdated, which is no surprise given how rapidly this field is evolving. It would be great to see an updated edition. The book is also clearly focused on the U.S. As a reader from Western Europe, I would like more information about the situation in other parts of the world, too. The contrasts that the author draws between the US and Europe sometimes seem overly optimistic. It’s definitely not all sunshine and roses for adolescents in much of Europe. Overall, I think the book provides a great introduction to the science of adolescence that is both comprehensive, well supported, and very approachable.
• 
  Julie

  I will admit, parts of this I "sped read." Author makes a good case for understanding the now lengthy experience of adolescence and to, perhaps, cut some slack to those twenty-somethings that are still finding there way (whatever that means). The advice for parents -- well -- that's just good parenting advice... authoritarian (vs. autocratic or permission), caring, physically affectionate, normal bedtimes, healthy eating. What I wished to have learned more about is just how secondary education is supposed to take up the charge of helping adolescents with self-regulation and the growth of non-cognitive skills (socio-emotional learning). As it is, author make a throw to other organizations (e.g. CASEL).
  
  
• 
  Keri Beth

  I purchased this book somewhat reluctantly on the school-wide recommendation by our guidance counselor. Reluctantly because I thought it might be a parenting book, and I don’t read a lot of those because they seem subjective and usually make me feel like I’m failing my children. I bought it anyway because I actually am a good parent and thought I should probably learn something. This book far exceeded my expectations! It’s about the science of adolescence: neuroscience, social science, psychology, etc. The studies were fascinating (did you know adolescent mice drink more alcohol when they’re with their friends?) and I learned a lot of useful information that not only prepares me to parent an adolescent but explains my own adolescence as well. Highly recommend!
• 
  Michael Rodrick

  Complete garbage.
  
  This book is just a pile of junk and misinformation about teens, and Laurence Steinberg shamelessly pushes lies and falsehoods about America's young people. His solutions to adolescent problems? More laws and parental controls. This man is a self-proclaimed expert who makes a living pushing myths and lies about young people, including the idea that the underdeveloped/unbalanced teen brain is responsible for teen turmoil.
  
  Steinberg shamelessly promotes his theory in this book, and makes thousands of dollars doing so. The reality is that teen turmoil is due to environmental causes, not biological causes. I would highly recommend "Teen 2.0" by Dr. Robert Epstein, who speaks none other than the truth about our young people. Unfortunately, Epstein has been personally attacked by Steinberg on Twitter, who arrogantly claims that Epstein has no evidence for his stances and that his (Steinberg's) view is shared by most scientists.
  
  Steinberg is unaware of all the scientists who recognize that his work on teens is completely fraudulent, and that he pushes myths just to earn a living.
  
  Terrible book. Don't buy it!