Egocentrism in adolescence

Adolescence is that difficult stage in which young people look for experiences that are the basis of the values they will embrace. Thus, precisely because of this demand, on many occasions an egocentrism that parents may find difficult to understand can be prolonged or reappear.

Egocentrism in adolescence can be a very marked characteristic. Young people, who have just left childhood, need to differentiate themselves from the rest in their behaviors and attitudes. This, in most cases, leads them to ignore the thoughts and feelings of others.

In childhood, selfishness may be related to the lack of development of theory of mind. Egocentrism in adolescence, on the contrary, has nothing to do with the inability to perceive the mental processes of others. Rather It is a way of affirming one’s independence, something fundamental for people at this stage.

In this article we will talk about why exactly this phenomenon occurs. In addition, if you are the parent of a teenager, you will also find strategies to deal with him.

Why does egocentrism occur in adolescence?

The years of puberty are characterized by the appearance of a large number of changes of all kinds. The adolescent experiences emotional alterations, a newfound interest in sex and a great transformation in the way he thinks and sees the world.

Now, the young person has to discover their place in the world and develop their own personality based on what they find around them. Therefore, during these years the interest in new experiences continues from childhood or even intensifies. This, of course, can contribute to self-centeredness.

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On the other hand, many young people under twenty feel that they are not understood. When they begin to question the way of life of their parents and other adults, they may believe that others do not have the ability to put themselves in their place (something that, if we are rigorous, is still true). This can lead them to close in, appearing opaque to what is happening around them.

Seeking attention

Another of the main motivations of young people at this stage is the search for attention and approval. Feeling insecure about their place in the world, They often try to compensate for this feeling by engaging in certain extreme toxic behaviors.. This is the case, for example, of arrogance.

Egocentrism in adolescence, therefore, would also respond to an attempt to protect themselves from external opinions that make them uncomfortable. It would also serve to try to appear to trust themselves more than they really do. This, which at first does not have to be bad, can become problematic behavior.

So, is egocentrism bad in adolescence?

In general, the fact that a teenager is lazy when it comes to putting himself in the shoes of others does not have to be bad. This is a characteristic common to practically all people of this age, a feature of this vital moment that does not have to be projected into the future. However, at the time it prevents you from functioning effectively in some areascould be considered somewhat problematic.

This can happen, especially, when parents do not know how to stop the young person’s lack of empathy. Even, In some cases it may happen that the family encourages the adolescent to ignore the needs of others. These situations can cause him to begin to show non-adaptive behaviors.

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How to combat extreme egocentrism

The challenge for parents, therefore, is to give the young person the freedom to explore, but without compromising beyond certain red lines. This, which may seem complicated, It becomes easier when there is good prior training in assertiveness. A trait that serves communicate one’s needs and desires to another person when this communication is uncomfortable. Therefore, it is especially useful in dealing with a teenager who has fallen into self-centeredness.

What does using assertiveness mean in this specific case? The adolescent needs a space to experiment with his ideas and clarify for himself a good part of his doubts; he needs to travel this path, at painful points, towards the adult stage.

So, Parents have to combine this space with the need to protect them, to continue being there. Parents who want to deal with egocentrism in adolescence They must also be able to set limits and maintain them when the adolescent tries to exceed them.. To maintain them, parents will need to know the reason for these limits: that “because I said so it will no longer work.”

In this article you have learned to recognize what egocentrism is in adolescence; Also, now you know that it doesn’t have to be a problem, but a normal characteristic present at this stage. However, If on any occasion your children present problematic behaviors, you can also consult with a professional to guide you..