Adolescents cannot do this in a vacuum, but rather through conflict and confrontation. Adolescents may be rude or make fun of parents and other authority figures and not want to be with them. In a teenager s mind, defiance expresses autonomy and says that he or she doesn t need parents in and often serves as a test of parental caring. Due to body changes, there can be confusion about whether teenagers really do want to grow up. Hormonal changes cause mood swings marked by tearfulness, heightened sensitivity, sudden flare-ups, an increased need for physical activity and inappropriate laughter and giggling.
Teens begin to work out their relationships with their peers to find out how they fit in.
Teenagers have a heightened need for privacy. Experiencing privacy gives them a new sense of control and autonomy. They need privacy to test things out for themselves without parent input. Teens still need an adult to relate to, but in a different way than they did when they were younger.