«Adolescence is a particularly vulnerable phase!»

Mr Rutishauser, adolescence is a time of great change. What are the main stages of development?

Adolescence can be roughly divided into three phases: early, middle and late adolescence. In early adolescence, the first physical changes of puberty occur, which fills some people with pride and others with anxiety. The ability to think abstractly also develops gradually during this phase. In middle adolescence, social relationship networks and the way sexuality is dealt with change, among other things. Although the increasing questioning of parental values is sometimes exhausting for parents, it is a fundamental developmental necessity as part of the process of detachment and the development of autonomy. It is often only in late adolescence, i.e. much later than parents would like, that education becomes more important for the adolescent.

You look after young people for whom this developmental phase triggers insecurity and anxiety. What range of symptoms and disorders do you observe?

First of all, I would like to emphasise that 80 percent of all adolescents pass through adolescence unscathed - i.e. without any major disorders. Nevertheless, adolescence is a particularly vulnerable phase: many psychosomatic and psychiatric disorders do not occur until adolescence. At the Children's Hospital Zurich, we treat many adolescents with overlapping psychological and physical complaints: for example, eating disorders, chronic fatigue, pain syndromes and so-called somatisation disorders, i.e. physical complaints without a physical cause. The treatment of these adolescents generally requires interprofessional teamwork.

How can parents or teachers support young people in adolescence - and what is counterproductive?

The most important thing is probably to give the child support from an early age with an empathetic and guiding parenting style and to show them appreciation in order to promote self-esteem. It is counterproductive when parents focus primarily on performance behaviour and transfer their ambition onto their children. Overprotective behaviour is also unhelpful for normal development. When dealing with children and young people, teachers should ensure that performance assessment is strictly separated from appreciation of the individual.