Senioritis: Tips to Shake It for Teens and Parents
Mali A. Mann, M.D., Faculty at San Francisco Center for Psychoanalysis, Offers Advice
San Francisco, CA – February 23, 2009 – Is your student’s last year of high school becoming a battle against sluggishness, indecision, and boredom? While “senioritis” can appear a serious affliction to parents and teens, some of the symptoms are actually encouraging indications of development, says Mali A. Mann, M.D., a training and supervising psychoanalyst and faculty member at the San Francisco Center for Psychoanalysis. Dr. Mann offers a series of tips for senior and parents to see the benefits of senioritis and to work through its negative aspects and is available for media interviews. Please call 925-768-3829 to schedule a phone or live interview.
“Senioritis, the boredom with classes, homework, and extracurricular activities that seems to strike all teens this time of year, is actually a positive sign that adolescents are looking to the future and ready to move on to adulthood,” says Dr. Mann, child psychoanalyst and adjunct clinical associate professor at the Stanford University School of Medicine. “Students with senioritis are creating a necessary, psychological distance from all that is familiar to them, including parents, siblings, teachers, and school.”
How can teens best grapple with their emotions and their lack of enthusiasm for school? Dr. Mann offers the following steps:
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Acknowledge the problem.
- Create a dialogue with parents and teachers by owning up to your declining enthusiasm for school.
- Take senioritis seriously when talking with peers—don’t laugh it off, because poor performance can seriously impact future academic and career goals.
- Seek ways to remedy senioritis by involving others in your struggle (e.g., ask parents or friends to remind you of assignments that need to be completed).
And what can parents do about senioritis? Instead of throwing in the towel or constantly criticizing their sluggish teens, parents can smooth this difficult transition by sharing coping skills with students. Using non-judgmental language, parents can open up a dialogue with questions such as:
- “I’ve noticed that your school attendance is poor. Have you noticed it? What can we do as a family to help you get to school on time for the rest of the year?”
- “How are you going to feel if your grades drop? Will you regret the lack of time you’re putting into your studies? Will weaker classroom performance affect your college acceptance or job opportunities?”
- “Are you concerned about moving away? Is that why you’re not focused on your current assignments? Remember that we are here now and we will be here in the future to support you.”
By talking about senioritis, parents may discover their teenager’s hidden feelings about opportunities and concerns in leaving home. Parents should consult a mental health practitioner if they notice serious signs of depression, such as loss of appetite, discouragement, and sleeping difficulties. They may be indications of a deeper mourning process for a teen’s anticipated loss of childhood.
The San Francisco Center for Psychoanalysis provides educational programs for training psychoanalysts and mental health professionals in the San Francisco Bay Area. Psychoanalysts are experienced mental health professionals, already possessing advanced degrees (MD’s, PhD’s, MFT’s or MSW’s), who have undergone extensive training in psychological development and psychotherapy. The organization also hosts a broad variety of arts and academic programs for the general public, access to the largest collection of psychoanalytic publications in the Western United States, and selected mental health service efforts such as the acclaimed Child Development Program. Visit www.sf-cp.org for more information.
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