How Writing Can Help With Socialization. Practical Advice for Teenagers

Teenage years can be very difficult because adolescence comes with a number of challenges. One of the main challenges of this period of our lives is socialization. Perhaps, the main reason why teenagers love parties so much is that socializing with peers is extremely important for them.

Teenagers are in the constant process of discovering who they are and what role they can play in the world and society. This process is difficult by itself, but when teens are in the system, it becomes especially challenging. While most teenagers socialize in the school environment, youth offenders don’t have the same educational opportunities. Their environment doesn’t contribute to their motivation, and limited educational opportunities make recidivism more probable.

Many juveniles lose trust in traditional education. Sometimes, the reason is that they just couldn’t succeed in the educational system. Another common reason why juveniles are no longer interested in education is that educators often fail to find the right approach. Therefore, it’s important to recognize the teen’s need for socialization and help them learn to socialize in the right way.

The Impact of Technology on Social Skills

Smartphones and social media enable teens to spend less time socializing face-to-face. On the one hand, the internet enables teens to find more like-minded individuals, no matter where they are. On the other hand, teens who are used to communicating online can get stressed out when communicating in real-life. Many teens feel more comfortable talking to peers on social media. In fact, according to statistics, only 25% of teens spend time with their friends outside the school environment regularly.

According to research, the domination of digital interactions can offer increased benefits in some areas. However, it is also associated with additional risks in other areas. For example, there is a higher risk of cyberbullying. Besides, online communication can limit teens’ ability to develop and practice their real-life social skills. However, teens with social anxiety find it much easier to communicate online. Social media and other means of online communication give them a safe opportunity to express themselves and share their thoughts.

At the same time, online communication makes teens more used to writing. Developing socialization skills among juveniles can be challenging, but incorporating writing in this process can help these teens achieve better results because written communication is perceived as something natural by most teens, and it is associated with less stress.

The Impact of Writing

Although most students constantly use writing as a part of their everyday online communication, they rarely get excited about writing assignments. Many students think that essays and other papers that they need to write in school and college are boring. The truth is that writing can be very time-consuming, but you can improve your skills and write more efficiently.

Examples of good academic writing can help you learn effective approaches and use them in your own work, improving your writing skills. You can learn a lot from professional writers, but in this case, you should be able to choose the best essay writers site so you should read reviews of companies before asking for help. The fact that writing assignments can be difficult and boring shouldn’t stop you from writing. Writing also enables you to unleash your creative side, and it’s a perfect tool for self-expression.

Various writing practices can be perfectly combined with general educational development and vocational training courses. Writing can be engaging, helping juveniles express their creativity and develop critical self-awareness. According to research, writing and other literate activities, such as peer mentoring, zine networks, and engagement with publishers can meet juvenile offenders’ unique needs and help correctional educators work toward the democratic principles held by the general public.

There is a lot of research data that illustrates the great impact of writing on mental health. Writing has proven to help people increase resilience and cope with trauma. According to research, expressive writing can also be very useful for juvenile offenders. An expressive writing intervention improved the participants’ resilience significantly compared to a standard support group.

Researchers from New York University worked with 53 adolescent detainees, both male and female, from 17 different detention sites. The participants were randomly assigned to an experimental group that practiced expressive writing, and the control group that received traditional support. This program involved six weeks of 90-minute long sessions that took place twice a week.

The participants were offered to write emotionally-reflective pieces. For instance, they wrote letters to their 10-years old selves, explaining what they should know and learn. Teens from the control group got tasks associated with less emotional reflection. For example, they were asked to write a letter to their favorite celebrity. The collected data demonstrated high levels of satisfaction among the participants, which was a significant discovery given that most service providers consistently report high levels of disengagement among incarcerated teens.

The program that focused on expressive writing demonstrated better results in terms of improved resilience, compared to the control group. The participants of this experimental program also demonstrated higher levels of shame. Perhaps, the reason is that these participants were asked to write about traumatic subjects and reflect on their traumatic experiences. According to researchers, the slight increase in shame is a direct indicator of healing and is tied to the recovery process, which often temporarily increases mental health symptoms.

Another study was based on an expressive writing intervention task that required the participants to tell about their deepest feelings and traumatic events from their lives. The results of the study demonstrated a moderate yet positive effect of expressive writing on the overall psychological wellbeing of the participants. Apparently, writing is an effective tool for self-reflection. As a result, it can simplify socialization and help teens in the system understand what they need to change, and what things are really important.

Wrapping Up

Socialization can be very challenging for teens, and it can be especially difficult for juvenile offenders. Successful socialization to a large extent depends on teens’ ability to express their thoughts and to reflect on themselves. Writing can be a very useful exercise that will help teens not only unleash their creative potential but also reflect on the traumatic events they’ve experienced. Writing can help teens express their thoughts more effectively. Therefore, it can help teens socialize, and such practice can be especially helpful for juvenile offenders.

Author Bio: Melissa Mauro is a self-improvement author who is always interested in new projects. She wants to create her own writer brand, that’s why Melissa is looking for fresh platforms for the implementation of her ideas. Creativity and unique style make it possible to deliver valuable and engaging content to her ideal reader.