Mental Health

Your Teenager’s Relationship to Drama May Be a Matter of Long-Term Health

A 17-year study tracking teens into adulthood found that adolescent aggression predicts faster biological aging.
Your Teenager’s Relationship to Drama May Be a Matter of Long-Term Health
Catherine Falls Commercial/Getty Images
Rachel Ann T. Melegrito
|Updated:
0:00

Parents often dismiss teenage drama as a phase. However, researchers tracking 121 adolescents from middle school to age 30 found it anything but.

The new study found that adolescents with higher levels of aggression showed signs of faster biological aging and higher body mass index (BMI) later in adulthood—and the relationships teens formed during those years appear to be the driving mechanism.

Rachel Ann T. Melegrito
Rachel Ann T. Melegrito
Author
Rachel Melegrito worked as an occupational therapist, specializing in neurological cases. Melegrito also taught university courses in basic sciences and professional occupational therapy. She earned a master's degree in childhood development and education in 2019. Since 2020, Melegrito has written extensively on health topics for various publications and brands.