What exactly is a psychologist's point of view on the subject of age of consent and emancipation laws?-details

Question

I am writing a paper for my arguement-based research class discussing parents having too little faith in minors (say, ages 16 and 17) and in making choices for their children, sometimes doing them more harm than good. My arguement is that if a student has the abilities to function and behave in a responsible manner, they should be given more freedom and the Age of Consent laws upheld by individual states should benefit more the child than the adult. I would like to hear the view point of psychologists, whether you agree or disagree with my arguement, and possible cite my responses as sources (for which I will also request permission from you).

Answer 1

Where I live there is not a legal age of consent. So, for example, if a 15-year-old seeks treatment from a psychologist, the psychologist does not have to get consent from the parent to provide treatment. However, it is up to the psychologist to determine whether or not the teenager is capable of giving consent. In order to proceed, the psychologist must be satisfied that the teenager has a full understanding of the nature of the treatment the psychologist will provide; understands the voluntary nature of such treatment; understands issues around confidentiality; etc. Most psychologists would prefer that the parents were contacted and gave their approval, but it is not necessary. So, in this case, there is some benefit to the teenager in not having a specific age of consent. Although it is a more complicated process, it recognizes that not all adolescents develop at the same rate and that there is not some magic age (e.g. 18 or 21) at which reasonable consent can be given. So I think this would support your argument and personally, I also feel your argument has merit. The drawback, of course, is that adults (even psychologists) are not all equally conscientious, so there is the possibility of exploiting adolescents - having them give consent to something about which they are not yet capable.

Interesting topic. Good luck on your paper.

Answer 2

For several years, adolescence was considered to last into the mid-20s. More recent discoveries have verified that. It does happen that adults make poor decisions on the behalf of adolescents SOMETIMES, but the fact is that adolescents' ability to make rational decisions is substantially under par due to a brain which hasn't finished developing.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/teenbrain/interviews/todd.html

http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/article.php?scid=27&did=977

I also saw mention of smarter children taking more time to complete this development, not less.

Answer 3

i think of it would be confusing to introduce legislations to minimize what a make certain could instruct their babies, mutually as age of sexual consent is extra specific approximately identifiable movements. I agree that maximum believers are so as a effect of formative years indoctrination (I in part went by using that myself, and observed it ensue to others), and people who make certain in adulthood are a minority. whether, it smacks too lots of massive Brother the place the state could legislate regulations on what mothers and fathers can instruct their young babies. How might such legislations be drafted and enforced? whether, there could be criminal safeguards to guard young babies who're forced to attend non secular activities against their will, like church homes or mosques. There might in all threat could be a minimum age to settle for that the youngster is of sufficient adulthood to comprehend the matters and be waiting to make certain for itself. each and every so usually right here you get memories of unhappy young babies who're forced into going alongside with a faith they do no longer have confidence in, generally observed with the help of a few solutions that the youngster is in the incorrect for no longer desirous to maintain on with the "real faith". the theory of mind and consent usually seem disregarded there.