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How to respond when your teen rebels

Psychologist Judith Smetana says parents who 'walk the walk' make a difference — but listening matters more.

Sep 17, 2025

1 min

Judith Smetana

Why do some rebellious teenagers shun parental warnings about their behavior while others take them to heart?


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University of Rochester psychologist Judith Smetana has devoted her career to unpacking that question. Her research reveals that parents who live out their values — and take the time to understand the perspective of their teenagers — have the most success at positively shaping adolescent behavior.


Smetana’s latest study, published in the Journal of Youth and Adolescence, shows that when parents “walk the walk” and model their values consistently, teens perceive rules and warnings as supportive guidance rather than controlling commands.


But that alone won’t stop all risky teenage behavior. What really works, Smetana’s research finds, is “perspective-taking”: when parents try to understand their child’s feelings and the reasons for them.


Smetana is widely cited for her expertise on moral development, autonomy, and parent-teen conflict — and how these dynamics shape young people’s lives.


Connect with her by clicking on her profile.


Connect with:
Judith Smetana

Judith Smetana

Professor of Psychology

Smetana is an expert on adolescent-parent relationships, moral reasoning, and development in cultural contexts.

Adolescent-Parent RelationshipsTeens and Self-EsteemCultural ContextsChildren's Moral and Social ReasoningParenting Beliefs

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