Teenagers
The Evidence Base
New from the author of Evidence-Based Parenting
By Matilda Gosling
Royal TPB | 30 January 2025 | £16.99
‘So useful … Extremely well-researched’ The Times on Evidence-Based Parenting
Key Takeaways:
• Why we need to stop talking to teenagers about mental health
• The danger of teenage social contagion
• Why parents should stop fixing their teenager’s problems
• The need to seize the narrative back from the porn industry when it comes to talking to teenagers about porn
• Why Saturday jobs and volunteering matter
• We need more nuanced conversations about smartphones
Teenagers: The Evidence Base deftly summarises decades of research and expert knowledge to offer parents and other interested adults a roadmap to adolescence.
It weaves together insights from social and experimental psychology, neuroscience, family systems and adolescent development, among other fields, to equip readers with a clear understanding of what it means to be a teenager today, how they develop, the hazard points and opportunities, and how best to support them as they navigate their labyrinthine and very personal route to adulthood.
This practical, engaging guide is an essential purchase for any adult wanting to understand the turbulence, creativity and brilliance of the teenage years.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Matilda Gosling is a social researcher specialising in education, social psychology, and issues affecting children and young people. She has worked for governments, charities, foundations and private-sector organisations, and has overseen field research in more than 60 countries across Europe, Latin America, Sub-Saharan Africa and South-East Asia. She previously co-founded and ran The Research Base, an international social research consultancy, for 12 years.
Credit: Shoot Me Now
Matilda’s expertise lies in the ability to assess and present research accessibly in a way that’s unhindered by philosophy or preconceptions. She believes that taking a research-based perspective to adolescent development, psychology and parenting can provide adults with useful tools and strategies to support teenagers as they move towards independence.
Matilda has degrees from the University of Cambridge and the London School of Economics. She is a Certified Member of the Market Research Society, a Member of the Social Research Association and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.
Matilda lives in Brighton with her partner and two children. Her first book, Evidence-Based Parenting: From Toddler to Pre-Teen, was published in January 2024. Find her on Twitter @matildagosling
PRAISE FOR EVIDENCE-BASED PARENTING
‘This book will help parents to figure out what the research actually says when it comes to parenting and equip parents to make parenting decisions from a place of knowledge and confidence’ – Stella O’Malley, author of Bully-Proof Kids, on Evidence-Based Parenting
‘Clear and rooted in facts rather than opinion, it is an essential for every parent’ – Milli Hill, author of The Positive Birth Book
‘Written with both genuine empathy and a wish to communicate to parents about how to be “good enough” and enjoy family life’ – Prof Ellie Lee, Director, Centre for Family and Parenting Research, University of Kent
