Family psychologists deal with the interactions between adolescents and their parents and siblings. This area of psychology may include therapy sessions or observations of family communication patterns. Parents encountering problems with a teenager may seek the help of a family psychologist to improve their relationship with their child. In these cases, family psychologists may work with the parents and their children both together and separately, so these professionals need to be able to communicate effectively with teenagers and understand their motivations. Family psychologists may work in private practice or social service agencies.
Education and learning is the focus for school psychologists. This field involves the assessment of children in order to find the best way to help them learn. Often, school psychologists work one-on-one with adolescents who have difficulty learning in a traditional classroom setting. They may administer tests or observe the student in order to provide recommendations to teachers and parents about how the child can overcome any learning difficulties. School psychologists may also address behavioral problems that arise at school.
Developmental psychology deals with the way in which individuals grow intellectually and physiologically during a certain phase of life. For example, some psychologists specifically study adolescent development. Developmental psychologists examine the social interactions between adolescents and their peers, family and authority figures. This area of psychology also involves the moral and emotional development of adolescent individuals. Developmental psychologists who focus on young people may work in a middle school, high school, social service agency or after-school program. Some developmental psychologists focus on the study of developmental disabilities in adolescents.