Their study found that 75 percent of adolescents lie, with an average of nearly three lies a day. But 60 percent of youth surveyed admitted to telling up to five lies daily. These numbers aren't as high as those in the studies cited above. However, they confirm that teen lying is to be expected.
If you feel your teen is lying often and for no reason at all, they may be struggling with a mental health issue. Mental health disorders are usually the most common cause of pathological lying, otherwise known as mythomania. Pathological lying is often a symptom of: Borderline personality disorder.
Studies reveal that some toddlers begin lying before they are two and a half years old. And by the age of four, more than 70% of children lie — at least sometimes.
There's no evidence to suggest that people living with ADHD lie more often than those who don't have the condition. But there are many situations in which someone with ADHD might lie as a coping mechanism, to cover up an impulsive behavior that wasn't thought through, or without even realizing it.
Children lie for several reasons, such as testing out a new behavior or gaining approval. Children who lack confidence may tell lies to make themselves seem more impressive to their peers. Children with anxiety or depression might lie about how they're feeling so their parents don't worry about them.
While teenagers usually tell the truth¹, when they do lie, it's often to avoid disappointing their parents. For a teenager, not wanting to let their parents down can be a bigger motivation to lie than avoiding punishment. Some of the other reasons teens lie include: to avoid getting in trouble.
You should not punish or corner your child when they're caught in a lie. This can lead to more serious lies or resentment. Instead, remain calm and explain to them why lying is wrong. You can also provide them with facts.
Tell the person, "I see that you are resigned to believe what you think happened, but I know what happened. I did not do this, and I'm sorry you can't see that." Refrain from saying anything more, as overly explaining can be misconstrued as lying.
Some of the consequences of lying are:
1) You will lose the trust of people and when you lose the trust of others, you lose your value as a person. Nobody will believe you. 2) If someone lies to you and you find out, you will be hurt. So, you should understand that in the same token if you tell a lie, it hurts others.
Childhood trauma as a cause of pathological lying
In some cases, pathological lying can be a result of childhood trauma, such as neglect or abuse. People who did not get their needs met as children may begin lying as a coping mechanism, in an attempt to get the love and reassurance they crave.
Answer and Explanation: Lying is a learned behavior rather than an innate behavior. We know this because small children are still cognitively developing their ability to recognize that other people are different from them complete with inner thoughts and different perspectives.
[color-box] Natural and logical Consequences for lying: What stems naturally from a child lying is that it erodes trust between parent and child. Therefore, this can be easily explained to a child. To extend it further, a logical consequence would be removing freedoms that could erode trust further.
No matter how common it is to lie, it is still considered impolite and bad behavior. Being lied to can be frustrating and it often breaks the bond of trust between two people, causing problems in the relationship.
Lying can be both inherited and learned. Some people may be born with a predisposition to lie more than others, either due to genetic factors or early childhood experiences. However, everyone learns how to lie at some point in their life.
Lying can be a symptom of some mental health conditions according to a 2021 review, including borderline personality disorder and antisocial personality disorder. People with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) may lie to mask compulsions or stop friends and family from worrying about their behaviors.
Lying, like other signs and symptoms of the condition, tends to occur because the person with BPD is unable to regulate their feelings and impulses. It's an act borne out of pain and fear. Often, people with BPD even believe their own lies.
Overall, the researchers determined that children with autism weren't less likely to tell lies than typically developing children. However, they were less able to do so effectively.