3 Why Minors can not give informed consent
Minors cannot give informed consent because children have developing and immature brains, their minds change often, they are prone to risk-taking, they are vulnerable to peer pressure, and they don’t grasp long-term consequences. The adolescent brain’s prefrontal cortex is immature and is limited in its ability to strategize, problem solve and make emotionally laden decisions that have life-long consequences. In females, the prefrontal cortex is not fully developed until about age 20. In biological males, the prefrontal cortex is not fully developed until about age 25 – which is why some young men make very poor decisions and tend to be risk takers. They simply do not yet have fully developed brains.
Final brain maturation begins during adolescence with the prefrontal cortex (that part of the brain associated with high-level reasoning, executive function, weighing of consequences, planning, organization, emotional regulation, and rational decision-making) being among the last to mature.
This is why young adults are more likely to get speeding tickets and car accidents than older adults – a fact well known by car insurance companies. This is also why adolescents are more affected by the influence of peers, less future oriented, more impulsive, and differ in their assessment of risks and rewards compared with adults.
Here is a link to a report on adolescent brain development: https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article/146/Supplement_1/S18/34490/Adolescent-Brain-Development-and-Medical-Decision?autologincheck=redirected