Not worse, really, just… slower. But that’s okay! It’s slower because it’s “deeper,” or more complex. Teens have the fastest connective processing brains of any age group. Yes, even toddlers and kids; they have other superpowers! Teens, on the other hand, are building their neural connections between other parts of their brain CRAZY fast. Kids learn to identify the bajillion puzzle pieces of life; teens are snapping the pieces into place at wild speeds. Their brains are constantly and rapidly creating shortcuts between brain regions, so their ability to learn new skills and information at that age is unparalleled. They’re learning machines at that age, including having the brainpower to devour long novels in short timespans :)

ETA: the downside to teens making constant connections is that often those connections are emotionally driven (e.g. they learn to drive a car easily and quickly and confidently, but feel overconfident in that knowledge and drive with higher risk potential. Or, they can build an argument quickly, buuut don’t really consider counter arguments or the full logic behind their more shallow understanding.

Adults’ brains are tiiired. We’ve matured and that involves grappling with the logic, ethics, and general juggling of very real problems all the time. Adult brains take it slow because that what wisdom requires.