Adolescence
Derived from the Latin verb "Adolescere" which means to grow into maturity. It is a biosocial
transition from childhood to adulthood. It is based on childhood experiences and
accomplishments.. Adolescence refers to the behavioral characteristics of this period that are
influenced by physical and cultural changes. Periods of rapid physical and biological changes
may lead to competence, tension, frustration and feeling of insecurity.
Physical Growth
● Digestive, circulatory and responding system fully develops
● Body tissues, skeleton starts growing
● Tissues other than bones continue to develop
Physical Growth: Height
● Height of grails will be maximum between the age 16-17
● By the age of 13, the adolescent triples his birth length.
● Males gain 10 to 30 cm in height.
● Females gain less height than males as they gain 5 to 20 cm.
● Growth in height ceases at 16 or 17 years in females and 18 to 20 in males
Physical Growth: Weight
● Growth spurt begins earlier in girls (10-14 years, while it is 12-16 in boys)
● Males gain 7 to 30kg, while females gain 7 to 25kg.
● Trunk broadens
Secondary Sex Characteristics
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Female
Increase in transverse diameter of the pelvis.
Development of the breasts.
Change in the vaginal secretions.
Growth of pubic and axillary hair.
Menstruation (first menstruation is called
menarche, which occurs between 12-13 years).
Endocrine system temporary imbalance of the
entire endocrine system in ear adolescence and
sex grounds become functional
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Male
Increase in size of genitalia.
Swelling of the breast.
Growth of pubic, axillary, facial and chest hair.
Change in voice.
Rapid growth of shoulder breadth.
Production of spermatozoa (which is sign of
puberty).
Adolescence period is also called:
Period of temporary insanity
● Period of 4S (stress, storm, stream and strife)
● Increased compassion patterns, love, anger, jealousy,
● Emotion of love
● Auto- egotism (self love)
● Homo- sexuality
● Hetero sexuality
Intellectual or mental characteristics
● Development of intelligence
● Increases in span of attention
● Development of memory
● Development of imagination
● Widening of interest
Peers
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As adolescence approaches, the family's influence diminishes
The peer group becomes an important social force
The need for peer approval can affect decisions concerning participation in
physical activity positively or negatively
Social development
● He needs to know "who he is" in relation to family and society, i.e., he develops a sense
of identity. If the adolescent is unable to formulate
● satisfactory identity from the multi-identifications, sense of self-confusion will be
developed according to Erikson:
● Adolescents show interest in other sex.
● He looks for close friendships.
Developmental tasks that enable adolescents to create an
Identity.
● Achieving new and more mature relations with others, both boys and girls, in their age
group.
● Achieving a masculine or feminine social role.
● Accepting one's physique
● Achieving emotional independence from parents and other adults
● Preparing for marriage and family life
● Preparing for an economic career.
● Acquiring a set of values and an ethical system as a guide to behavior -developing an
ideology.
● Desiring and achieving socially responsible behavior
Erik Erikson's Stages of Psychosocial Development: Identity vs. Role Confusion (12-14
years)
The fifth stage is identity vs. role confusion, and it occurs during adolescence, from about
12-18 years. During this stage, adolescents search for a sense of self and personal identity,
through an intense exploration of personal values, beliefs, and goals. The adolescent mind is
essentially a mind or moratorium, a psychosocial stage between childhood and adulthood, and
between the morality learned by the child, and the ethics to be developed by the adult (Erikson,
1963, p. 245) This is a major stage of development where the child has to learn the roles he will
occupy as an adult. It is during this stage that the adolescent will re-examine his identity and try
to find out exactly who he or she is. Erikson suggests that two identities are involved: the sexual
and the occupational.
Adolescent Developmental stages
1- Early(12-14 years)
2- Middle( 15-17 years)
3-late(>18 years)
Central question
Am I normal?
Who am I?
"where do I belong?"
where I am going?
Major developmental issues
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Coming to terms puberty
Struggle for autonomy commence
Same sex peer relationships
Mood swings
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New intellectual powers
New sexual drives
Experimentation and risk-taking
Relationships have self-centered
quality
Need for peer group acceptance
Emergence of sexual identity
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Independence from parents
Realistic body image
Acceptance of sexual identity
Clear educational and vocational
goals, own value system
Developing mutually caring and
responsible relationship
Main Concerns
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Anxieties about body shape and
changes
Comparison with peers
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Influence of peers
Tensions between family and
individual
over
assertions
of
autonomy
Balancing demand of family and
peers
Prone to fad behavior and risk taking
Strong need for privacy
Maintaining ethnic identity while
striving to fit in with dominant culture
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Self-responsibility
Achieving economic independence
Developing intimate relationship.
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Longer attention span
Ability to think more abstractly
More able to synthesis information
and apply it to themselves
Able to think into the future and
anticipate consequences of their
actions
Cognitive Development
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Still fairly concrete thinkers
Less able to understand subtlety
Daydreaming common
Difficulty identifying how their
immediate behavior impacts on
the future
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Able to think more rationally
Concerned about individual freedom
and rights
Able to accept more responsibility for
consequences of own behavior
Begin
to
take
on
greater
responsibility within family as part of
cultural identity
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Practice Points
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Reassure about normality
Ask more direct than openended questions
Base interventions needed on
immediate
or
short-term
outcomes
Help identify possible adverse
outcomes if they continue the
undesirable behavior
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Address confidentiality concerns o
Always assess for health risk
behavior
Focus intervention on short to
medium term outcomes.
Relate behaviors to immediate
physical and social concerns
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Ask for open- ended questions
Focus interventions on short and
long term goals
Address prevention more broadly
Needs of Adolescence
1- Primary or Physiological needs
● oxygen, water, food, rest and sleep
● Rest needs is about 8 hours
● Separate physical education programs
2- Secondary or socio-Psychological needs
● A balance between security and freedom
● Need for love
● Need for approval
● Need for self-expression
● Different types of Co-curricular Activities are
needed experiences and utilizing energy
● Sex education on the suitable basis is needed
● Unobtrusive adult guidance is needed
● Need for freedom from dependence
● Need for association with the opposite sex.
● Needs for self support
● Need for philosophy of life
Common problem of Adolescence
An adolescent is a problem- individual. There are many problems around him and he needs
help and guidance for their solution at every step. Excessive energy: In take of food is increased
the general health is also improved. Various activities act as sublimation for the adolescent and
they feel relieved. With the advent of adolescence the gonads come into activity for the first
time. The appearance of secondary sexual characteristics is the same. They produce emotional
upheaval in the adolescent. The first appearance of menstrual course or nocturnal emission
bewilders and shocks the adolescent who is quite ignorant about it. the school should supply the
right kind of information regarding sex at this stage. Due to ignorance about sex, many
promising personalities are doomed.
Aggressiveness or withdrawal
● When an adolescent can not adjust himself with the world he grows to be aggressive or
withdraws from the field and his personality is arrested. If the conflict is too serious he
regresses
● The school should provide sample opportunities to the children to express themselves
properly. Co curricular activities, scouting students, self-government and changing the
methods of instruction can go a long way in enabling the adolescent to adjust himself
with the world.
Rebellious Attitude
● The adolescents are no longer children. They should be recognized as young men and
women in the school as well as in the home. Their craving for independence should be
satisfied to some extent. They should be given some responsibility.
● They turn to be very obedient if they are trusted. But things do not work smoothly in
ordinary school and home. Their sense of independence and responsibility is seldom
recognized. The result is rebellion against authority.
Physical awkwardness
● Most adolescents have a sense of physical clumsiness. Consequently their movements
stand to be awkward and unbalanced. They may be corrected in the playground and on
the stage. Game and dancing will give them harmonious and balanced movement social
service at the occasion of festivals etc. practical work can help the children in this
respect.
Excessive-daydreaming
● Excessive-daydreaming is normal at this stage but when it grows to excessive it may be
injurious as far as development of personality is concerned.
● It is the ambition to be free from parental sovereignty. The individual hates control of the
parents. He seeks identity for himself.
● The teacher should note that the adolescents are active and busy in their studies and
other aspects of their life.
● The children who are indulging in excessive- daydreaming should be encouraged to be
constructive and creative.
Economic independence
● Money from parents for personal expenses is a major problem.
Emotional Tension
● Emotional development is at maximum and unstable.
● Self respect and personal pride make the individual emotionally bad.
● He expects the things to be done as he aspires.
Personal appearance
● This is a significant problem. The adolescent is worried about the appearance
● with modern and latest lifestyle at any coast.
Morphological/ developmental problem
● Over growth of hair or under growth of hair.
● Overweight and underweight.
● Skin color problems
● Facial deformities, pimples, etc
● Abnormal growth of genital and breast
Psychological problems
● Ignorance about many basic facts leads to psychological problems like
● misconception about sexual feeling, sex related issues.
● Misconception about childbirth, reproduction
● Misconception about coitus menstrual cycles.
● Fear about sex and sexual issues.
● Guilt about sex related issues.
● Complex about skin color, abilities, and beauty
● Inexplicable conceptions about dress and fashion codes.
● Wrong and unrealistic ideologies about friendship and courtship
● Attraction towards opposite sex
● Exceptional vulnerability to suicide psychology.
Social
● Intense closeness with brother, sister and friends.
● Unpredictable and volatile relationship with friend
● Unrealistic social perception about violence, sex, love as influenced by the media.
● Fear/ imagination about marriage life
Educational
● Tension of attending the classes, examination and test.
● Low IQ feeling
● Fear about failure in examination
● Fear about low score
● Worry about future career
● Misconception about teachers.
Causes of Emotional Disturbance
● Main causes intense self-consciousness, strong feelings of inferiority, unhappy relation
with parents, disgust or fear of first experience of sex emotion.
● Change of the roles of the adolescent at home, school, society, from dependence to
independent life with great responsibility leads to emotional disturbance. Attitude of
parents( still leading them as children high expectation of parents, community and
society)
● Difficulty adjusting with members of the opposite sex.
References
https://basics.nami.org/docs/simplypsychology.org-Erik-Erikson.pdf
https://oercommons.org/courseware/lesson/66171/overview?fbclid=IwAR2QsqXg-jn5e2lw_KEO
A1we13Jy15xu6LIQTWCNbFCUQjzEYlkO3C8HTz8
https://byjus.com/question-answer/what-are-5-characteristics-of-adolescence/?fbclid=IwAR2Br3
sEgsgaMbrX70mMwPV3WUveduH7y8p9Rbii1_snBY5s8-V2hhVsaro