Adolescent Psychology
PSYC 2307
Dr. Sara Villanueva
Do you think the way people think about
Adolescence has changed over the years?
Defining Adolescence
The second decade of life (~10 to ~22)
Used to be considered the teen years (13-19) but now…
Period of adolescence has lengthened…why?
Young people maturing earlier
So many people delaying entering working world and
marriage til their mid-20’s
Still tough to Define ‘Adolescence’
Is a biologically mature 5th grader an adolescent or a child?
Is a 20-year old college student who still lives at home an
adolescent or an adult?
 All depends on the boundaries one uses to define the period
 Makes more sense to think of adolescent development as a series
of transitions from immaturity into maturity
Adolescence: A broad range
Because this period spans over a decade, covering so much
growth and change, Adolescence divided into 3 phases:
Early adolescence: 10-13
Middle adolescence: 14-17
Late adolescence: 18-22
Correspond to anything?
Part I:
The Fundamental Changes
of Adolescence
Chapter 1: Biological Transitions
Chapter 2: Cognitive Transitions
Chapter 3: Social Transitions
Chapter One:
Biological Transitions
Somatic Development: Changes in
Stature/Dimensions of the Body
Adolescent growth spurt
Simultaneous release of growth hormones, thyroid
hormones, and androgens
Peak Height Velocity
Time that adolescent is growing most quickly
Average female growth spurt is 2 years before the average
male growth spurt
Somatic Development: Changes in
Stature/Dimensions of the Body
Skeletal changes
Bones become harder, denser, more brittle
Conclusion of puberty
Closing of ends of long bones
Growth in height is terminated
Relative proportions of body fat/muscle change for
boys and for girls
Changes in the circulatory & respiratory systems
What Are The 5 Major
Physical Changes of Puberty?
Adolescent growth spurt
Development of primary sex characteristics (gonads)
Development of secondary sex characteristics (breasts, pubic
hair)
Changes in body composition
Changes in circulation and respiration
Somatic Development: Sexual
Maturation
Development of secondary sex characteristics (Tanner
Stages)
Five Stages
Changes include
growth of pubic hair
changes in appearance of sex organs
breast development
Sexual Maturation: Boys
Spermarche typically occurs
1 year after accelerated
penis growth
Boys capable of fathering a
child before they look like
adults; opposite true for
girls
Sexual Maturation: Girls
Sequence less regular than
in boys
Menarche typically occurs
after other secondary sex
characteristics; regular
ovulation follows 2 years
later
Thus, girls appear
physically mature before
they are actually capable of
reproduction
Variations in the Timing
and Tempo of Puberty
Onset can begin as early as 7 in girls and 9 ½ in boys; as late as 13
in girls and 13 ½ in boys
Interval b/w first sign and complete physical maturation can be as
short as 1.5 yrs or as long as 6 yrs
Ethnic Differences
Within the U.S., there are Ethnic differences in timing and rate of
pubertal maturation
AA females mature significantly earlier than MA girls, who in turn,
mature earlier than White girls
Why the difference?
Exposure to toxins in environment
General SES
Family dynamics
Puberty is Affected by Context
Timing of physical changes in adolescence
varies by
Regions of the world
Socioeconomic class
Ethnic group
Historical era
Example: Menarche (first menstruation)
U.S. average 12 to 13 years
Lumi (New Guinea) average > 18 years
Individual Differences in
Pubertal Maturation
Pubertal maturation
an interaction between genes and environment
Differences in timing/rate among individuals in the same general
environment result chiefly from genetic factors
Two key environmental influences:
nutrition and health
Exposure to pheromes
Individual Differences in
Pubertal Maturation:
What can effect the Timing of Pubertal Onset?
EARLY
Higher affluence; economic
advantages
But what about Culture/Ethnicity?
Better nourishment throughout
prenatal, infant, & childhood yrs
Better health conditions
Growing up in less cohesive families
w/ more conflict
Growing up in households w/ no
natural father; instead having
stepfather present (pheromones)
Small amts of stress = speed up; great
deals = slow down
LATE
Poorer economic conditions
History of protein and/or caloric
deficiencies
Chronic illness in childhood
EXCESSIVE EXERCISE!
Ballet dancers, Gymnasts
Eating disorders
Psychological/Social:
The Impact of Specific
Pubertal
Events
Most adolescents react positively to pubertal changes
especially secondary sex characteristics
Reactions to menarche are varied
but less negative than in the past
Less known about boys’ reactions to first ejaculations
…why?
Psychological/Social:
Early or Late Maturation
Perception of being an early or
late maturer is more important in
affecting one’s feelings than the reality
Early maturation does bring social advantages
But early maturation is associated with
More drug and alcohol use
Precocious sexual activity
Context is important to consider
Eating Disorders in
Adolescence
Eating Disorders
Deviation from the “ideal” physique can lead to loss of
self-esteem and other problems in the adolescent’s selfimage
Studies of magazines, 1970 to 1990
Ideal body shape became slimmer
Ideal body shape became less curvaceous
Eating Disorders:
Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia
Adolescents with these eating disorders have an extremely
disturbed body image.
Bulimia
Eating binges; force themselves to vomit
3% of adolescents are genuine bulimics
Anorexia
Starve themselves to keep weight down
Fewer than ½ of 1% of adolescents
Anorexia Nervosa
INTENSTE fear of becoming obese
which does not subside even with
extreme weight loss
Refusal to maintain body weight above
minimum normal weight for one’s age
and height (ie, she is more than 15%
below expected body weight)
Body image distortion – looks in mirror
and sees FAT when in reality…
Can cause liver, kidney, and heart failure
Deadliest of all psychiatric illnesses
Anorexia Nervosa
Onset usually occurs after puberty or late adolescence
In order to meet criteria, females must have absence
of at least 3 consecutive menstrual cycles
Primarily occurs in adolescent girls/women and rare
in males
Prevalence - .5 to 1% of female population
Increase in early onset anorexia in girls b/w ages of 8
and 13!
Obsessed with weighing themselves and the way
others may “see” them
Prevalent among dancers, gymnasts, models
Anorexia Nervosa
How can they not realize that they are
starving themselves TO DEATH?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=wJPrhJty7TM
Bulimia Nervosa
Recurrent episodes of binge eating – eat abnormally large
amounts of food in a small space of time
Loses control when bingeing
Uses vomiting, exercise, laxatives, or dieting to control weight
Two or more eating binges a week, occurring for 3 or more
months
Overconcern with body weight and shape
Onset usually during late adolescence or early adulthood
Prevalence rate: 1-3% of population
Bulimia Nervosa
Two sub-types:
Purging type: individual regularly vomits or uses laxatives,
diuretics, or enemas
Nonpurging type: excessive exercise or fasting used in an attempt
to compensate for binges
Important to know…
 Differences b/w Anorexia & Bulimia
People w/ Bulimia realize their eating patterns
(binging/purging) are not normal – frustrated and
ashamed by that knowledge
Bulimia much more prevalent than anorexia
A person’s weight has little to do with Bulimia
whereas anorexic criteria is <15% normal body
weight
Videos
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/thin/program.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=Kh7M8yNKQ7M