12/03/2012
Adolescent & Pre-Adolescent
Behavior
MICHELLE R. DUNLAP, PH.D.
DEPT. OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT
CONNECTICUT COLLEGE
ADOLESCENCE-DEFINITION
THE PERIOD BETWEEN CHILDHOOD AND
ADULTHOOD, MARKED BY PUBERTY, COGNITIVE
FORMAL OPERATIONS (ABSTRACT AND
DIALECTICAL THINKING), AND IDENTITY
FORMATION
STAGES OF ADOLESCENCE
1. EARLY ADOLESCENCE- APPROX. 11-15
2. LATE ADOLESCENCE- APPROX. 16-19
3. MIDDLE ADOLESCENCE- APPROX.13-16
(overlaps early & late adolescence)
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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT
A. PUBERTY
B. THE GROWTH SPURT
C. ‘DISTAL-PROXIMAL’ DIRECTION OF
GROWTH WHICH IS A REVERSAL
D. MENARCHE
E. SPERMARCHE
PUBERTY CONTINUED1. PRIMARY SEX
CHARACTERISTICS
2. SECONDARY SEX
CHARACTERISTICS
FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE
THE ONSET OF PUBERTY
1.
2.
3.
4.
WEIGHT
SPORTS
DIET & CULTURE
THE “SECULAR TREND”
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ACTIVITY: To further our sensitivity
to the different maturity levels &
maturity-related challenges of
children in the same classroom
TEENS PHYSICALLY MATURE AT DIFFERENT RATES.
WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE IMPACT IN THE CLASSROOM
OF EARLY AND LATE MATURITY FOR TEENS WHO REACH
PHYSICAL MATURITY BEFORE AND AFTER MOST OF
THEIR PEERS? WHO DOYOU THINK HAS THE HARDEST
TIME IN THE CLASSROOM, EARLY OR LATE MATURERS?
HOW MIGHT THIS DIFFER BY GENDER?
EARLY & LATE PHYSICAL
MATURATION
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
EARLY-MATURING GIRLS
LATE-MATURING GIRLS
EARLY-MATURING BOYS
LATE-MATURING BOYS
RECENT SOCIAL TRENDS
COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
FORMAL OPERATIONAL THOUGHT
“WHAT IF” (THE GAME OF) THINKING
“PSEUDOSTUPIDITY”
ADOLESCENT EGOCENTRISM
FOCUS ON THE IMMEDIATE
THE INVINCIBILITY FABLE
THE PERSONAL FABLE
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MORAL COGNITION
(Kohlberg)
EMPHASIS ON SOCIAL RULES,
FAIRNESS, AND
LAW AND ORDER
Adolescent reasoning (e.g., the
invincibility fable, etc.), may
contribute to the epidemic of
drug use, sexual behavior, and
std’s that we see among some
teens…
WORKING WITHIN
ADOLESCENT REASONING
“SOCIAL INOCULATION”
(McGuire)
1. CAREGIVER ROLE-MODELING
2. SLIGHTLY-OLDER PEER
MODELING
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PSYCHOSOCIAL
DEVELOPMENT
DURING
ADOLESCENCE
THE TASKS OF EARLY
ADOLESCENCE (Levinhurst)
1.
2.
3.
4.
RELATING TO BOTH SEXES
ACHIEVING MASCULINE AND/OR
FEMININE SOCIAL ROLES
ACCEPTING ONES PHYSIQUE &
BODY
EMOTIONAL INDEPENDENCE FROM
PARENTS
THE TASKS OF LATE
ADOLESCENCE
5. PREPARING FOR COMMITTED
RELATIONSHIPS & POSSIBLY FAMILY
6. PREPARING FOR ECONOMIC CAREER
7. DEVELOPING ONES OWN VALUES
8. ACHIEVING SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE
BEHAVIOR
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THE MAIN CRISIS: IDENTITY
VS. ROLE CONFUSION
(Erikson; Marcia)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
FORECLOSURE
DIFFUSION
NEGATIVE IDENTITY
MORATORIUM
ACHIEVEMENT
IDENTITY DEVELOPMENT
FOR MINORITIES (Tatum)
•MORE COMPLICATED IN OUR
SOCIETY
•DUBOIS’ “DOUBLE
CONSCIOUSNESS”
•“WHY ARE ALL THE BLACK KIDS
SITTING TOGETHER IN THE
CAFETERIA?”
A TIME OF MANY
POSSIBILITIES
1. CAN BE AN EXCITING, YET
OVERWHELMING TIME
2. A TIME WHEN SELF-ESTEEM,
COMPETENCY, & MEDIA IMAGES
ARE CRUCIAL (Industry vs. Inferiority;
Identity vs. Role Confusion- Erikson)
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BODY & IMAGE ISSUES
1. THE “LOOKING GLASS SELF”
(Cooley)
2. THE ROLE OF PEERS AND
CAREGIVERS
3. THE ROLE OF MEDIA IMAGES
(Kilbourne)
4. EATING DISORDERS
10 Quick Ways to Analyze Media & Other
Materials for Sexism & Racism
http://www.chil-es.org/10ways.pdf
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Check the illustrations
Check the story line
Look at the lifestyles
Weigh the relationships
Note the heroes
Consider the effects on self-image
Check for author’s perspective
Watch for loaded words
Look at the copyright date
Consider Literacy, Historical, & Cultural Perspectives
TEEN SEXUAL ABUSE
(Finkelhor)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
1 IN EVERY 3 GIRLS ABUSED
1 IN EVERY 5 BOYS ABUSED
25% OF PERPETRATORS
THEMSELVES ARE TEENS
3 TO 5-YEAR RULE FOR
PREPUBESCENT CONTACT
PERP USUALLY NOT A STRANGER
OFTEN GIRLS VICTIMIZED IN THE
HOME, BOYS OUTSIDE THE HOME
AGE 7-13 PEAK AGES, WITH 9 THE
AVE.
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THE SUICIDE RATE FOR TEENS HAS
TRIPLED IN THE PAST 35 YEARS AND IS
SECOND ONLY TO THAT OF THE ELDERLY.
PRESSURES ON TEENS
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
MORE PRESSURE TO COMPETE
MATERIAL PRESSURE
NEGATIVE PEER PRESSURE/
BULLYNG
CHILD & TEEN SEXUAL ABUSE
HOMOPHOBIA
LBGTQ TEENS ARE SIGNIFICANTLY
AT RISK (Hass et al., 2011)
SUICIDE WARNING SIGNS
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
PROLONGED & SEVERE DEPRESSION
PREVIOIUS ATTEMPTS
CLUSTER SUICIDES
WITHDRAWAL
POOR ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE
GIVING AWAY PRIZED POSSESSIONS
THREATENING SUICIDE
PARADOXICALLY, LBGTQ TEENS who disclose to
family are at greater risk than those who don’t
because of the unwelcoming, even dangerous
climate they may encounter (D’Augelli et. al., 1998)
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SUPPORTING TEENS,
In General
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
COUNSELING
SUPPORT GROUPS
THE “SPECIAL PERSON” (Harter)
THE ARTS AND OTHER INTERESTS
AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMS
MOST TEEN PREGNANCIES 3-6PM
A WORD ON ANDROGYNY
1.
2.
3.
4.
I CONSTANTLY WITNESS- “SHE
LOOKS LIKE A BOY; HE LOOKS LIKE A
GIRL, ETC..
PEOPLE CONFUSE THE SOCIALLY
CONSTRUCTED GENDER ROLE
IDENTITY WITH SEXUAL
ORIENTATION
DEFINITION OF ANDROGYNY
ANDROGYNY IS A HEALTHY THING
REGARDLESS OF SEXUAL
ORIENTATION OR GENDER
IDENTIFICATION
The GenderBread Person
1.
XXXXXXXX
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ACTIVITY- To further consider
the complexity of gender
identification & its relationship (or
non-relationship) to sexual
orientation….
Reflect on the four GenderBread
components, and share how this
information might be helpful in the
teenager classroom or other program….
THE MID-LIFE CRISIS
REVISITED
SO YOU WANT TO BUY A RED
CORVETTE AND DRIVE OFF
INTO THE SUNSET? DO YOU
HAVE OR WORK WITH
TEENAGERS?….
REDIRECTING TEENS
ONE COMMUNICATION MODEL
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COMMUNICATING WITH
TEENS
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
USE “I” MESSAGES
WHEN YOU DO…
IT MAKES ME FEEL…
AND MAKES ME WANT TO…
WHAT I WOULD RATHER SEE IS…
TRY TO STAY POSITIVE (NEG. INFO
LASTS LONGER)
WHEN RESPONDING TO
TEENS
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
ACTIVE LISTENING
REPEAT, REFLECT, OR “MIRROR”
VALIDATE FEELINGS
ATTEMPT TO GENUINELY
NEGOTIATE
WAIT FOR FEEDBACK
REVIEW THE COMPROMISE FOR
UNDERSTANDING
ACTIVITY- to consider and apply
new teenager communication
techniques…..
In your 9th grade class, there is a teen
who is constantly having side
conversations, and it has become
disruptive to the class. How do you
approach this teen? Also, how do you
respond when the teen states that he or
she feels constantly singled out by you?
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RESOURCES ON THESE TOPICS
-- Adolescence & Emerging Adulthood, by J.J. Arnett
-- Problematic Behaviors During Adolescence, by Jeffrey Haugaard
-- Teen Tips: A Practical Survivor Guide, by Tom McMahon
-- Beverly Tatum, “Talking about Race…(online)
-- Peggy McIntosh’s “Unpacking the...Knapsack” (online)
-- “Straight Privilege Knapsack II” (online)
-- Transgender Basics Video http://www.gaycenter.org/gip/transbasics/video
-- Southern Poverty Law Center-Tons of Free Teaching Resources
(www.teachingtolerance.org )
-- 10 Quick Ways to Analyze Materials for Racism & Sexism http://www.chiles.org/10ways.pdf
-- Other Authors: Lisa Delpit, Gloria Ladson-Billings, & Janice Hale
-- PSA Campaigns: http://www.againstourwill.org/videos;
http://www.itgetsbetter.org/
Economic book sources: Half.com, Amazon.com,
Ecampus.com
Questioning, Answering,
and Dialoguing
Let’ s Reflect On
Our Recent
Discussions, Share,
and Summarize
What We Have
Grappled With and
Processed Thus Far
My Books On Related Topics
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THANK YOU FOR
ALLOWING ME TO SHARE
MY EXPERTISE WITH YOU
MICHELLE DUNLAP
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