public perceptions mainly due to media

representations.

1
public perceptions mainly due to media
Adolescence serves as a transitional representations.
stage between childhood and adulthood. ❖ They are exposed to a wide range of
❖ It is influenced by genetic/biological lifestyle alternatives, and many are
and environmental/social factors. tempted to use drugs and engage in
❖ It is characterized as a period of sexual activity at younger ages.
reflection, making choices, ❖ Too many teenagers lack the
commitment, and establishment of opportunity and assistance they need
identity. to mature into functional adults.
❖ Adolescents deal with huge changes Social Policy is the course of action
in life: changes in relationships, peer devised by the national government to
interactions grow more personal, impact the wellbeing of its citizens.
dating begins, along with sexual
exploration and perhaps sexual ❖ According to research, adolescents
relations. gain greatly when they have loving
❖ They start to think in more idealistic and caring adults in their life in
and abstract ways. addition to their parents or
❖ Body image is a topic that attracts guardians.
more attention due to biological ❖ Caring people, such as coaches,
changes. neighbors, teachers, mentors, and
❖ Both continuity and discontinuity after-school program leaders, may
exist between adolescence and act as role models for adolescents to
childhood. learn.
❖ In 1904, the "storm-and-stress"
theory was put out by G. Stanley 2
Hall, argues that adolescence is a
chaotic period marked by conflict Puberty is a period of fast physical
and mood swings. growth characterized by hormonal and
❖ Every generation’s youth has come physiological changes that typically
off as uncannily radical and distinct occurs during early adolescence
from adults in terms of their ❖ It is not a single-event phenomenon.
appearance, behavior, taste in music, ❖ Signs of sexual development, as well
haircuts, and clothing choices. as increases in height and weight, are
❖ There has been generally negative among the most visible changes.
stereotyping of adolescents from
 Sexual Maturation, Height, and ❖ Male pubertal development is
Weight dominated by testosterone, while
female pubertal growth is dominated
❖ Males experience changes in the by estradiol.
body such as growth in penis and ❖ The same hormone surge that causes
testicle size, hair growth in some male chest hair to grow and female
body parts, minor & major voice breast fatty tissue to increase may
change, and onset of growth in also influence psychological
height and weight. development.
❖ Females experience changes in the
body such as breast enlargement,
hair appearance on some body parts, Timing and Variations in Puberty
growth in height, widening of hips, ❖ Several studies have discovered that
and the experience of first pubertal onset is happening earlier
menstruation or menarche. in countries like the United States
❖ Weight increase is associated with and China in recent years.
the start of puberty. Girls outweigh ❖ Nutrition, living in a city, having a
males during early adolescence, but poor socioeconomic level, paternal
by the age of 14, boys begin to absence, family conflict, maternal
outweigh girls. rigor, child abuse, and early drug use
❖ During puberty, females are as tall as are all associated with an earlier
or taller than boys their age, but by pubertal onset.
the end of middle school, most boys
have caught up with or, in many
cases, surpassed girls in height. Body Image
❖ Adolescents are concerned with their
Hormonal Changes physiques and form mental
representations of them.
Hormones are strong chemical ❖ Although body image concerns are
substances released by the endocrine prevalent throughout adolescence,
glands and transmitted by the they are particularly intense in the
bloodstream throughout the body. early years since this is when they
❖ Certain hormone concentrations rise are less content with their bodies
rapidly during adolescence. than they are in their later years.
❖ Adolescents and emerging adults,
Testosterone is a hormone that is particularly females, are becoming
linked to genital growth, increased more dissatisfied with their bodies
height, and voice deepening in boys. due to a variety of factors related to
Estradiol is a form of estrogen that is their access to the Internet and social
linked to breast, uterine, and skeletal media.
maturation in females. ❖ Girls tend to have more negative
body views than boys and are
 generally less satisfied with their Limbic system, which houses
physical appearance. emotions and rewards, grows far earlier
than the prefrontal cortex and is nearly
fully developed by early adolescence.
Early and Late Maturation
Amygdala is a limbic system structure
❖ Adolescents who grow sooner or mostly involved in emotions.
later than their classmates have
diverse self-perceptions. ❖ Neurotransmitter levels change with
❖ Early-maturing girls struggle for the start of puberty.
early independence from their ❖ Many of the changes in the teenage
parents, have older friends, and are brain are related to the rapidly
more likely to smoke, drink, have growing disciplines of
eating disorders, be depressed, developmental cognitive
participate in misbehavior, and have neuroscience and
their bodies respond to men in ways developmental social
that result to early dating and neuroscience, which investigate
quicker sexual encounters. the links between growth, human
❖ A few years ago, the Berkeley brain, and intellectual or
Longitudinal Study found that early- socioemotional processes.
maturing males had more favorable
self-perceptions and more effective
peer relationships than their late- adolescent sexuality.
maturing peers. ❖ Adolescence also serves as a
transitional period between the
asexual kid and the sexual adult.
the brain. ❖ Adolescence is a period of sexual
exploration and discovery, sexual
❖ The brain experiences changes
desires and actuality, and the
during adolescence, much like the
integration of sexuality in one's own
rest of the body, but research on how
identity.
the adolescent brain develops is still
in its formative stages.
❖ The brain primarily develops in a Developing a Sexual Identity
bottom-up, top-down fashion, with
lower-level brain connections like ❖ Managing adolescent sexual
self-control, planning, and reasoning impulses and having a sense of
growing later than higher-level ones sexual identity are complex and
like sensory, appetitive, sexual, and time-consuming processes.
sensation-seeking. ❖ Adolescent sexual identity includes
activities, interests, behavioral
Corpus callosum allows adolescents patterns, and an indicator of sexual
to have the capacity to comprehend orientation.
information–linking the brain's left and ❖ Most gays and lesbians are assumed
right hemispheres as it becomes thicker. to discreetly deal with same-sex
 urges as children, do not engage in Contraceptive Use
heterosexual relationships, and
eventually accept that they are gay or ❖ Many sexually active youths still do
lesbian in mid to late puberty. not utilize contraceptives, consume
them infrequently, or choose for
ineffective contraceptive methods.
The Timing of Adolescent Sexual
Behaviors
Sexually Transmitted Infections
❖ In a 2015 nationwide study (STIs)
performed in the United States, 58
percent of 12th graders reported ❖ Some methods of contraception,
having had sexual intercourse, such pills for birth control or
compared to 24 percent of 9th implants, may not offer protection
graders. against STIs.
❖ In the United States, initiation into ❖ Sexual contact, especially oral-
sexual activity differs by ethnic genital and anal-genital contact, is
group. the main way that they are
❖ According to research, oral sex is transmitted.
becoming rather frequent among
teenagers in the United States.
Adolescent Pregnancy
❖ The sexual health of teenagers may
benefit from or suffer from how they ❖ It is another unfavorable result of
begin their sexual lives. adolescent sexuality, and its
prevalence has to be drastically
reduced.
Risk Factors in Adolescent
❖ Recent years have seen a significant
Sexual Behavior decline in teenage pregnancies
❖ In the early stages of adolescence, across all ethnic groups, which can
many teenagers are not emotionally be attributed to greater
ready to manage sexual encounters. contraception usage,
❖ Further risk factors for adolescent school/community health lessons,
sexual issues, in addition to early sex, and the threat of STDs like AIDS.
include socioeconomic level, poverty, ❖ Helping pregnant teenagers and
immigrant and ethnic minority young moms improve their
statuses, social and family educational and employment
influences, and school-related possibilities requires serious,
implications. comprehensive efforts.
❖ Sexual risk-taking in puberty is ❖ Age-appropriate life and family
increasingly linked to cognitive and education is beneficial for
psychological variables (i.e., weak adolescents.
self-regulation and impulsiveness).
 ❖ Being obese during adolescence
3 stage is associated with obesity in
❖ Adolescents’ health depends on mainly adulthood.
their behavior. ❖ Previous study has shown that
To Improve adolescents’ health must do people begin to be less active once
the following: they attain their progress during
adolescence.
1.) Increasing heath-enhancing
behaviors ❖ Positive physical activities such as
exercising lead to low levels of
e.g., Eating healthy foods, daily obesity, reduced triglyceride levels,
exercise, using seatbelts, and lower blood pressure, and lower
getting enough sleep incidence of type II diabetes.
2.) Reducing health-compromising ❖ Higher intensity of exercise is
behaviors associated with fewer depressive
e.g., Drug abuse, violence, unsafe symptoms during adolescence.
sexual intercourse, and ❖ Previous study has shown that young
dangerous driving adolescents who exercise every day
had attained high academic
adolescent health. achievements.
❖ It is a critical stage in adopting ❖ Screen time is linked with health
behaviors that are relevant to health. problems, such as a lower rate of
❖ Majority of these behaviors are exercise and an increased tendency
linked to poor health habits & early to sedentary behavior.
death in adults emerges during
adolescence stage. ❖ Alternative interventions and
❖ Healthy behavior patterns promote activities to reduce overweight in
health benefits and delay the adolescents can be accomplished
possibility of experiencing disability through dietary changes and daily
and mortality. exercise.

Nutrition and Exercise Sleep

❖ Increased the percentage of ❖ It is essential for an individual’s well-

overweight individuals ages 12 to 19 being.
years of age in the United States ❖ Previous study has shown that
from 11% in the early 90s to 20.5% in students who sleep late at night have
2014. a difficult time to understanding
❖ Adolescents usually take their meals lessons discussed during class hours.
at fast food chains, which are high in
fats.
❖ Lack of sleep has a negative impact ❖ The U.S has been known as having
on one’s sustained attention. the highest cases of adolescent
substance use.
❖ Individuals who sleep less than 7.7
❖ The legalization of marijuana use
hours every night have more
increases the accessibility to this
emotional and peer-related issues,
substance.
high levels of anxiety, and suicidal
ideation.
❖ Inadequate hours of sleep at night Alcohol
results in feeling drowsy, irritable,
and depressed mood ❖ Males engages more in binge
drinking behaviors compared to
❖ Adolescents are experiencing females.
insufficient hours of sleep due to ❖ Adolescents take part in drinking
electronic media, caffeine, and and other substances while driving.
changes within the human brain.
❖ Previous researchers have theorized
that academic work or societal Smoking
pressure is not the main contributors ❖ Cigarette smoking has been
to sleepiness. considered the most serious yet
❖ Their research suggests that this was preventable health issue among
due to the biological clocks of adolescents.
adolescents undergoing a shift as ❖ The emergence of e-cigarettes which
time passes. contains a certain amount of
nicotine level.
❖ Nowadays, adolescents are into
Leading Causes of Death in vaping rather than smoking
cigarettes.
Adolescence
❖ Unintentional injuries, homicide,
and suicide are common causes of The Role of Development,
death during the adolescence stage. Parents, Peers, and Education
❖ Early drug use by adolescents leads
to various consequences.
substance use and ❖ Alcohol use before the age of 11 was
abuse. associated with alcohol dependency
during the adulthood stage.
❖ Previous researchers have monitored ❖ Early onset of alcohol use was linked
high school students who engage in with alcohol drinking issues among
drug use in the United States. high school students.
❖ Parents play an essential role in the Bulimia Nervosa
prevention of drug abuse among
adolescents. ❖ Eating disorder in which individuals
❖ Parental guidance is associated with are consistently engaging in a binge
low levels of drug abuse. and purge pattern.
❖ Peers play a crucial role in substance ❖ Binge eating and then purges in
use among adolescents. vomiting through a laxative.
❖ Previous study has shown that peer ❖ Episodes may happen at least twice a
influence in alcohol use was stronger week for three months.
influence than parental use. ❖ Anorexics are preoccupied with
eating food but have a strong fear of
being overweight, depressed,
eating disorders. anxious, and have distorted body
image.
❖ Adolescent girls are far more likely ❖ Usually occurs in the late
than boys to have anorexia nervosa adolescence stage.
and bulimia nervosa
Psychological interventions are
effective in treating individuals
diagnosed with anorexia nervosa and
Anorexia Nervosa bulimia nervosa.
❖ Eating disorder that involves an
individual pursuit to attain a thin
body type by starving themselves. 4
❖ There are four main characteristics
that can be applied to people ❖ The expanding capacity for thought
experiencing this disorder: in adolescents offers up new social
1. Current weight is below 85% of and cognitive possibilities.
what viewed as normal for their
age and height.
2. Intense fear of gaining more piaget’s theory.
weight that does not lead to
weight loss. ❖ She proposed that children around
3. Distorted view of their own seven years of age enter the concrete
body image. operational stage of cognitive
4. Amenorrhea (lack of development.
menstruation) ❖ They are capable of the logical
❖ Usually occurs in the early to middle reasoning of concrete events and
adolescence stage following an objects.
episode of diet and stressful ❖ They have the capacity to classify
situations. objects and relationships.
❖ Biological genes play a significant ❖ By age 11, the fourth and final stage
role in this disorder. of cognitive development stage
emerges.
 The Formal Operational Stage information processing.
❖ More abstract compared to concrete ❖ The most significant cognitive
operational thought. change in adolescence is the
❖ Adolescents are capable of make- enhancement of executive function –
believe situations and abstract consisting of a number of higher
propositions then logically reasoning cognitive processes associated with
about them. the prefrontal cortex.
❖ Enhanced verbal problem-solving
ability. Executive Function – being able to
❖ Increased tendency to think about manage one’s thoughts to act in goal-
their thoughts. directed behavior and to exercise self-
❖ Adolescents begin to think more in control.
an abstract and idealistic way.
❖ Adolescents solve problems in a
systematic solution. Cognitive Control
❖ An Effective way of controlling
various areas, such as being in
Evaluating Piaget’s Theory
control of one’s attention, reducing
❖ Previous researchers have interfering thoughts, and cognitive
determined only one in three young flexibility.
adolescents are formal operational ❖ Begins to increase in adolescence.
thinkers, and American adults may 1.) Control Attention and
not reach becoming formal Reduce Interfering
operational thinkers. Thoughts – consists of learning
❖ Many individuals have challenged and thinking among adolescents.
Piaget’s view of cognitive 2.) Be Cognitively Flexible –
development. being of the aware the other
options available and being
adaptable in any situation.
adolescent
egocentrism.
Decision Making
❖ Heightened self-consciousness.
❖ Adolescence is a time when there are
❖ Have two key components:
changes in their decision-making
1. Imaginary Audience – a
skills.
reflection of their beliefs that
❖ They seek various options, view
people are interested in them.
things from different perspectives,
2. Personal Fable – involves a
and anticipate possible consequences
feeling of uniqueness and
of their actions.
invincibility.
❖ Social context plays a vital role in
their decision-making.
❖ To better comprehend adolescent’s ❖ In the seventh grade, adolescents’
decision-making: concept of their school life is
declined.
Fuzzy-Trace Theory Dual-Process o They are less satisfied and less
Model committed to school and liked
their teachers less.
❖ Proposed by Valerie Reyna and her ❖ Students who have healthy
colleagues. relationships with friends tend to
❖ This theory states that decision-
have a less stressful transition to
making is influenced by two
middle or junior high school
cognitive systems:
❖ Changes in the student, family,
1.) Verbatim analytical (literal and
precise) classroom are happening at the same
2.) Gist-based intuitional (simple time as they make the transition to
bottom-line meaning) middle or junior high school
o Changes includes puberty and
body image, social cognition,
Critical Thinking independency, size of school,
number of friends, and increased
❖ Adolescence is considered a focus on goals and achievements
transitional stage in the development ❖ Students’ transitioning to middle or
of critical thinking.
junior high school experience TOP-
❖ If fundamental skills are not well-
DOG PHENOMENON
developed during childhood, then
o Becoming the youngest,
critical thinking skills are unlikely to
develop during adolescence. smallest, and least powerful
students in middle or junior high
5 school after being the oldest,
biggest, and most powerful
❖ What happens when a student moves students in elementary
from elementary to middle or junior ❖ Transition to middle or junior high
high school? What qualities school also have positive side
distinguish effective adolescent o Start to feel like grown up, wider
schools? What are the advantages of subject selection, more chances
service learning for teenagers? to spend time with friends, and
independence from parents
the transition to middle
effective school for
or junior high school.
young adolescents.
❖ For many students, first year of
junior high or middle school can be ❖ Carnegie Corporation in 1989
challenging released a negative evaluation of
U.S. middle school
 o Young adolescents were build relationship with teachers
educated in large, impersonal or peers leading to distrust
schools, taught from irrelevant ❖ The book of Robert Crosnoe in 2011,
curriculum, had few adult role Fitting In, Standing Out, brought out
models, and lacked access to another significant issue with U.S.
counseling and health care. high schools
o It suggested to create smaller o How adolescents’ academic
communities or houses to success is hampered by the
impersonal style of large middle unfavorable social aspects of their
school, include parents and life
leaders in school, create new and o Adolescents get caught up in peer
flexible curricula and improve groups that require conformity
students’ health through in- and those who fail to conform are
school activities. stigmatized
o Extracurricular activities should
high school. be extended, parental guidance
should be strengthened, and
❖ Many high school graduates are not school counseling services should
prepared for college as well as the be provided
requirements for today’s high-
performance workplace.
extracurricular
❖ Critiques emphasized that the
learning requirements and activities.
expectations in high schools are too
❖ Students in U.S. schools have a
low
variety of extracurricular activities to
o High school harbor passivity and
choose from and take in addition to
they need to create different
their academic courses.
pathways for students for them
o These activities include sports,
to create identity.
band, drama, and academic
❖ Many high school students graduate
clubs.
with poor reading, wring, and math
❖ Research shows a positive
abilities resulting to the need to
relationship between having
enroll in remedial programs in
extracurricular activities and getting
college.
high grades, greater school
o Other students drop out and do
engagement, less likelihood of
not have the skill to get jobs
dropping out, and lower rates of
❖ Similar to middle school, high school
depression
transition may be challenging
❖ High-quality extracurriculars that
o High schools are larger, and
assist good adolescent development
students have lower chance to
led to school connectedness and
improving skills.
service learning.
❖ It is and educational approach that
encourages civic engagement and
volunteerism
❖ This includes tutoring, helping
adults, working in a hospital,
assisting at a child-care center, or
cleaning in the community
❖ One goal of service learning is to help
adolescents become less self-
centered and stronger drive to assist
other.
❖ More effective when:
o Letting students choose the
activity they want to take part in
o Giving the students chance to
think back on their involvement
o Involvement to service learning
have benefits such as higher
grades in school, increased goals
setting, higher self-esteem,
increased perception to change,
and more opportunities to
explore and learn about moral
issues