Adolescence Characteristics

Adolescence;
Physical, Cognitive
and
Socio-Emotional
Characteristics
Joseph H. Magkalas

Adolescence
 the transition period from childhood to
adulthood
 extending from puberty to independence
TWEENS: 10-13 years
TEENS: 13-18 years
EMERGING ADULTHOOD: 18-25 yrs

Experience rapid changes in
physical appearance, with growth
spurt happening earlier for girls
than boys.
Be willing to talk about physical
changes because new teens are
often uncomfortable with and
embarrassed by their changing
bodies.
Have intense sexual feelings and
a keen interest in their own
bodies.
Provide honest information to the
sexual questions they have.
Prepare opportunities to help
youth discuss body development
as a natural, normal process.
Listen to their fears without
judging or trivializing.
Interested in sports and active
games.
Encourage active, fun learning
experiences.
Characteristics Implications for
Volunteers

Volunteers
Most have overcome the
awkwardness of puberty, but
some boys are still growing at a
fast pace. Many are concerned
with body image.
Avoid comments that criticize or
compare stature, size, or shape.

Puberty: The Start of Sexual Maturation
PUBERTY is the period when sexual
organs mature, beginning earlier for girls
than for boys.
Increased hormone levels stimulate
the development & functioning of
the reproductive system

Puberty: The Start of Sexual Maturation
PUBERTY is the period when sexual
organs mature, beginning earlier for girls
than for boys.
Increased hormone levels stimulate
the development & functioning of
the reproductive system
Males: androgens
Females:progestins & estrogens

PrimarySex
Characteristics
Directlyrelatedto
reproductive organs &
externalgenitalia
Secondary Sex
Characteristics
Not directly relatedto
reproductive organs &
externalgenitalia
Penis& scrotumgrowth Facial hair& deeper voice
Enlarged breasts & hips
Ovary, uterus,vagina, clitoris & labia
growth
Hair & sweat gland changes

Volunteers
Tend to reject solutions from
adults in favor of their own.
Involve young teens in setting
rules and planning activities for
your group or program.
Beginning to think more
abstractly and hypothetically. Can
think about their own thinking
and are becoming skilled in the
use of logic and cause-and-effect.
Ask questions that encourage
predicting and problem solving.
Help youth to find solutions on
their own by providing
supervision without interference.
Can take responsibility for
planning and evaluation of their
own work.
Allow young teens to plan
activities and expect follow
through. Help them to evaluate
the outcome.

Volunteers
Reach high levels of abstract
thinking and problem solving.
Put youth into real life problem-
solving situations. Allow them
to fully discover ideas, make
decisions, and evaluate
outcomes.
Developing community
consciousness and concern
for the well-being of others.
Encourage civic projects that are
a service to others.
Increasing self-knowledge;
personal philosophy begins to
emerge.
Allow time and plan activities for
youth to explore and express
their own philosophies.
Need life planning guidance as
they are beginning to think
about leaving home for
college, employment, etc.
College visits, field trips to
businesses, and
conversations with college
students or working adults
can be helpful activities.

Research Notes:
Cognitive Development
 McLean Hospital in Belmont, Mass
 Groups of children ages 10-18 and adults are shown a
picture and asked to identify the emotion.
 100% adults answer correctly (“fear”).
 Almost all teens are wrong (say “aggression”).
 Most teens who do answer correctly are female.
 Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) is done to
track which parts of the brain were active as the decision
was being made.
 Teens used the amygdala, while adults used the frontal
cortex of their brains in making the decision.

Research Notes:
Frontal Cortex
- Analysis
- Decision-making
- Judgment
- Planning
Amygdala
- Gut reactions
- Instincts
- More primitive part of
the brain.
REF: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/teenbrain/work/onereason.html

Volunteers
Concerned about social graces,
grooming, and being liked by
peers.
Encourage learning experiences
related to self-discovery, self-
understanding, and getting along
with others. Be patient with
grooming behaviors that may
seem excessive.
Moving away from dependency
on parents to dependency on
opinions of peers.
Parents may need help in
understanding that this shift is a
sign of growing maturity, not
rejection of family.
Becoming interested in activities
that involve boys and girls.
Provide opportunities for boys
and girls to mix without feeling
uncomfortable — seems to work
best if youth plan activities
themselves

Volunteers
Strong desire for status in their
peer group.
Establish a climate that is conducive
to peer support.
Interested in coeducational
activities. Dating increases.
Allow teens to plan coeducational
and group oriented projects or
activities.
Often want adult leadership roles. Provide opportunities for teens to
plan their own programs.
Want to belong to a group, but also
want to be recognized as unique
individuals.
Place emphasis on personal
development whenever possible.

Research Notes: Social
Development
 Different family members have different views of
parent-adolescent conflict.
 Adolescence has a minimal impact on the teen, but
a potentially negative impact on the parent.
 After a conflict, the teen moves on. The parent is
more likely to hold on to negative feelings.
 Who walks away upset and stays upset?
 THE PARENT!!!
 Generally few storms, but some stress.
 “Arguing with a teenager is like being bitten to death by
ducks!” -- Parent quote.

Volunteers
Can be painfully self-conscious
and critical. Vulnerable to bouts
of low self-esteem.
Plan many varied opportunities to
achieve and have their
competence recognized by
others. Concentrate on
developing individual skills.
Changes in hormones and
thinking contribute to mood
swings.
Remember that early adolescents
are known for their drama and
feelings that seem extreme to
adults. Accept their feelings and
be careful not to embarrass or
criticize.
Desire independence, yet need
their parents' help.
Encourage youth to work with
adults and older teens.

Volunteers
Feelings of inferiority and
inadequacy are common.
Encourage youth by helping them
to see their positive self-worth.
Gaining independence and
developing firm individual
identity.
Give teens responsibility and
expect them to follow through.
Provide opportunities that help
teens explore their identity,
values, and beliefs.

Research Notes:
Emotional Development
 Most adolescents make the transition without serious
difficulty.
 40% of parents report an increase in stress during early
adolescent transition.
 Stressors are cumulative in impact.
 “Crossing Paths”– When adolescence and midlife crisis
happen at the same time in a family.
 Bickering is usually about autonomy-related concerns.
 Increased social support ~ decreases in the harmful impact
of stressors.

“But Why?”
Using your knowledge of developmental stages to
answer the questions of caring adults
(and refute the public perceptions of teens!).

“But Why?”
 “Sometimes my teen is a real know-it-all.”
 Teens are developing new abilities to analyze,
deduce, reason, and think abstractly. It’s normal
for them to reject adult solutions in favor of
their own. Involve them in making plans, when
possible. Allow them to make decisions and help
them to evaluate the outcomes.

“But Why?”
 “My teenager is an emotional basket case!
She spends a lot of time being moody and
paranoid.”
 Teens can be painfully self-conscious and
critical. Self-esteem can be an issue and it’s
common to feel inadequate or inferior. Be
encouraging and patient. Help them see
their worth!

“But Why?”
 “My teen argues with me all the time,
and I think it’s disrespectful. What can I do?”
 Along with intellectual abilities, social skills are
developing also. Allow them to find their own
solutions, which may not be the same as yours.
Then help them find ways to express themselves in
ways that will not be perceived as disrespectful or
abrasive.

“But Why?”
 “My teen is so hung up on clothes,
jewelry and how they look. What gives??”
 Teens are emotionally vulnerable and have a real need
for acceptance from their peers, and belonging to a
group. Be patient, encourage experiences related to
self-discovery and self-understanding. Set
appropriate boundaries for clothing, etc.

“But Why?”
 “My kid makes a lot of really dumb
decisions, if you ask me. Sometimes it seems like we
can hear the same thing but they interpret it in a totally
wrong way.”
 Listen to them and ask questions that encourage
predicting and problem-solving. Help them find their
own solutions, and be patient. Teen brains are “under
construction,” and still building the connections that
allow them to analyze and reason like adults. Keep the
communication lines open!

“But Why?”
 “My kid questions everything I say!”
 Socially, teens move and become much more
dependent on the opinions of their friends than
their family. They are also developing
intellectual abilities they’ve never had before,
and are still learning how to use. Use two-way
communication, respect their ideas and
demand respect for your own. Ask questions
that encourage predicting and problem-solving.

“But Why?”
 “Okay, my kid is suddenly a walking
hormone…what’s going on here?”
 The surge of hormones is giving them intense
feelings they’ve never dealt with before.
Emotional vulnerability and the need for (peer)
acceptance also affect the high interest in dating
and forming close relationships. Give honest
answers to their sexual questions. Hear their
fears, and don’t judge or downplay them.
Communicate!

“But Why?”
 “We used to be best friends, but now my
daughter just wants to spend all of her time with
her friends.”
 This is normal, as teenagers are more dependent
on friends as their primary social unit. Keep
talking and listening to your child. Understand
that this is a sign of growing maturity, not of
family rejection. Adolescence can be harder on
the parents than the teens!

“But Why?”
 “My freaky teenager is outgrowing his
clothes every month!! Am I feeding him
the wrong thing?”
 Teens bodies change and grow rapidly, and
the growth spurt starts even sooner for
girls. This can be embarrassing to a
teenager, so be sensitive about it. Also be
willing to talk with them about the many
physical changes taking place.

“But Why?”
 “My 14-year old is always so defensive! No
matter what I say, they think I’m accusing them
of something.”
 Dealing with all these new feelings and changes to
their bodies is difficult for many teens. When they
just want to “fit in” this can cause major stress and
result in mood swings. Also remember that teens
do not always interpret what they hear in the same
way an adult does. Be sensitive, patient, and help
them understand what you truly mean.

PHYSICAL
SOCIAL EMOTIONAL
COGNITIVE
Physical Development
Socio-Emotional Development
For video discussions click the links:

Adolescence Characteristics

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