Adolescent Years

Adolescent Years Paper

Adolescence is the developmental stage between childhood and adulthood; it generally refers to a period ranging from age 11 and 19. Adolescence has many psychological and social stages, as well as biological. The beginning of adolescence is usually marked with the beginning of puberty. Adolescence can be prolonged, brief, or practically nonexistent, depending on the type of culture in which it occurs. Adolescence is somewhere between childhood and adulthood. It is filled with constant change, uncertainty, but it can be wonderful and full of expectation. Everything a child learned to believe is suddenly challenged. One day you are a cute child that everybody seemed to adore, and the next day your skin and body are changing. While the physical changes of puberty are an important indicator of adolescent development, many other kinds of changes also occur during the adolescent years; cognitive, self-concept, social / moral reasoning and the ability to think abstractly.

Adolescence Development

Adolescents enter the cognitive stage known as formal operations, and are able to think more abstractly and hypothetically. They can define right from wrong, in terms of cop = good and robber = bad. According to Erikson, adolescence is a time of "identity crisis", or a critical period in the life long process of forming one's identity, a conflict stage which he labeled identity versus role confusion. During this stage, adolescents try to define themselves in terms of career, religion, and sexual identity. They try to figure out where they are heading in life, and how they fit into society. Often times adolescents in Adolescent Years 3

this stage change their minds and experiment with new looks, majors, and new experiences (Cheathouse, Feb., 2004).

The influence that these factor's have effect the forming of one's identity and independence. An adolescent's self-image is connected to their identity. Adolescents are influenced by what other people who they interact with in their lives thinks of them. An adolescent will seek to please peers, parents, and teachers. When adolescents feel they let down the important people in their lives, they react with attitudes and behaviors. The approval that seems necessary at this stage can help determine responsible behavior and their sense of social competence throughout life (Cheathouse, March, 2006).

Adolescent and Puberty

The first approach that will help explain the pattern of development in adolescence is through the physical development stage. Physical Development involves the bodily changes that adolescence have when they approach the puberty stage. Puberty is often referred to as "a period of rapid skeletal and sexual maturation that occurs mainly in early adolescence" (Advocates for Youth, 2002). During the puberty stage, female and male individuals undergo several changes suitable for their physical stature and composition. Puberty among girls usually begins at age 9 to 12, while boys begin at age 11 to 14. Changes include growth of hair in the genital areas and under arms of both males and females. Body proportions also change with females developing bigger hips and breasts, ovulation, and menstrual cycle begins. Males, meanwhile, start producing sperm, erections and ejaculations, wet dreams, and darkening of the scrotum.

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At this time of development, body changes are not the only worry for boys and girls, "fitting in" is a big concern during adolescence. Girls may become self-critical, because they are aware of what people think of them. While, boys may get assertive and show off or become withdrawn and depressed. Being liked is a big part of adolescence, so they look to those around them for support which leads them to their peers.

Adolescents and Peers

Identifying with peers can help adolescents along by giving them the opportunity to create their own identity. Since, "fitting in" with their peers is an important part of adolescence, they are liable to worry about their body image, and may want to conform to those who they feel have achieved the "desired" image. This image may be thin, muscular, or just average. During adolescence, they may feel unsatisfied with their bodies and want to change how they look just to fit in. This gives adolescence a feeling that they belong, and peer influences help the adolescence grow as an individual, by getting insight and advice from those who know. During this time, adolescents are going to start looking up to a number of people, namely celebrities, and try to adopt their style as their own in hopes of being able to fit in (Cheathouse, Sept., 2004). Adolescent girls need someone to look up to, and if they look up to celebrities and want to be like them, they may do anything to achieve the same look (Botta, 1999). Besides the idea of finding ones' identity and fitting in, many of these conflicts lead to inappropriate behavior such as sneaking out, drinking, drugs, pre-marital sex, and the worst one of all, pregnancy (Bruin).

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Adolescence and Risky Behaviors

Adolescence represents a sensitive stage of development posing a high risk for contracting dangerous addictive behaviors. With teens choosing to have sex at young age, we are seeing the effects of children to having children. Teenage pregnancy is not only a crisis for the pregnant girl, but her family as well. The common reactions of people to teenage pregnancy, include anger, guilt, and denial. Teenage mothers are at risk for long-term problems in many major areas of life, including school failure, poverty, and physical or mental illness. They are also at risk for neglect and abuse caused by the frustrated of the constant demands of care taking. Many local communities are trying to reach out with the message that everyone benefits when teenagers wait to have sex. Studies show that teen pregnancy has been declining in the last decade. However, it is an ongoing effort to prevent any unwanted pregnancy, because it's destroying the future of our young adults; along with the increased drug and alcohol usage (Roberts, 1993).

Drug and alcohol