Adolescence Flashcards
Adolescence: Physical Growth (12-18)
Height growth in girls is fastest in early puberty
Height growth in boys is fastest in mid puberty
Girls gain 5-20cm (2-8in) in height and 7-25kg (15-55lb)
Boys gain 10-30cm (4-12in) in height and 7-30kg (15-65lb)
Adolescence: Rapid physical Growth (12-18)
- Experience rapid physical growth
- Typically always hungry
- Sleep + eat a lot
Adolescence: 12-18 Secondary Sex Characteristics
- Pubic hair
- Menarche or penis growth
- Voice changes for boys
- Underarm hair
- Facial hair growth for boys
- Increased production of oil, sweat glands, acne
Adolescence: Puberty Female
- Earliest change in over 80% of girls is breast development
- Development of pubic hair usually follows in 2-6 months
- Early in puberty an increase in vaginal discharge
Adolescence: Puberty Female 2
- Menarche usually about 2 years after development of breast buds
- Mensuration: mean age in US is 12.5 with range of 10.5 to 15 years
- Puberty delay considered if no breast development by age 13 or menarche within 2-2.5 years of the onset of breast development
- Precocious puberty is considered if breast or pubic hair occurs before 6-7
Adolescence: Male Puberty
- Testicular enlargement occurs first (9.5-14)
- Pubic hair begins early in puberty
- Gynecomastia may occur mid puberty
- Pubertal delay if no enlargement of testes or scrotum by 14 or if genital growth is not complete 4 years after testicles enlarge
- Precocious puberty if secondary sex characteristics occur before 9
Adolescence: Stress and Coping
- Inept social performance
- Social isolation
- Sexuality
- Drugs, war, divorce
- Crowds
- Gossip
- Public speaking
- Death
Adolescence: Note
The sudden and rapid changes that adolescents experience typically lend this period of development to be one of self-conscious, sensitivity and concern over one’s own body changes, and excruciating comparisons between oneself and peers
Adolescence: 2 Myths
- They are “on stage” with the attention of others constantly centered upon their appearance or actions
- Indestructible self
Adolescence: Continues brain development
Not completely developed until late adolescence
Emotional, physical and mental abilities incomplete
May explain why some seem inconsistent in controlling emotions, impulses, and judgments
FRONTAL LOBE UNDERDEVELOPED
Adolescence: How do these changes affect teens?
Usually studied as decision making (steinberg)
-In lab: similarities in adolescents & adult decision making processes
Adolescents are uniquely vulnerable to risk taking
- Novelty & sensation seeking increase dramatically at puberty
- development of self-regulation lags behind
Risk taking as a group!
Adolescence: More stuff
Frequently sleep longer than 9.5hrs
May be more clumsy because of growth spurts-body parts grow at different rates
Girls become sensitive about weight: 60% trying to loose weight
1-3% have eating disorder
Adolescence: Even More stuff
Concerned if not physically developing at same rate as peers - Need to fit in (early vs Late maturation
Feel awkward about showing affection to opposite sex parent
Ask more direct questions about sex- trying to figure out values around sex
What can adults do?
Expect inconsistency in responsibility taking and decision making
Provide opportunities for “safe” risk taking
Avoid criticizing/comparing to others
encourage enough sleep
Encourage/model healthy eating
Encourage/model activity
Provide honest answers about sex
Adolescence: Sleep
Circadian rhythm changes and they need to sleep later in the morning and stay up later at night
Adolescence: Play
Focus: increase reading and language skills, body image, rapid and marked physical growth
Organized and recreational play
Adolescence: Safety
Motor vehicle safety
Recreational athletic activities
Substance abuse
Firearms
Sex
Depression and potential suicide attemps
Psycho-social development
Establishing identity
Establishing autonomy
Establishing intimacy
Become comfortable with one’s sexuality
Achievement
Adolescence: Erikson
Identity vs Role Confusion
- Comes about through experience and testing: adolescents must have the opportunity to have many experiences
- Accepting changed body image
- Establishing a value system
- Making a career decision
- Becoming emancipated from parents
- Integrates opinions of other into own like/dislikes, needs interactions with diverse others for this to occur
- Once adolescents achieve sense of identity, they are ready to work on sense of intimacy
Adolescence: Establishing Identity
Accepting changed body image
Establishing a value system
Making a career decision
Becoming emancipated from parents
Adolescence: Establishing autonomy
Becoming independent and self-governing within relationships
Make and follow through with decisions
Live with own set of principles of right/wrong
Less emotionally dependent on parents
Adolescence: Establishing Intimacy
Learns intimacy and sex not the same thing
Learned within context of same-sex friendships, then romantic relationships
Develops close, open, honest caring, and trusting relationships
Learn to begin, maintain, and terminate relationships. Practice social skills, become intimate from friends
Adolescence: Becoming Comfortable with one’s Sexuality
How educated/exposed to sexuality largely determines if healthy sexual identity develops
More than half of high school students are sexually active
Mixed messages contribute to teen pregnancy and STDs
Earlier age of first sexual intercourse, greatly increases risk for STDs
Adolescence: Predictors of Sexual Activity
- Having steady BF/GF
- Using alcohol regularly
- Having parents with permissive values about sex
- Being worries about one’s future occupational success
Implication: focus on more than one risk factor
