Adolescence

Question 1

What is adolescence?

Answer 1

• Period of transition from childhood to adulthood.
• Most animals have a period of adolescence.
• Biologically marked by the onset of puberty.

Question 2

What are the physical changes of puberty?

Answer 2

• Reproductive organs becoming functional.
• Changes in body hair and sweat glands.
• Voice deepening.
• Growth spurts.

Question 3

What influences the timing of puberty?

Answer 3

• Genetics (early/late).
• Under-nourishment/malnourishment.
• Parental conflict/divorce (Belsky et al 1991).

Question 4

What are the effects of early puberty in girls?

Answer 4

• Increase in smoking, drinking, & breaking social norms (Magunnson et al 1985).
  – (could instead be due to social circle and not puberty.
• Tended to mix with older peer groups.
• Temporary effect: by age 25 no differences, with only really early puberty for girls.

Question 5

What are the effects of early puberty in boys?

Answer 5

Deviant behaviours and substance abuse (Graber et al 2004)

Question 6

What did (Klopack, Sutton, Simons & Simons. 2019)) state about the importance of social context?

Answer 6

• Early puberty is associated with delinquency.
• This only when combined with deviant peer group, poor school experience, or harsh parenting.

Question 7

What did Skoog and Sattin (2014) state about the diathesis stress model?

Answer 7

Early puberty + adverse environment = problem behaviour more likely.

Question 8

What did Peper & Dhal (2013) state?

Answer 8

Changes in hormones during puberty has organisational effects on the brain.

Question 9

What is the role of the prefrontal area in adolescence?

Answer 9

• Executive function.
• Planning.
• Inhibition.

Question 10

What happens in early adolescence?

Answer 10

• Decrease in grey matter (synaptic pruning).

Question 11

What happens during adolescence into early adulthood?

Answer 11

• Increase in white matter (myelination)