Adolescence

Question 1

Adolescence

Answer 1

Period of the lifespan beginning with puberty and continuing to attainment of adult roles, marked by establishment of identity, increased social autonomy, and changing patterns of behavior and emotion

Question 2

Puberty

Answer 2

Maturation of primary sex organs
Emergence of secondary sexual characteristics
Governed by rises in adrenal and gonadal hormones

Question 3

Two stages of puberty

Answer 3

Rises in adrenal hormones
Rises in gonadal hormones

Question 4

Puberty is not just physical- what else?

Answer 4

Dramatic physical changes set off dramatic social changes- in relationships with peers, parents, potential romantic partners
Bidirectional changes in physical development and social/emotional development

Question 5

Puberty and psychopathology

Answer 5

Many disorders first emerge at puberty (as kids transition into adolescence) (high multifinality)
Existing disorders often worsen
Prevalence rates across genders shift
Way symptoms are expressed changes

Question 6

Personal accentuation hypothesis

Answer 6

(like pubertal deterioration in autism)
For people with histories of behavioral and emotional difficulties or vulnerabilities for these sorts of difficulties, major life transitions (including puberty) will worsen these difficulties

Question 7

Contextual amplification hypothesis

Answer 7

For kids who are already experiencing high levels of environmental stress and many risk factors, puberty will amplify their existing high levels of stress and tax coping resources, leading to more problems

Question 8

Pubertal status

Answer 8

Overall level of physical maturation
Eg pre-pubertal v pubertal

Question 9

Pubertal status research q

Answer 9

Difference between kids who have and have not reached a certain level of physical development
Getting at personal accentuation and contextual amplification

Question 10

Pubertal status research findings

Answer 10

Gender differences in depression emerge at midpoint of puberty
Prior to puberty, girls are satisfied with their bodies, dieting and disordered eating common after puberty
Rates of substance use and abuse increase by mid puberty and increase even more by late puberty

Question 11

Pubertal timing

Answer 11

Differences in physical maturation among a group of same-age, same-sex peers
When children reach specific physical milestones can be used to classify early, on-time, or late maturation
One of the most important psychological risk factors

Question 12

Pubertal timing studies questions

Answer 12

Does it matter when children reach puberty? Do children who mature at a younger age differ from those who mature at an older age?
Yes- long term antecedent of psychopathology

Question 13

Early pubertal timing in girls associated with

Answer 13

Depression
Eating disorders
Substance use
Externalizing
Academic failure
Sexual assault
Tons of negative psychological outcomes, high multifinality

Question 14

Developmental Readiness Hypothesis

Answer 14

Cognitive, physical, and emotional development do not occur in synchrony
Early maturing youth are exposed to new environments and stressors at younger chronological ages and before they may be prepared to handle them

Question 15

Pubertal timing in boys

Answer 15

Historically, early maturation seen as beneficial for boys
Now recent studies suggest early maturation is associated with increased vulnerability in boys too

Question 16

What contributes to early pubertal timing?

Answer 16

A lot of variance attributable to genes
Nutrition
Stress (poverty, maltreatment, changes in primary caregivers, etc)

Question 17

Hypothesis about stress and early puberty

Answer 17

Stress activates HPA axis which controls physical changes that occur early in the process of puberty

Question 18

Adolescent brain development

Answer 18

Different brain regions develop at different rates
Brain is not fully matured at adolescence
Particular pattern of brain development during adolescence influences behavior, emotions, cognitive processes

Question 19

Synaptic Pruning

Answer 19

Process of eliminating overabundant or unnecessary nerve cell connections- like fine tuning the brain
Gray matter gets thinned out until early 20s
Prefrontal cortex is among the last region to complete pruning

Question 20

Prefrontal cortex

Answer 20

Highest cognitive capabilities, reasoning, judgement, behavioral control, planning

Question 21

Key prefrontal question and answer

Answer 21

Why don’t young children with undeveloped prefrontal regions act like teenagers?
Different development of limbic versus prefrontal control regions may explain increased emotionality and risky behaviors in adolescents- limbic regions (emotion driven) are close to fully developed while prefrontal cortex isn’t- explains increased emotionality and risky behaviors

Question 22

Dual Systems Model of Adolescent Brain Development

Answer 22

Cognitive control system- prefrontal cortex and other regions to which PFC is connected, seems to mature gradually as people age, independent of puberty
Socioemotional system- limbic system, matures much earlier, is not independent of puberty, dramatic changes in sensitivity to risk, reward, and social relations are influenced by hormone changes at puberty
Earlier maturation of socioemotional system might be why we see other manifestations of emotionality and adolescence

Question 23

Adolescent antisocial behavior

Answer 23

Dramatically higher rates of antisocial behavior during adolescence- globally, over lifespan highest rates of externalizing behaviors, even among “well-adjusted” kids without a history of psychopathology

Question 24

Risk is fun because

Answer 24

Underdeveloped PFC and overdeveloped limbic system

Question 25

Where did out social concept of adolescence come from?

Answer 25

The 20th century, before that, adolescents in major military and political roles

Question 26

In 20th century, modern adolescence

Answer 26

Triggered by Great Depression, mandatory high school was introduced to limit the work force and save jobs for adults, left adolescents in weird spot

Question 27

What happens in cultures which doesn’t have a prolonged duration between puberty and adult responsibilities?

Answer 27

We don’t see same rises in internalizing and externalizing

Question 28

During adolescence, Americans display

Answer 28

Far more externalizing than teens in other countries

Question 29

Moffit’s Taxonomy of Antisocial Behavior

Answer 29

Two types of antisocial behavior
Life-course persistent: antisocial behavior starts early in childhood and continues throughout lifetime
Adolescent-limited: involved in antisocial activity only during adolescent years
Different etiology

Question 30

Adolescent-Limited Delinquency

Answer 30

Is because of the gap between biological and social maturity, makes adolescents more like to act out in ways that are attempts to
Mimic adult behaviors (drinking, sex)
Acquire adult status (lie about age, run away from home)
Flaunt adult-enforced rules (delinquency, loud in public, sneaking out)

Question 31

Moffit life course persistence

Answer 31

Different, doesn’t remit when adolescence ends

Question 32

Snares

Answer 32

Unexpected occurrences that diminish probabilities for future success in life
May be related to externalizing behavior but whether they happen to a given person is sometimes unpredictable
Most often occur during adolescence as a result of externalizing behavior
Make it more likely that life path will be more difficult and more affected by adolescent externalizing
Trap people in a problematic life trajectory that is difficult to deviate from

Question 33

Examples of snares for adolescent-limited externalizing

Answer 33

Criminal charges, injury, assault