Adolescence

Question 1

Recognize the 3 phases of adolescence and the major defining characteristics of each period. (Pg 285)

Answer 1

1. Early phase (11-14): Abstract thinking begins, increased emphasis on peers; body image becomes a primary focus, changes due to puberty; begging of increased parental conflicts.
   (physical changes and peer approval are prominent)
2. Middle phase (11-16): Trying on new roles; advancement of moral thinking; focus on sexual identity; sexual drives, less parental conflicts.
   (reflection and self discovery are prominent)
3. Late phase (17-21): Increased depth in peer friendships, intimacy;some decrease in peer influence; focus on work or college plans,greater independence.
   (independence and personal identity are prominent

Question 2

Recognize how growth spurts differ for girls and boys. Girls begin at 10 and boys begin at 12. (pg 286- Biophysical Dimension section first paragraph)

Answer 2

The rate of adolescents weight gain corresponds with the rate at which they gain weight.

**Girls: **
* The growth spurt occurs 2 years earlier for girls than for boys
* The growth spurt for girls begins at age 10 and last for 2 years
* There is considerable individuals variability, so girls could begin the growth spurt as early as age 7

**Boys: **
* Growth spurt for boys begins at age 12 and also last about 2 years.
* Growth spurt could begin as early as 9 years old.

Question 3

Recognize an example of primary and secondary sex characteristics. (Pg 286-The pubertal process section)

Answer 3

Primary Sex Characteristics: These are the physical characteristics that are directly involved in reproduction. They are present from birth and develop further during puberty. An example of primary sex characteristics would be the ovaries in females and testes in males.

Secondary Sex Characteristics: These are features that emerge during puberty and are not directly involved in reproduction, but serve to distinguish between the sexes. For instance, in females, an example of secondary sex characteristics is the development of breasts, which are not directly involved in reproduction but are a key sign of female puberty and sexual maturation. In males, the growth of facial hair is a secondary sex characteristic, which also is not directly involved in reproduction but signifies sexual maturation and is a physical distinction from females.

Question 4

Recognize the secular trend regarding the age of menarche.
earlier maturity. ( pge 286 - The pubertal process, 2 paragraph)

Answer 4

• The first record on puberty was recorded in the 1800s.
• Each new generation over the past 100 plus years has been taller and heavier and has entered puberty earlier.
• Records from norway in the 1840s show that on average, menarche, the first menstruation occurs at age 17, whereas today it occurs at age 11-12.
• In the united states the median age for menarche has declined to 12.4 years of age.
• This dramatic change in the age of menarche has decreased to an average of 4 months every 10 years for the past century.
• Body mass is a key factor in menarche; for it to begin and continue. Fat must make up 17% if a girls body weight.

Question 5

Recognize which of Erikson’s stages occur during this developmental period: identity versus role confusion (Pg 286- first paragraph)

Answer 5

As Young people enter adolescence, they seek to answer important questions about themselves. Who am I? What is important to me in my life?
These types of questions represent the stage of life that Erikson characterized as Identity versus identity confusion.
Young people enter the Psychological moratorium - a gap between childhood security and adult.

Question 6

Recognize how testosterone and estrogen differentially change for girls and boys during puberty.

Answer 6

• Males and females produce both estrogen and testosterone although males produce more testosterone and females produce more estrogen.
• These hormones have an important effect on puberty in adolescence.
• Their effect is gradual as the hormones are gradually secreted, and the child moves towards physical and sexual maturity.
• The hormonal changes take place about a year before changes in the body and sex organs are visible.

Question 7

**Recognize the experience of early maturation (i.e., puberty) for boys vs. girls. **

Answer 7

Boys:
* Research has found that early maturity boys perceive themselves more positively, had more successful peer relationships,
* Were more athletically oriented
* And were more confident when compared with late maturing boys

Girls:
* Research has found early maturation to be a fairly strong risk factor
* Early Maturing girls (defined as onset of menstruation) did not sit well academically and were more likely to have behavior problems.
* Early maturity in females is linked to risk for treasing and sexual exploitation

Question 8

Recognize 3 areas in which the brain is developing in adolescence. Understand the potential legal implications this has. Pg 289

Answer 8

• Most researchers now believe that Myelination, the process in which neurons surround themselves by a fatty covering called the myelin sheath
• The Myelin Sheath- insulates the wire -like fibers connecting regions of the brain, which allows impulse to travel faster and more efficiently leading to improved problem-solving and coordination as well as faster reflexes
• An important implication regarding adolescents’ brain development is that parts of the brain related to emotions, judgment and problem-solving are later to arrive then previously believed.
• The overall implications of this new brain research is that cognitive functions such as problem-solving maturity and insight are still developing in adolescence
• The Supreme Court has ruled that capital punishment is inappropriate for adolescents.

Question 9

**Recognize sleep patterns in adolescence. **Pg 291

Answer 9

• The amount of sleep 10 to 18 year old children get each night declines from about 10 hours in middle childhood to around 8 hours by age 16
• Sleep experts believe adolescents need about 9.25 hrs per night to be in good physical, and mental condition
• Approximately 50% of high school students went to bed after midnight on school nights and 90% did so on weekends
• Researchers have found that Adolescents’ circadian rhythm changes and they are more alert in the afternoons and evenings and not alert in the mornings, when they require more sleep.
• Researchers also found that early high school start times contribute to sleep deprivation amongst adolescents.

Question 10

Recognize an example of one of Piaget’s categories of abstract thought. (Pg 292 - Psychological dimension section)

Answer 10

• Cognitive development In adolescent is identified with piaget last intellectual stage-formal operations
• This period of development generally begins at around age 11 or 12
• At this stage of development, the adolscenr is capable of abstract thought;prior to this stage the child could use only concrete thinking or concrete operations
• Now a whole new world is opened up within the adolescents mind-flexible and abstract thinking
• Begin to understand abstract propositions and try to reason logically about them
• This kind of logical problem-solving is referred to as Hypothetical-deductive reasoning.

Question 11

**Recognize how adolescents have learned to communicate since middle childhood. **

Answer 11

• Concrete thinking or concrete operations
• To understand metaphors,one must think beyond concrete operations
• Writing becomes much more meaningful in adolescents
• This is the age when many young people begin a journal to record their inner thoughts and personal experiences
• Boys talk more in terms of competitive conversation. Comparing knowledge and experience,
• Girls talk more more about themselves their personal feelings and their relationships**

Question 12

Recognize how adolescents’ moods differ from adults. Pg 296

Answer 12

• Adolescent emotions can move from extreme happiness to extreme sadness within minutes. Mood swings are especially common in early adolescents
• Adults often take hours to change from mood to next,
• Adolescents must learn to come to terms with the downs as well as the ups

Question 13

**Recognize the role that parents play in promoting identity development. **

Answer 13

• Adolescents have connectedness to parents and the presence of a family atmosphere is important to promote identity development.
• Connectedness refers both to the adolescents sensitivity to and respect for others views and to the adolescents openness and responsiveness to others views.

Question 14

**Recognize the development of individuation (autonomy). **

Answer 14

Has two parts: Separateness and self-assertion

• Separateness: is the expression of the individuals distinct self from others
• Self-assertion : refers to adolescents expression of their viewpoint and their clear communication

Question 15

**Recognize definitions of imaginary audience and personal fable and examples for each. **

Answer 15

• The imaginary audience- is the belief that others are as preoccupied with the adolescents behavior as her or she is- Adolescents harbor this notion that that they “ are on stage” and that everyone is their audience
• Adolescents’ preoccupation with their own bodies may be a reult of their egocentric thinking.
• The personal fable- Reflects adolescents’ sense that they are indestructible and unique. They are so unique that no one can understand what it is like to be them. In their self focus, they also come to believe that they are indestructible.Things simply are not going to happen to them

Question 16

Recognize the definition of egocentrism.

Answer 16

A thought that is characterized by preoccupation with one’s behavior, feelings, or thoughts in a self-conscious manner.

Question 17

**Recognize whether adolescence is a period of storm and stress. **Pg 303

Answer 17

Not anymore, it’s simply a part of normal adolescence.

Question 18

** Recognize examples of internalizing and externalizing problems.**

Answer 18

• **Internalizing disorders: **
• depression are common in adolescents,and suicide is the third leading cause of death ,amongst adolescents.
• The average onset of depression is between 13 and 15 of age, and females experience depression two times as often as males
• When adolescent experience depression ,they suffer emotional distress, problems in daily living and functioning and often have problems in social relationships.
• externalizing-
• conduct disorders behaviors begin early in Life and follow them into adulthood.
• Researchers have found that the aggressive and difficult behavior of 8 to 10 years old was a strong predictor of late delinquent behavior.
• Youth conduct disorder or delinquency is stronger related to psychological factors of personality.
• Conduct disorder may be related to factors such as temperament and personality deficits in Moral development, family structures and environment. Divorced parents, absent fathers, uncaring and abusive parents.
• Biological factors come into play as conduct order may arise from biologically driven arousal deficits that lead to stimulation- seeking behaviors.

Question 19

**Recognize developmental tasks for the family and what behaviors are normative. ** page 312

Answer 19

Three key developmental task for the family are the: Development of autonomy, resolution of parent-adolescent conflict, establishment of parent-adolescent attachment.

• **The Development of autonomy: **Control versus autonomy.
  Much of the stress and parent adolescent relationship that involves all control and autonomy.

As young people move into adolescence, they begin the process of acquiring more independence and parents need to begin the process of granting independence.

Parents who want to hold tightly to their control and are Authoritarian in their decision, making out more likely to produce young people who have difficulty with autonomy.

• resolution of parent-adolescent conflict: The parent adolescent relationship is not viewed as one of stress in storms, rebellion against parents, or a generation gap as it was in the past.

Current thinking views The parent adolescent relationship as a transitional one characterized by some conflicts and disagreements about the details of everyday life.

Conflicts between parent and adolescence arise weekly - twice as often as for a typical married couple

Question 20

Recognize peak periods of peer conformity.

Answer 20

• Peer pressure and conformity are strong processes in adolescence, and reach their peak in early adolescence, especially from the sixth to the ninth grade
• Adolescent thinking, is often characterized by the logic “ if the group is doing it it must be and right”
• Conformity can’t be negative and positive
• By late adolescence, conformity to antisocial behavior, decreases, and parents and peers begin to experience greater agreement.
• As young people moved toward independence, they rely less on fear and family influence.
• Positive conformity and constructive peer pressured are exemplified by student against drunk driving students promises so people can learn not to drink and drive

Question 21

** Recognize developmental tasks that peers support. **

Answer 21

Social skills.: social skills can be an important adolescent to possess.

An increasing emphasis is being placed on a social understanding preventing and remediating the problems experience by adolescents.

The focus is on discovering effective responses for resolving the demands of problem situations.

It is a critical source for personal and social competence development where they learn about sexual relations, compassion, leadership,
conflict, and mutual problem-solving.
The process of teaching social skills include seven basic steps that leaders should follow ( 316)

Question 22

**Recognize differences between cliques and crowds. **

Answer 22

Cliques are small, interaction-based groups. Crowds are larger; reputation-based collectives of similar young people who do not necessarily spend a lot of time together.

Question 23

Recognize risk factors for gang membership. Pg (317)

Answer 23

Long term studies have found that the most important risk factor for gang membership is growing up in a neighborhood with poverty where their is little attachment to people and social institutions.
Parent Risk factors: include absence parents, lack of supervision, and parental substance abuse.
School related risk factors: low expectations for success in school by teachers,parents and students and little school bonds.

Question 24

**Recognize factors that hinder the “goodness-of-fit” in the transition from elementary to middle school. **

Answer 24

This transition often represents a move from a small neighborhood school and the stability of one classroom to a large, impersonal institution, often more complex and bureaucratic, and a period class schedule with multiple teachers.

This shift may disrupt important support and comfort from peer groups and caring relationships from school teachers and staff. This transition can be particularly difficult for middle school girls.

Furthermore, this transition occurs in tandem with puberty and other emotional and social changes.
Middle scholandon or meeting many of the educational, health, and social needs of young ado-escents.

Three essential qualities schools need to improve learning: (1) schools need to be restructured o a more human scale, which means creating smaller earning environments; (2) schools need to create small group of caring adults who work with each other to develop coordinated, meaningful, and chal-enging educational experiences and provide some stability with peer groups; and (3) schools need to create opportunities for each student to interact with Heast one adult who can provide the youth with advice about academic matters and personal prob-ms and emphasize the importance of succeeding in the middle school.

Question 25

**Recognize characteristics of runaway youth. **

Answer 25

physically or sexually abused at home

Question 26

**Recognize the difference between sexuality and sexual behavior. **

Answer 26

The formation of sexual identity is a major developmental task. Sex is not just a single act but a wide range of behaviors.

Recent media reports have popularized the notion that adolescents are engaging in oral sex because it isn’t “ real” sex. Data on 15- to 19-year-olds finds over 40% of both boys and girls report having received oral sex (CDC, 2015)

Many of the reports focused on what was labeled a fad among suburbar middle school students. Because of the complexit in conducting research on such sensitive topics with media reports. Although Would appear tat tele is an increase in such sexual behaviors, it is difficult to know the extent of the behavior.
W
Middle school girls sometimes look at oral sex as an absolute bargain—you don’t get pregnant, they think you don’t get diseases, you’re still a virgin and you’re in control since it’s something that they can do to boys” (Roffman, 2000).

Question 27

** Recognize gender disparities in dating.**

Answer 27

More boys than girls report positive feelings about their sexuality.

Question 28

**Recognize how adolescent dating is different from adults. **

Question 29

Recognize national trends in teen pregnancy.

Answer 29

about 6% of American adolescent girls conseque between the ages 15 and 19 will become pregnant each out of ev year, contributing to the nearly 1 million teen pregnancies

Even with the recent decline in pregnancies, the young m United States has one of the highest teen birth rations and of all developed countries. And once a young woman becomes pregnant, the risk of a second pregnancy as toxem increases. About one-third of adolescent mothers have a repeat pregnancy within 2 years

Question 30

**Recognize the short-term and long-term consequences of early pregnancy for mom and child. **

Answer 30

• The consequences of early pregnancy affects both the mother and the child. For the infant, low birth weight and an increased likelihood of infant mortality are consequences.
• Prenatal care is obtained by only one out of every five of all mothers during the critical first 3 months of pregnancy. For the mother, especially young mothers, there are increased risks of complications and mortality. There is also a greater likelihood for young mothers to experience complications such as toxemia, anemia, and prolonged labor.
• Because of the long-term consequences of early pregnancy, teenage mothers suffer many critical disadvantages, including reduced educational achievement, due mostly to early dropout from school. This may contribute to the additional problems of low-sta-tus jobs, lower income, and welfare dependency. They face equally critical disadvantages in social relationships, high divorce rates, unstable relationships, and more subsequent unintended births.
• Long-term consequences for children of adolescents can include lower educational achievement, behavioral and emotional problems, a greater likelihood of themselves becoming teenage parents, and an existence based in poverty.

Question 31

Recognize fathers’ role in early pregnancy. (338)

Answer 31

an increasing number of fathers do not want to abandon their babies. infant- low birth weight and increased likelihood of infant mortality. Mother-increased risks of complications and mortality.

Question 32

**Recognize how school-based sex education in the USA compares to other countries. **

Answer 32

US adolescent pregnancy rates are the highest in the Western world.

Question 33

**Recognize factors that influence early sexual activity. **

Answer 33

Poverty, racial inequality, illegitimate opportunity.

Question 34

**Recognize the prevalence of new STIs among adolescents. **

Answer 34

35% of 14-19 have STI’s

Question 35

** Recognize drinking norms in high school **

Answer 35

64% have consumed alcohol.

Question 36

Recognize drinking norms in high school

Question 37

**Recognize how cyberbullying can be different from in-person bullying. **

Answer 37

Cyberbullying can be particularly cruel largely due to the offender’s autonomy and the potential to have a large crowd of virtual witnesses.

Question 38

**Recognize examples of the 3 different types of attachments to a partner. **