Adolescence

Question 0

developmental tasks of adolescence

Answer 0

construction of an emancipated identity
construction of realistic ambitions and reasonable ideals
further development of a sexual identity
further development of a social identity

Question 1

adolescence age

Answer 1

11-20 years
early - 11-14
middle - 15-17
late - 18-20

Question 2

Harry Potter themes:

Answer 2

disenchantment and increasing attunement to reality
repudiation or endorsement of narcissistic soln to life’s difficulties
aggression and castration fantasies while growing into adult power

Question 3

puberty

Answer 3

early adolescence
secondary sex characteristics
menarche/first ejaculation
sex drives, which are expressed through physical activity and masturbation
cognitive maturation and formation of personality

Question 4

menarche

Answer 4

11-14

breast bud development occurs first

Question 5

first ejaculation in boys

Answer 5

12-15 years

Question 6

Tanner stages of sexual development

Answer 6

physical changes are usually marked by distinct stage of development
(SEE TABLE 2-1)

Question 7

early adolescence - social

Answer 7

same-sex friends and group activities
show-off qualities
greater interests in privacy
worries about being normal
close friendships gain importance
generally obedient to parents
strong sensitivity to opinions of peers
unlikely to seriously challenge parental authority

Question 8

early adolescence - emotional

Answer 8

shyness, blushing, and modesty
moodiness
more likely to express feelings by action than by words

Question 9

early adolescence - development

Answer 9

girls develop ahead of boys
experimentation with body
alterations in expected development may lead to psychological difficulties (ex: acne, weight, late breast development, large nipples)

Question 10

middle adolescence

Answer 10

15-17 years
great interest in gender roles, body image, and popularity
heterosexual/homosexual crushes on unattainable person common
efforts to develop an identity by adopting current teen fashion
preference of spending time with peers can lead to family conflicts
risk taking behavior

Question 11

risk taking behavior

Answer 11

readiness to challenge parental rules and feelings of omnipotence may result in risk-taking behavior
education about obvious short-term benefits rather than references to long-term consequences of behavior is more likely to decrease unwanted behavior

Question 12

middle adolescence - sexuality

Answer 12

first sexual intercourse occurs on average at 16 years of age (by 19 most men and women have had sexual intercourse)
fewer than half of all sexually active teenagers do not use contraceptives (they think they will not get pregnant, lack of access, lack of education)
physicians counsel minors and provide them with contraceptives without parental knowledge or consent (sensitive subjects like sexuality and drug abuse, and physical appearance usually discussed without parents present)

Question 13

late adolescence

Answer 13

18-20
older adolescents develops MORALS, ETHICS, and SELF-CONTROL, and a realistic appraisal of their own abilities
older adolescents become concerned with humanitarian issues and world problems
some adolescents develop the ability for abstract reasoning (FORMAL OPERATIONS)

Question 14

formal operations

Answer 14

ability to think abstractly, delay gratification, and be future oriented
ability to use creativity to express their inner world
ability to think about thinking

Question 15

late adolescence identity

Answer 15

IDENTITY CRISIS common
if not handled effectively, adolescents may experience ROLE CONFUSION
if role confusion develops, adolescent may display behavioral problems such as CRIMINALITY or an INTEREST IN CULTS

Question 16

Erickson’s stage

Answer 16

Identity versus Role Diffusion
preoccupation w appearance
struggle to develop ego identity (sense of inner sameness and continuity)
group identity
danger of role confusion, doubts about sexual and vocational identity
must learn who they are and separate from their family and peer group
understanding one’s interests and abilities allows for the planning of the future
difficulty in this stage can result in adolescent becoming either a rebel or robot

Question 17

identity crisis

Answer 17

normative process that occurs towards the end of adolescence
failure to negotiate this stage leads to role confusion or identity diffusion
failure to consolidate identity may manifest in:
- running away, criminal behavior, drug and alcohol abuse, sexual identity disorder and psychosis

Question 18

late adolescence - sexuality

Answer 18

clear sexual identity
capacities for tender and sensual love
by 19, most men and women have had sexual intercourse

Question 19

teenage pregnancy

Answer 19

in 2000, teenagers gave birth to approximately 470,000 infants (8,500 of those born to mothers under 15) and had 500,000 abortions
but, rate of teenagers becoming mothers is decreasing rapidly (by 9%, reaching a low of 34.3 births per 1,000 15-19 yo’s)
44% total drop from 1991 to 2010 (now fewest teenage mothers since 1946)

Question 20

substance use

Answer 20

a teen who uses tobacco for more than a year has more than an 80% chance of becoming dependent on it
75% high school students have tried alcohol
- alcohol appears to damage teenage brain
40% teens have tried marijuana one or more times

Question 21

binge drinking

Answer 21

up to 50% students met criteria for alcohol abuse disorder
surgeon general identified binge drinking in college age adolescents as a major health problem
UW Madison found 66% students were binge drinkers

Question 22

teenagers at risk for developing serious alcohol and drug problems

Answer 22

family Hx of substance abuse
who are depressed
who have low self-esteem
who feel like they don’t fit in or are out of the mainstream
(peer substance use can also be a huge influence)

Question 23

brain remodeling

Answer 23

axons become more myelinated
dendrites extend
synaptic pruning
from rear to front
corpus callosum thickens
hippocampus strengthens links to frontal areas

Question 24

myelination

Answer 24

improves speed of processing and shortens reaction time
- judgement
- insight
- planning
- motor function
speed comes at the price of flexibility (axon branching would be inhibited)

Question 25

brain remodeling effects

Answer 25

better at balancing impulses, dsire, goals, self-interest, rules, ethics, and even altruism
process is not always smooth
neural gawkiness - Baird
“adaptive adolescent brain”

Question 26

risk taking

Answer 26

peaks during adolescence
teens take more risks
they understand the dangers as well as adults
they value the reward more than adults
evolution - willingness to take risks grants an adaptive edge in life

Question 27

dopamine

Answer 27

adolescence brings a peak in brain sensitivity to DA
teens respond strongly to social rewards
DA appears to prime and fire reward circuits and aids in learning patterns and making decisions
explains the quickness of learning and extraordinary receptivity ro reward - and keen, melodramatic reaction to success as well as defeat

Question 28

oxytocin

Answer 28

teen brain is similarly attuned to oxytocin
makes social connections in particular more rewarding
neural networks and dynamics associated with general reward and social interactions overlap heavily - engage one and you often engage the other, engage them during adolescence and you light a fire
explains why teens prefer the company of those their own age more than ever before or after
passion for same-age-peers reflects attraction to novelty
building relationships w peers bears critically on success
peer relations = the main show
some scans show brains respond to peer exclusion as much as threats to physical health or food supply (social rejection = threat to existence)

Question 29

talking to a teen

Answer 29

acknowledge their feelings
engage their cooperation
think about alternatives to punishment
hear their point of view and brainstorm with teen
state feelings and expectations (no accusing/name-calling)
avoid one big lecture - use small opportunities to start the convo

Question 30

ill adolescents

Answer 30

may challenge the authority of doctors and nurses and resist being different from peers
may lack adherence to medical advice

Question 31

major tasks for teens

Answer 31

IDENTITY FORMATION - need to explore and answer several questions about self
SEPARATION - create a distance between teens and their caregivers, and moving on to be responsible for themselves

Question 32

Tanner Stage #1

Answer 32

genitalia and associated structures same as in childhood, nipple slightly elevated in girls

Question 33

Tanner Stage #2

Answer 33

scant, straight pubic hair, testes enlarge, scrotum develops texture, slight elevation of breast tissue in girls

Question 34

Tanner Stage #3

Answer 34

Pubic hair increases over the pubis and becomes curly, penis increases in length and testes enlarge

Question 35

Tanner Stage #4

Answer 35

Penis increases in width, glans develops, ,scrotal skin darkens, areola rises above the rest of the breast in girls

Question 36

Tanner Stage #5

Answer 36

Male and female genitalia are like adult, pubic hair now is also on thights, areola is no longer elevated above the breast in girls

Question 37

Ill toddlers

Answer 37

fear separation from parent more than they fear bodily harm, pain, or death

Question 38

ill preschoolers

Answer 38

greatest fear is of bodily harm

Question 39

ill school-age children

Answer 39

cope relatively well with hospitalization

best age to perform elective surgery

Question 40

Adoption

Answer 40

children may have inc risk of behavioral problems, esp after infancy
they should be told by parents that they are adopted at the earliest age possible to avoid the chance of others telling them first

Question 41

Mental retardation

Answer 41

most common genetic causes - Downs and fragile X syndrome
maternal infection, substance abuse, metabolic factors, etc
mild (50-69 IQ) and medium (35-49) usually know they are handicapped
can lead to frustration and social withdrawal
Vineland Social Maturity Scale - evaluates social skills and daily living skills in challenged individuals
long-acting, reversible contraceptive methods can be useful