Adolescence Flashcards
Theories of Adolescene
- Interaction of
— Biological
— Sociological
— Psychological aspects
Biological definition
- Onset of puberty through completion of bone growth
- Highly variable time span
- Body changes affect self-image and communication with others
Sociological Definition
- Functional or status criteria marks the end of adolescence
- Cultural values & beliefs
- Socioeconomic class
- Laws regarding compulsory education, child labor, and legal issues
- Depends on wealth of country
- SES- middle class and upper class kids get to stay kids longer, lower class kids have to work much longer
- KY legal drop rate is now 18
Psychological Definition
- Establishment of personal identity
- Cognitive growth to abstract level
- Growth in personal identity and cognition rapid during adolescence; continues at lesser rate into adulthood
- Very rapid in adolescene
Blending the definitions
- Endocrinological changes exist (change our behaviors)
- Increased awareness of and interest in sexuality –> behavioral changes
—- Disagree how much behavioral changes stem from physical vs. sociological aspects
- Physiological changes create need to create a new body image- problem if kids are an early or later developer
- Process viewed as continuous or stages
— No agreement on number of stages, characteristics of stages, importance of stage psychologically
- Increased independence & autonomy
- Cognitive growth
Larson & McKinley: Theory of Adolescence 1
- Biology & environment influence adolescent development
- Role of environment somewhat stronger than biology (culture mores)
- American culture varies in response to puberty (e.g., definition of maturity, work, etc.)
Larson & McKinley: Theory of Adolescence 2
- Adolescence is one of several developmental periods (infancy, toddler, preschool, school age (includes adolescence)
- All developmental periods involve transition
- Adolescence comprised of
— Continuous patterns
— As well as Stage-like patterns
Larson & McKinley: Theory of Adolescence 3
- Stages: early, middle & late
- Cognition level increases during adolescence, and level must be a factor in determining activities for learning & intervention
- Physical development impacts on psychosocial development
- Phys + psy-soc affect communication
Affect of physical development
- Intolerance to difference as peer group
- Individual reactions to different physical development/physical disability
- Accept that some behaviors are risky, but don’t think the risk applies to them
- Elkind’s Imaginary Audience metaphor
— At a certain point in adolescence- kids feel like they are on display and they are being judged by everyone
- Stereotypes- teenage girls argue, they are dramatic
- Boys- don’t communicate
- Very intolerant of physical differences- bullying
Brain Growth
- Five stages
- 3-10 months
- 2-4 years
- 6-8 years
- 10-12 years
- 14-16 years
- Learning may occur on previously difficulty concepts during period of brain growth
- Brain almost doubles in size between infancy and toddler age
- Part of the explanation of why we try to reteach things
Stages of Adolescence
- Early
- Middle
- Late
- Very broad category
- Larson says that difference Early-Late Adolescence is similar to difference Preschool-middle school
- Huge differences
Early Adolescence: Stage I
- Child-like
- Ages 10-14 years (but is also gender specific)
- Greatest egocentricity
- Home & family can outweigh peer group
- AM I OK? (what is my role in peer group)
- Girls depends on menstruation
- Age of puberty keeps getting lower
Middle: Stage II
- 13-16 years
- The typical stereotype of adolescence
- Physical changes are slowing, but mental change is dramatic
— More abstraction, less egocentric
- Peers biggest part of social life
- WHO AM I? How different, unique am I?
Late: Stage III
- 16-20 years
- Adult adolescence
- Most of adult growth achieved (body growth), but not perceived as adults (in Western society, at least) brain myelination-25 y/o
- WHO AM I in relation to society & societal expectations of job, religion, sexuality, etc.
Cognition & Language
- Theory of relationship between cognition & language impact caseload decisions
- Strong hypothesis: cognition first, drives language
— Would not treat individual when language > cognition
— Think of kids in FMD classes
- Interaction hypothesis: each impacts the other- one drives the other
