Adolescent Development Flashcards
Define adolescence
The period between childhood and adulthood, ages 12-21. Often defines as the period of onset of physical changes of puberty until adoption of the adult role.
“Storm and Stress”
Empiric evidence for increased conflict with parents, mood volatility, and increased risk behavior, recklessnesss, and sensation seeking
Primary sex characteristics
Body organs and reproductive structures and functions that differ between men and women (ex: gonads, testes, ovaries)
Secondary sex characteristics
Characteristics of the body that are caused by hormonal changes during puberty and last through adult life (ex: changes in genitals, breasts, voice, pubic/body/facial hair)
Physical changes in adolescents
-Gain 25% of final height
-Double body mass
-Major increase in genital system and secondary sex characteristics
-Changes in shoulder width, pelvic width
Changes in facial structure and appearance
Biological changes and psychosocial changes in adolescents
- Physical changes demand accommodation (understanding, coping, acceptance)
- Hormonal affects on brain fxn and behavior
- Poor adaptation can slow puberty
Pubertal changes
Change in body image: teens are very attentive to physical changes which have a psychological impact
Rate of Maturation in adolescents
- Early maturation usually benefits boys, but not girls
- Early maturing girls had more negative feelings about their physical development, while boys tend to have more positive feelings
- Late maturing boys have lower self esteem and difficulties with independence
Puberty-related behavior and psychological domains
Adolescent period is marked by an increased biological driven intensity of emotions, and a greater inclination to seek experiences that create high intensity feelings
Adolescent cognitive development
From concrete to formal operations. Includes abstraction, hypothesizing, combinatorial logic, and future considerations
Adolescent “egocentrisim”
Personal fable and imaginary audience
Personal fable
A belief that they are special and unique, so much so that none of life’s difficulties or problems will affect them, regardless of their behavior
Imaginary audience
A belief held by young adolescents that multitudes of people are enthusiastically listening or watching him/her
Identity
Mature delf definition; sense self internally and role in society
Identity crisis
Uncertainty and discomfort that adolescents experience when searching for an individual and societal role
Adolescent identity development
Rapid flux of clothing, hair, appearance, ideas, beliefs, values, peer group, goals, and view of future
Erikson’s: Identity vs. Role confusion
Necessary to establish basic social identity, orient to an occupational identity, establish personal commitments to goals, beliefs, values, and integrate personal, familial, cultural identities
James Marcia - Identity Statuses
Commitment to an identity vs. searching for an identity
Identity diffusion
Commitment and searching are absent. Have not yet thought about or resolved identity issues, have failed to chart future life course.
Identity foreclosure
Commitment is present, but searching is absent. Have chosen an identity without experiencing crisis or deciding what they want for themselves.
Moratorium
Commitment is absent, but searching is present. Experiencing identity crisis and actively questioning life choices and commitments.
Identity Achievement
Commitment and searching are present. Have resolved identity issues by personally choosing particular goals, beliefs, and values.
Adolescent social development
Transition from home/family to adult intimacy and new family through community and society by peer involvement/wider circle of acquaintances.
Successful identity development
- Requires successful peer involvement
- Self image/self concept
- Social support
Peer pressure
Influence from a peer group, observers, or an individual that exerts or encourages other to change their attitudes, values, or behaviors to conform to those of the influencing group or individual
Developmental tasks of adolescence
- Win acceptance of peers
- Achieve independence from the family (individuation)
- Develop the capacity to love a person and be intimate
- Achieve a comfortable sense of self
- Achieve an effective value/moral system
Early adolescent psychosocial development
- Biological: early to mid puberty
- Cognitive: concrete thinking
- Identity: self identifies using parental ideas, values
- Emotional: compared to childhood, increasing mood changes, anxiety, and stress
- Social: family and peers are primary focus
Middle adolescent psychosocial development
- Biological: late puberty to post puberty
- Cognitive: started abstract thinking with variability and egocentrism
- Identity: actively striving to identify self in contradistinction to parents, adult culture
- Emotional: changeable, but developing more ability to moderate emotions
- Social: emotional separation from parents. Peers are primary focus. Experimenting with intimacy/love
Late adolescent psychosocial development
- Biological: post puberty
- Cognitive: concrete thought more like adults
- Identity: beginning to identify for oneself genuinely
- Emotional: more adult-like in coping, reaction to stressful circumstances, more reliance on others in fxn
- Social: intimate partner and vocational goals primary focus
Adolescent health
- Technically, the healthiest period of the life span
- Overall morbidity/mortality rates increase 200-300% from childhood to late adolescence
Changes in brain structure/fxn during adolescence
- Sensitive neuroplastic period
- Brain maturation is not complete until about 25 (especially the prefrontal cortex)
- Adolescent brain (12-18 yrs) has a loss of overall number of neurons (grey matter) and an increase in myelinated fibers (white matter)
- Changes in brain’s reward circuitry
Frontal lobe
- Seat of personality, judgement, reasoning, problem solving, and rational decision making
- Provides logic and understanding of consequences
- Governs impulsivity, aggression, ability to organize thoughts, and plan for the future
- Controls capacity for abstraction, attention, cognitive flexibility, and goal persistence
- Not fully developed until mid 20’s
Brain development: emotional regulation
Limbic system - regulated by prefrontal cortex; affects motivation, emotional regulation, stress response, self regulation
Adolescent health problems
- Mortality: accidents, homicide, suicide
- Morbidity: STIs, pregnancy, substance abuse, obesity, eating disorders, psychiatric problems
Adolescent suicide
- 3rd leading cause of death
- 90% with diagnosable psychiatric disorder at time of death
- Genetic vulnerability to depression increasing with subsequent generations
Goal of primary care in adolescents
- Screen for illness and risk of illness
- Educate patient regarding health areas
- Promote healthy behavior
Heads - psychosocial screening
- Home: environment, relationships
- Education: academic performance, career aspirations, grade level
- Eating: nutrition, attitudes
- Activities: interests, work, participation
- Affect/Anxiety
- Drugs: smoking, drinking, drug use
- Sexuality: behavior, orientation, attitudes
- Safety: driving behavior, violence screen, abuse
