Growing up and adolescence

Question 1

describe changes in pubertal timing over the last century

Answer 1

Age of puberty has fallen over the last few years. As a result of

• improved standard of living
• health
• nutrition
• body mass - girls

Question 2

describe psychological aspects of puberty

Answer 2

Body: general dis-satisfaction as boys and girls wants a different body.
However girls are less satisfied than boys
media can cause body image concerns which can lead to unhealthy behaviours.

Mood: hormones can have an effect on mood. Girls becomes ‘‘moody’’ with period. boys can become more aggressive.

Question 3

outline how changes in cognition during adolescence affect decision-making and risk-taking

Answer 3

In adolescence perform formal operation according to piaget’s theory.
Understand abstract conceptions
Multi-dimensional thinking
meta-cognition and self absorption (imaginary audience) enables

• identification of alternatives/consequences of alternatives
  assess likelihood of consequences
• make rational decisions
  However adolescence still make bad decisions such as unplanned pregnancies, accidents are the leading cause of death and unhealthy behaviours.
  Younger people are twice as risker with social influence - intellectual maturity develops more rapidly than psychosocial maturity
  -Gender
  -trying out different identities

Question 4

identify important issues for medical consultations with adolescents

Answer 4

Adolescents have concerns about their privacy and confidentiality during consultations.
They do not like 3 way conversations that involve their parents. However parent consent needed when dealing with children that are below competence age/Gillicks competence.

Adolescents also feel embarrassed sharing sensitive issues

Question 5

What is adolescence

Answer 5

Period of development between childhood and adulthood

Question 6

adolescents are supposed to have adult-like capacities for risk assessment, so why are they more likely to take risks?

Answer 6

Learning boundaries
Try out different things
They are egocentric- believe evil will not happen to them
Unrealistic optimism
Show masculinity – in males
Peer pressure – adolescent develop intellectual maturity rapidly compared to psychosocial maturity