Lecture 10: Adolescent development 2: impact of health problems on adolescents

Question 1

What is the effects of disease and illness on adolescent development

Answer 1

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Question 2

What are main strategies that assist adolescents in coping with serious illness

Answer 2

• Peer support/ role modelling
• Respect for privacy and growing autonomy
• Facilitate normal adolescent development and autonomy in hospital and family settings
• Support education and extracurricular activities
• Support re body image/ disability
• address risk taking behaviours

Question 3

11-13 yrs old

Answer 3

• Pre-occupied with changing body so self conscious.

- Emotional separation

Question 4

What are some considerations to take in when treating a 11-13 yrs old (early adolescence)

Answer 4

• Examine in a way that accounts for their pre-occupation with changing body/ self consciousness.
• Involve parents to avoid emotional distress on separation
• information delivered in concrete ways, in short amounts. Parents help with weighing up health information

Question 5

What are the main concerns of mid adolesents 14-16 yrs old

Answer 5

• Appearance/ attractiveness
• Struggle for family acceptance of increased Autonomy/ emotional separation
• Strong peer identification
• Increased risk taking, sense of invulnerability

Question 6

What are the main concerns of old adolescents 17-20+ yrs old

Answer 6

• Practical independence
• importance of education for Vocational and financial capability
• social autonomy
• intimate relationships

Question 7

What are the psychological tasks of adolescents

Answer 7

• Body image
• autonomy and self regulation within socio cultural environment
• intimate relationships and friendships outside the family
• appropriate expression and control of sexual and aggressive drives
• identity consolidation

Question 8

How does adolescent development impact lives of teens with chronic illness

Answer 8

• illness influences body image, and effect of treatment on body image can reduce adherence to treatment
• reduces opportunities for autonomy and separation as rely more on parents for care
• peer relationship disrupted by frequent illness/ hospitalisation
• experimentation is more risky for those with chronic illness and may lead to more risks
• schooling and academic goals are disrupted

Question 9

What mental condition is common in survivors/ parents of childhood leukemia

Answer 9

PTSD around traumatic hospital experiences - can be mitigated by reducing anxiety around medical procedures by informing, making them feel comfortable

Question 10

What is some practical ways the hospital environment

Answer 10

• Adolescent room for increasing peer support/ autonomy
• Offer support for intimate care (body image)
• Employ staff that are interested in adolescents, know about development
• Allow treatment choice to factor cosmetic impact
• Involve in decision making
• Screen for substance use/ risky behaviours
• Address contraception

Question 11

What is the issue for junior doctors working with adolescents

Answer 11

Closeness in age leads to

• increased empathy
• increased embarrassement
• taking sides against parents
• difficulty from understanding adolescents from different background