Week 10 - Adolescence Flashcards
Definition of Adolescent
Period of transition from childhood to adulthood , encompassing development to sexual maturity and development to psychological and relative economic independence
5 main developmental themes in adolescents (Steinberg)
- Identity
- Sexuality
- Intimacy
- Autonomy
- Achievement
Three areas of concern with adolescents
- Conflict with parents (assert independence)
- Mood swings (highs and lows / pressure)
- Risk taking behaviour (optimistic bias)
Overview of general moodiness in adolescence
- Weak relationship between hormonal and neurological changes
- Negative mood linked to life events , friendships , school pressures / stress
- Increased need for sleep due to physical appearance changes
METHODOLOGY - DIARY BASED : mood less stable but high Friday /sat evenings
Emotional self regulation and self control in adolescents
Teenagers gain more independence but with this comes more responsibility
- Brain activity high in amygdala , Low in front lobe
How do adults maintain and develop self-control of emotions and behaviour
- Prefrontal Cortex self regulation to achieve full functional maturation
- Predictor of academic success
2 major change of adolescents neural function (Blakemore and Choudhury)
1= Increased mylenation - speed of processing
2= Synaptic Pruning - increased efficiency
Rosenfeld et al (2009)
- Average age of 12.5yrs in girls reaching menarche
- Early sexual activities = less interested in school
Why in Europe has their been a reduction in age at menarche?
- BMI and Environmental Factor
- Fats in diet cause white fat cells to produce leptin
- Absence of father lead to early onset menarche
- Additional environmental stress in single parent households
Body image in adolescence
- Teenagers become more self-concious of physical appearance and less satisfied with body
- Healthiest
Morbidity and Mortality in Adolescents
- Primary causes related to control of emotion and behaviour
- Increased rates of accidents , mental health related deaths, risky behaviour
Risk Factors In Adolescents
-Friends
-Genetics
-Social Life
-Home Life
Protective Factors in Adolescence
- Good friends
-Healthy activities
-School Life
-Sport
-Emotional Control
Intrinsic Factors influencing adolescent development
Temperaments
School Progress
Low impulse control
Optimistic Bias (‘won’t happen to me’)
Reasons for the concern of ‘epidemic’ of adolescent depression
- Increase in anti-depressant
- Data from successive birth cohorts
- Rising suicide rates
- Increase in emotional problems
[Costello et al]
Reasons for a sharp increase in depression
- Early Pubety
- Increased risk of teenage pregnancy
Why is there a gender difference in depression?
- Weight and Body shape
- Rumination
- Relationships
-Pressure to achieve - More likely to report
Unstructed and Unsupervised Adolescents
- Parents unavailability , limited support networks , no age-appropriate supervision results in more increased unsupervised time [Bornstein]
- Parental presence reduces risks from harm [Resnick et al]
Employment in adolescence and behaviour
- Negative correlation between hours in work and school grades (Steinberg and Dornbusch)
- Association with long hours and substance abuse
Extrinsic Factors : 4 Parenting styles affecting behavuour
1 = AUTHORITATIVE - associated with self reliance self control
2= AUTHORITARIAN - Associated with less socially skilled
3= INDULGENT - less mature
4= NEGLECTFUL - more impulsive
Influence of friends and behaviour in adolescents
- Selective association
- Socialised (close friends) and unsocialised (alone) delinquents
- Depression relation between 13-5yrs and vulnerable children
Positive aspects of adolescents
- High participation in sport correlates with attachment to parents and peers (Suzkys et al)
- Younger ppts more attached
- Doesn’t differentiate between mother / father
5 qualities of role models in adolescents
- Passion and ability to aspire
- Clear set of values
- Commitment to communities
- Selfishness and acceptance
- Ability to overcome obstacles
Grandparents and Well-being study [Flori et al]
- 800+ children from 68 schools in Eng/Wales
- Examined stress/ adverse life events with psychopathology and pro social behaviour (Strengths and Difficulty Questionnaire)
- POSITIVE ASSOCIATION with closeness to grandparents and reduced stress / more resilience
Family meals and adolescence behaviours
- Family meals were a protective factor for enhancing wellbeing
- Focused on mental health , substance abuse , and delinquency [Musick & Meier]
- Mealtimes provided structure , stability , and communication
Positive aspects to employment in adolescents
- Independence , positive attitude and outlook
- Money management
- Responsibility
- Team work , management . Prioritising
- Develops CV , networking
Relation of technology / social media and adolescent behaviour
- More adaptive teaching styles
- 92% of adolescents report going online everyday
- Internet replaced family as a super-peer
Link between 4 positive attribution of adolescents and developing a metabolic syndrome
( Cluster of conditions eg high BP , obesity - which increase risk of stroke / heart failure / diabetes)
- Positive Effect
- Optimism
- Social Status
- Self Esteem
