6/5/2017 StagesofAdolescentDevelopment

StagesofAdolescentDevelopment
ResearchFactsandFindings,May2004
ApublicationoftheACTforYouthCenterofExcellence

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bySedraSpano

Adolescenceisatimeofgreatchangeforyoungpeoplewhenphysicalchangesarehappeningatanaccelerated
rate.Butadolescenceisnotjustmarkedbyphysicalchangesyoungpeoplearealsoexperiencingcognitive,
social/emotionalandinterpersonalchangesaswell.Astheygrowanddevelop,youngpeopleareinfluencedby
outsidefactors,suchastheirenvironment,culture,religion,school,andthemedia.Anumberofdifferent
theoriesorwaysoflookingatadolescentdevelopmenthavebeenproposed(seebelow).Therearebiological
views(G.StanleyHall),psychologicalviews(Freud),psychosocialviews(Erikson),cognitiveviews(Piaget),
ecologicalviews(Bronfenbrenner),socialcognitivelearningviews(Bandura),andculturalviews(Mead).Each
theoryhasauniquefocus,buttherearemanysimilarelements.Whileitistruethateachteenagerisan
individualwithauniquepersonality,specialinterests,andlikesanddislikes,therearealsonumerous
developmentalissuesthateveryonefacesduringtheearly,middleandlateadolescentyears(AmericanAcademy
ofChildandAdolescentPsychiatry).

Thenormalfeelingsandbehaviorsofthemiddleschoolandhighschooladolescentcanbecategorizedintofour
broadareas:movingtowardindependencefutureinterestsandcognitivedevelopmentsexualityandethicsand
selfdirection.Specificcharacteristicsofnormaladolescentbehaviorwithineachareaaredescribedbelow.

EarlyAdolescence(Approximately1214yearsofage)

MovementTowardIndependence

Strugglewithsenseofidentity
Moodiness
Improvedabilitiestousespeechtoexpressoneself
Morelikelytoexpressfeelingsbyactionthanbywords
Closefriendshipsgainimportance
Lessattentionshowntoparents,withoccasionalrudeness
Realizationthatparentsarenotperfectidentificationoftheirfaults
Searchfornewpeopletoloveinadditiontoparents
Tendencytoreturntochildishbehavior
Peergroupinfluencesinterestsandclothingstyles.

FutureinterestsandCognitiveDevelopment

Increasingcareerinterests
Mostlyinterestedinpresentandnearfuture
Greaterabilitytowork

Sexuality

Girlsaheadofboys
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Shyness,blushing,andmodesty
MoreshowingoffGreaterinterestinprivacy
Experimentationwithbody(masturbation)
Worriesaboutbeingnormal

EthicsandSelfDirection

Ruleandlimittesting
Occasionalexperimentationwithcigarettes,marijuana,andalcohol
Capacityforabstractthought

PhysicalChanges

Gainsinheightandweight
Growthofpubicandunderarmhair
Bodysweatsmore
Hairandskinbecomemoreoily
Breastdevelopmentandmenstruationingirls
Growthoftesticlesandpenis,
Nocturnalemissions(wetdreams),
Deepeningofvoice,
Growthofhaironfaceinboys

MiddleAdolescence(approximately1516years)

MovementTowardIndependence

Selfinvolvement,alternatingbetweenunrealisticallyhighexpectationsandpoorselfconcept
Complaintsthatparentsinterferewithindependence
Extremelyconcernedwithappearanceandwithone'sownbody
Feelingsofstrangenessaboutone'sselfandbody
Loweredopinionofparents,withdrawalfromthem
Efforttomakenewfriends
Strongemphasisonthenewpeergroup
Periodsofsadnessasthepsychologicallossoftheparentstakesplace
Examinationofinnerexperiences,whichmayincludewritingadiary

FutureInterestsandCognitiveDevelopment

Intellectualinterestsgainimportance
Somesexualandaggressiveenergiesdirectedintocreativeandcareerinterests

Sexuality

Concernsaboutsexualattractiveness
Frequentlychangingrelationships
Movementtowardsheterosexualitywithfearsofhomosexuality
Tendernessandfearsshowntowardoppositesex
Feelingsofloveandpassion

EthicsandSelfDirection

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Developmentofidealsandselectionofrolemodels
Moreconsistentevidenceofconscience
Greatercapacityforsettinggoals
Interestinmoralreasoning

PhysicalChanges

Continuedheightandweightgains
Growthofpubicandunderarmhair
Bodysweatsmore
Hairandskinbecomemoreoily
Breastdevelopmentandmenstruationingirls
Growthoftesticlesandpenis,
Nocturnalemissions(wetdreams),
Deepeningofvoice,
Growthofhaironfaceinboys

LateAdolescence(approximately1719years)

MovementTowardIndependence

Firmeridentity
Abilitytodelaygratification
AbilitytothinkideasthroughAbilitytoexpressideasinwords
Moredevelopedsenseofhumor
Stableinterests
Greateremotionalstability
Abilitytomakeindependentdecisions
Abilitytocompromise
Prideinone'swork
Selfreliance
Greaterconcernforothers

FutureInterestsandCognitiveDevelopment

Moredefinedworkhabits
Higherlevelofconcernforthefuture
Thoughtsaboutone'sroleinlife

Sexuality

Concernedwithseriousrelationships
Clearsexualidentity
Capacitiesfortenderandsensuallove

EthicsandSelfDirection

Capableofusefulinsight
Stressonpersonaldignityandselfesteem
Abilitytosetgoalsandfollowthrough
Acceptanceofsocialinstitutionsandculturaltraditions
Selfregulationofselfesteem
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PhysicalChanges

Mostgirlsfullydeveloped
Boyscontinuetogainheight,weight,musclemass,bodyhair

Teenagersdovaryslightlyfromtheabovedescriptions,butthefeelingsandbehaviorsare,ingeneral,
considerednormalforeachstageofadolescence.

TheoriesofAdolescence(Muuss,R.,et.al.,1996RiceandDolgin,2002)

DevelopmentalAreaBiological

PrimaryTheoristsG.StanleyHall,ArnoldGesell,JamesTanner
MainFocusPhysicalandsexualdevelopmentdeterminedbygenesandbiology

DevelopmentalAreaPsychological

PrimaryTheoristsSigmundFreud,AnnaFreud
MainFocusAdolescenceasaperiodofsexualexcitementandanxiety

DevelopmentalAreaPsychosocial

PrimaryTheoristErikErikson
MainFocusIdentityformationadolescentsstrugglebetweenachievingidentityandidentitydiffusion

DevelopmentalAreaCognitive

PrimaryTheoristJeanPiaget
MainFocusFormaloperationalthoughtmovingbeyondconcrete,actualexperiencesandbeginningto
thinkinlogicalandabstractterms

DevelopmentalAreaEcological(interactionbetweenindividualandenvironment)

PrimaryTheoristUrieBronfenbrenner
MainFocusThecontextinwhichadolescentsdevelopadolescentsareinfluencedbyfamily,peers,
religion,schools,themedia,community,andworldevents.

DevelopmentalAreaSocialCognitiveLearning

PrimaryTheoristAlbertBandura
MainFocusTherelationshipbetweensocialandenvironmentalfactorsandtheirinfluenceonbehavior.
Childrenlearnthroughmodeling.

DevelopmentalAreaCultural

PrimaryTheoristsMargaretMead,CarolGilligan
MainFocusThecultureinwhichthechildgrowsup.

WhatParentsCanDo

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Whenyoungpeoplefeelconnectedtohome,family,andschool,theyarelesslikelytobecomeinvolvedin
activitiesthatputtheirhealthatrisk.Parentalwarmthandstrong,positivecommunicationhelpsyoungpeopleto
establishindividualvaluesandmakehealthylifedecisions.

Nurtureapositiverelationshipwithyourchild.Whenparentchildinteractionsarecharacterizedbywarmth,
kindness,consistency,respect,andlove,therelationshipwillflourish,aswillselfesteem,mentalhealth,and
socialskills.

Encourageindependentthoughtandexpressioninyourchild.Teenswhoarecompetent,responsible,andhave
highselfesteemhaveparentswhoencouragethemtoexpresstheiropinionsandwhoincludetheminfamily
decisionmakingandrulesetting.

Showgenuineinterestinyourchild'sactivities.Thisallowsparentstomonitortheirchild'sbehaviorinapositive
way.Parentswho,togetherwiththeirchildren,setfirmboundariesandhighexpectationsmayfindthattheir
children'sabilitiestoliveuptothoseexpectationsgrow.

References
AmericanAcademyofChildandAdolescentPsychiatry(AACAP)websiteat
http://www.aacap.org/publications/factsfam/develop.htm
FocusAdolescentServiceswebsiteathttp://www.focusas.com/Parenting.htmlAClearinghouseof
Information,ResourcesandSupport
Rice,P.andDolgin,K.AdolescentsinTheoreticalContextfromTheAdolescent:Development,
RelationshipsandCulture,10thedition.Boston:AllynandBacon.2002.
ResnickMDetal.Protectingadolescentsfromharm:findingsfromtheNationalLongitudinalStudyon
AdolescentHealth.JAMA1997278:82332.
SteinbergL.Weknowsomethings:parentadolescentrelationshipsinretrospectandprospect.Journalof
ResearchinAdolescence200111:119.

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