Adolescent development - Overview

Overview

Alternative Names
Development - adolescent; Growth and development - adolescent

Definition of Adolescent development:

The development of children ages 12 through 18 years old is expected to include predictable physical and mental milestones.

Information:
During adolescence, children develop the ability to:
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Understand abstract ideas, such as higher math concepts, and develop moral philosophies, including rights and privileges Establish and maintain satisfying relationships by learning to share intimacy without feeling worried or inhibited Move toward a more mature sense of themselves and their purpose Question old values without losing their identity

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT During adolescence, young people go through many changes as they move from childhood into physical maturity. Early, prepubescent changes occur when the secondary sexual characteristics appear. Girls:
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Girls may begin to develop breast buds as early as 8 years old. Breasts develop fully between ages 12 and 18. Pubic hair, armpit and leg hair usually begin to grow at about age 9 or 10, and reach adult patterns at about 13 to 14 years. Menarche (the beginning of menstrual periods) typically occurs about 2 years after early breast and pubic hair appear. It may occur as early as age 10, or as late as age 15. The average age of menstruation in the United States is about 12.5 years. Girls have a rapid growth in height between ages 9.5 and 14.5, peaking at around age 12.

Boys:

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Boys may begin to notice that their testicles and scrotum grow as early as age 9. Soon, the penis begins to lengthen. By age 16 or 17, their genitals are usually at their adult size and shape. Pubic hair growth -- as well as armpit, leg, chest, and facial hair -- begins in boys at about age 12, and reaches adult patterns at about 15 to 16 years. Boys do not start puberty with a sudden incident, like the beginning of menstrual periods in girls. Having regular nocturnal emissions (wet dreams) marks the beginning of puberty in boys. Wet dreams typically start between ages 13 and 17, with the average at about 14.5 years. Boys' voices change at the same time as the penis grows. Nocturnal emissions occur with the peak of the height spurt.

What cognitive developmental changes occur during adolescence?

During adolescence (between 12 and 18 years of age), the developing teenager acquires the ability to think systematically about all logical relationships within a problem. The transition from concrete thinking to formal logical operations occurs over time. Each adolescent progresses at varying rates in developing his/her ability to think in more complex ways. Each adolescent develops his/her own view of the world. Some adolescents may be able to apply logical operations to school work long before they are able to apply them to personal dilemmas. When emotional issues arise, they often interfere with an adolescent's ability to think in more complex ways. The ability to consider possibilities, as well as facts, may influence decision making, in either positive or negative ways. Some common indicators indicating a progression from more simple to more complex cognitive development include the following:
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early adolescence During early adolescence, the use of more complex thinking is focused on personal decision making in school and home environments, including the following:
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The early adolescent begins to demonstrate use of formal logical operations in schoolwork. The early adolescent begins to question authority and society standards. The early adolescent begins to form and verbalize his/her own thoughts and views on a variety of topics, usually more related to his/her own life, such as:
   

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which sports are better to play. which groups are better to be included in. what personal appearances are desirable or attractive. what parental rules should be changed.

middle adolescence With some experience in using more complex thinking processes, the focus of middle

adolescence often expands to include more philosophical and futuristic concerns, including the following:
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The middle adolescent often questions more extensively. The middle adolescent often analyzes more extensively. The middle adolescent thinks about and begins to form his/her own code of ethics (i.e., What do I think is right?). The middle adolescent thinks about different possibilities and begins to develop own identity (i.e., Who am I?). The middle adolescent thinks about and begins to systematically consider possible future goals (i.e., What do I want?). The middle adolescent thinks about and begins to make his/her own plans. The middle adolescent begins to think long term. The middle adolescent's use of systematic thinking begins to influence relationships with others.

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late adolescence During late adolescence, complex thinking processes are used to focus on less selfcentered concepts as well as personal decision making, including the following:
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The late adolescent has increased thoughts about more global concepts such as justice, history, politics, and patriotism. The late adolescent often develops idealistic views on specific topics or concerns. The late adolescent may debate and develop intolerance of opposing views. The late adolescent begins to focus thinking on making career decisions. The late adolescent begins to focus thinking on emerging role in adult society.

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What encourages healthy cognitive development during adolescence?

The following suggestions will help to encourage positive and healthy cognitive development in the adolescent:
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Include adolescents in discussions about a variety of topics, issues, and current events. Encourage adolescents to share ideas and thoughts with you. Encourage adolescents to think independently and develop their own ideas.

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Assist adolescents in setting their own goals. Stimulate adolescents to think about possibilities of the future. Compliment and praise adolescents for well thought out decisions. Assist adolescents in re-evaluating poorly made decisions for themselves.

Emotional Development Emotional development in adolescence is marked by emotional instability and tumultuous times. At this time the mood could change very quickly. Emotional changes are closely related to the maturity of hormones that occur in adolescents. Emotional stress arising from physical changes that occur rapidly and widely during puberty. Adolescents assigned achieve emotional independence from parents and other adults. This can make a teenager against the will or opinion contrary to his parents. With a typical teen full of turmoil and emotional, conflicts of opinion often makes teenagers become rebellious at home. If this problem is not resolved, especially parents are authoritarian, teens tend to find a solution outside the home, that is by joining with peers the same boat. Often this is because teenagers are facing is the same age who have a problem more or less the same and both have not succeeded in doing the same task of development, could be a solution that offered less wise. The presence of these emotional problems vary in each adolescent. Adolescence emotional patterns similar to patterns of childhood emotions. The kind that normally experienced are: love or affection, joy, anger, fear, sadness and others again. The difference lies in the kinds and degrees of stimulation that evokes emotions and especially the pattern of control by individuals against their emotional expression. Biehler (1972) divides emotional characteristics of adolescents into two age ranges, the age of 12-15 years and 15-18 years of age. Emotional characteristics of the age of 12-15 years
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Tend to many gloomy, unguessable Behave rude to cover up deficiencies in terms of confidence Anger is common Tends to be tolerant of others and want to always win their own Start observing parents and their teachers objectively

Emotional characteristics of adolescents aged 15-18 years

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Rebellion teenager is the universal expression of the change from childhood to adulthood Many adolescents in conflict with their parents Often, daydreaming, thinking about their future

Milestones
INDEPENDENCE In early adolescence, children want to break away from their parents. They prefer to spend time with friends than family. In mid adolescence, children are ambiguous about the separation, but by late adolescence your child should resolve these issues. BODY IMAGE In early adolescence, your child adjusts to pubescent changes. In mid adolescence, children try on different images to find their real self. By late adolescence, your child should develop a satisfying body image. RELATIONSHIPS In early adolescence, children hang around unisex friends. In mid adolescence your child will spend more time in a heterosexual peer group. By late adolescence, expect that individual relationships will become more important to your child than the peer group. CAREER PLANS In early and mid adolescence, career plans are vague. As your child enters late adolescence, specific goals and steps to implement these goals are present in your child s mind. VALUE SYSTEM Your early adolescent will test your moral system. Mid adolescents are self-centered. Late adolescents have a rigid concept of right and wrong, and are other-oriented. SEXUAL DRIVES Early adolescents are sexually curious, and by mid adolescence they may begin sexual experimentation. In late adolescence, however, they begin intimacy and caring.

At the onset of puberty, your adolescent will begin to need privacy. This can be accomplished by allowing your teen to have his/her own room. If you cannot provide this, your teen should have his/her own section of a room where they cannot be disturbed. Be prepared for your adolescent to declare their independence. Your adolescent has an appropriate psychological need to separate from you and establish his/her own identity as an individual. For most adolescents, it is accomplished quietly through the media of clothes, hair, jewelry, music, and the increased importance of close friends. As adolescents separate from parents, they need the support of their peer group for a safe psychological shelter (supportive structure) in which to grow outside of family. But that does not mean that your adolescent does not need you anymore. They need you more than you think, so express your concerns for them (without embarrassing them in front of their friends!).