Physical and Cognitive Development in Adolescence Chapter 11

The Nature of Adolescence Most negotiate the path to adult maturity successfully... But many do not Many are not provided with adequate opportunities and support to become competent adults. Youth benefit when they have caring adults in their lives beyond parents 20% of US 15 year olds reported having meaningful relationships with adults outside their family... Who are helping them to succeed in life

The Nature of Adolescence Females First appearance of physical changes in females Breasts, body hair, height and hips wider Menarche- A girls first menstruation Growth is earlier than for boys

The Nature of Adolescence Boys About 2 years behind girls with growth But often catch up and pass by 14 years of age Voice changes

The Nature of Adolescence Hormones Powerful chemical substances secreted by the endocrine glands and carried through the body by the bloodstream Testosterone- hormone in boys associated with genital development, height, and voice changes Estradiol- type of estrogen associated with breast, uterine, and skeletal development

The Nature of Adolescence Body Image- Strong preoccupation especially in early adolescence A time when adolescents are more dissatisfied than in later adolescence Girls are less happy with their bodies and have more negative body images than boys throughout puberty Media, being thin (at the same time when girls have increase in body fat)

Adolescent Sexuality Adolescence is a bridge between the asexual child and the sexual adult Much sexual exploration and experimentation Sexual fantasies and realities of incorporating sexuality into one's identity Concern about whether they are sexually attractive How to do sex, their future sexual lives They learn much from TV, videos, magazines, lyrics and internet

Adolescent Sexuality Sexual IdentityInvolves activities, interests, styles of behavior, and an indication of sexual orientation Commonly thought that most gays and lesbians quietly struggle with the same-sex attractions in childhood Often Do not engage in heterosexual dating, Gradually recognize that they are a gay or lesbian in mid- to late adolescence Many adolescents with same-sex attractions also experience some degree of other-sex attractions

Adolescent Sexuality Risk Factors Early sexual activity is linked with risky behaviors such as drug use, delinquency, and school- related problems, impulsivity The percentage of sexually active adolescents is especially high in low-income areas of major cities Sexually active siblings

Adolescent Sexuality Healthy outcome Family connectedness Adult-adolescent communication about sexuality Parental monitoring

Adolescent Sexuality Contraceptive Use has increased But many do not use contraceptives... Or they are inconsistent 2011 study: 34% did not use a condom the last time they had sexual intercourse Younger adolescents are even less likely

Adolescent Sexuality Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) Primarily through sexual contact, including oral- genital and anal-genital contact Every year more than 3 million adolescents acquire an STI (about 1/4 of those who are sexually experienced) HIV, genital herpes, gonorrhea, chlamydia

Adolescent Sexuality Adolescent Pregnancy US continues to have one of the highest adolescent pregnancy and childbearing rates in the industrialized world But there are some declines... Most due to school community health classes, increased contraceptive use, and fear of STI

Adolescent Sexuality New Borns - more likely to have low birth weights, a factor in infant mortality Neurological problems and childhood illness Mothers - More likely to be depressed and drop out of school than their peers If they resume education, they generally never catch up economically Tend to interact less effectively with their infants Can benefit from age-appropriate family-life education

Adolescent Health Percentage of overweight US year olds increased Being obese in adolescence predicts obesity in emerging adulthood Less active Sleep is decreasing

Adolescent Health Leading Causes of Death Unintentional injuries (mostly motor vehicle accidents) Homicide (especially among African American males) Suicide (rate has tripled since 50's) 6% of deaths in age group 12% in 15-19

Adolescent Health Substance Abuse There is some decline for illicit drugs (LSD, cocaine, cigarettes, sedatives, tranquilizers, Ecstasy) over the past years But increase when marijuana is included But US still has one of the highest rates of adolescent drug use of any industrialized nation

Adolescent Health Parents, Peers and Education Parental monitoring linked with a lower incidence of drug use Frequently eating dinner with family - less likely to have substance abuse problems Peer network drinking increased adolescents alcohol use

Adolescent Health Eating Disorders Anorexia Nervosa- involves the relentless pursuit of thinness through starvation (less than 1% of girls) Can lead to death Obsessive thinking about weight Compulsive exercise Typically early to middle adolescent years 10 times more in females than males

Adolescent Health Eating Disorders- 4 characteristics Weight below 85% of normal for age and height Intense fear of gaining weight that does not decrease with weight loss A distorted image of body shape Amenorrhea- lack of menstruation for girls in puberty

Adolescent Health Anorexics Typically White adolescent or young adult females Well educated middle- and upper-income families Competitive and high achievers May be problems with family functioning fashion image in US

Adolescent Health Bulimia Nervosa- Eating disorder in which the individual consistently follows a binge-and-purge pattern May include laxatives Considered serious disorder if occurs at least twice a week for three months Like anorexics... Highly perfectionistic, but typically fall in normal weight (so hard to detect)

Adolescent Health Bulimia Nervosa- 1-2% of US women 90% are women About 70% recover-typically with drug therapy, psychotherapy, CBT(Cognitive Behavioral Therapy)

Piaget's Theory Formal Operational Stage-Fourth and final stage of cognitive development Though is more abstract than concrete operational thought They can conjure up make-believe situations, abstract propositions, and events that are purely hypothetical......and they can try to reason logically about these thoughts Thought is full of idealism and possibilities Engage in extended speculation about ideal characteristics, qualities they desire in themselves and in others

Piaget's Theory They also think more logically Scientist like, devising plans to solve problems Systematically testing solutions Called-hypothetical-deductive reasoning Involving creating a hypothesis and deducing its implications, steps that provide ways to test the hypothesis, ways to solve problems

Egocentrism Adolescent Egocentrism Heightened self-consciousness (has 2 key components) Imaginary Audience-belief that others are as interested in them as they are, attention-getting behavior, wants to be noticed Personal Fable-involves a sense of uniqueness and invincibility, ('no one understand me, particularly my parents") Adolescents also often have a sense of invincibility or invulnerability ('it won't happen to me")

Information Processing Cognitive Control- effective control of thinking in a number of areas... Including Controlling attention (dealing with distractions) Reducing interfering thoughts....being cognitively flexible (being aware of options and alternatives)

Information Processing Decision Making Increases - especially when calm Likely to make risky decisions when substances and other temptations are available Presence of peers increased risk-taking situations Adolescents need more opportunities to practice and discuss realistic decision making.

Information Processing Critical Thinking Increases with age but still occurred in only 43% of 11th graders Many showed self-serving biases in their reasoning

Information Processing Critical Thinking Improvement includes: Increased speed and capacity of thinking More breadth than of content knowledge in a variety of domains Increased ability to construct new combinations of knowledge Greater range and more spontaneous use of strategies or procedures for applying or or obtaining knowledge, such as planning, considering alternatives, and cognitive monitoring

School Transition to middle school is less stressful when students have positive relationships with friends and in team oriented (20-30) classrooms Top-dog Phenomenon- The circumstance of moving from the top position in elementary school to the lowest position in middle school

School Should offer activities with a wide range of differences in biological and psychological development Need more personal nature with lower student to counselor ratios Need more parental and community involvement with more flexible teaching in curriculum

School High School- expectations for success and standards for learning may be too low. Many graduate with inadequate reading, writing, and math skills May drop out and do not have needed basic job skills

School Dropout Rates In US are declining Latinos have the highest (but is decreasing) (13.6%) African American adolescents (7.3%) White (5%) Asian American (2.8%)

School Dropout Rates 50% Site school related problems (don't like it or expelled, etc) 20% site economic reasons (40% of Latino students) 1/3 of females- personal (pregnancy, marriage, etc)

School "I Have a Dream" (IHAD) dropout prevention program Administered by the National "I Have a Dream" Foundation Typically adopting entire grades from public schools or public housing developments (usually 3 or 4 grade) They are provided with a program of academic, social, cultural, and recreational activities throughout high schools years Reporting improvements in grades, test scores, attendance and behavioral problems

School Participation in extracurricular activities:..... is linked to higher grades, greater school engagement, and less likelihood of dropping out Improves probability of going to college, higher self-esteem and lower rates of depression, delinquency and substance abuse More beneficial if it is not just one activity

School Social Learning A form of education that promotes social responsibility and service to the community Adolescents become less self-centered More effective: When students have a degree of choice in the activities When it provides opportunities to reflect about their participation Linked to higher grades in school, increased goal setting, higher self- esteem, greater sense of being able to make a difference for others