ADOLESCENCE

Physical Changes Adolescence is a time for intense physical changes, hormone activity, growth, etc… These physical changes are coupled with emotional, intellectual, social, and spiritual changes

Emotional Mood swings (happy to sad, feeling smart to dumb) Sulking Need for privacy Short tempers Very self-conscious Overly sensitive

Intellectual/Cognitive Changes Better able to think through problems and see the consequences and different points of view or actions Think about what might be instead of what is More advanced and complicated material in school Identity Formation

Social Changes Emotional distance from parents as questioning parent’s authority Peer friendships Loyalty and intimacy. Intimate friendships provide emotional support, understanding, information and advice, increase self-esteem and help teens to be themselves.

Spiritual Changes (Changing relationship with God) Looks for objective information about religious persons and practices Look for things to make sense personally Begin to doubt/question basic ideas Growth in understanding self as spiritual

There are Three Crucial Tasks to Adolescence

TASK 1 – Develop a deepening capacity for friendship Relate to social changes of adolescent Look for intimacy – sharing who you really are (spirit) Importance of friends for advice, support, etc. Learn qualities you want in friend, skills in friendship (communication, etc.)

Task 2 – Develop Healthy Sexual Identity Accept oneself, develop self-esteem Relate to others with respect, caring, trust Not possessive or controlling Communication is important Respect own and others’ bodies

Task 3 – Develop more mature parent- child relationship Increasing independence Increasing responsibility Growing communication – Two-way – More equal sharing, exchange ideas

At the heart of all tasks is capacity for friendship Need skills in communicating, sharing to complete other two tasks These are CRUCIAL – – Goal is to be whole and healthy, to be the person God is calling each of us to be – Need the skills in friendship to have more mature parent-child relationship – Marriage – characterizes a healthy sexual relationship; depends on deep friendship