1. Socioemotional Development in Adolescence
Children 17
Socioemotional Development in Adolescence
John W. Santrock

2. Socioemotional Development in Adolescence
What Characterizes Emotional Development and Self-Development in Adolescence?
What Is the Nature of Parent-Adolescent Relationships?
What Aspects of Peer Relationships Are Important in Adolescence?
Why Is Culture an Important Context for Adolescent Development?
What Are Some Socioemotional Problems in Adolescence?

3. Emotional Development
What Characterizes Emotional Development and Self-Development in Adolescence?
Emotional Development
More extreme emotions
Emotions more changeable, fleeting
Moodiness is normal
Decrease in overall happiness
Risk of depression

4. What Characterizes Emotional Development and Self-Development in Adolescence?
Self-Reported Extremes of Emotions by Adolescents, Mothers, and Fathers 5 10 15 20 25 30
Percent of self-reports
Very happy
Very unhappy
Mothers
Adolescents
Fathers
Fig. 17.1

5. Self-Esteem How we feel about ourselves
What Characterizes Emotional Development and Self-Development in Adolescence?
Self-Esteem
How we feel about ourselves
Often decreases in transition from elementary to junior high school
Appears to fluctuate across lifespan
Higher for males at most ages

6. Self-Esteem Across the Lifespan
What Characterizes Emotional Development and Self-Development in Adolescence?
Self-Esteem Across the Lifespan
3.9
3.8
3.7
3.5
4.0
3.4
3.2
3.6
3.1
3.0
3.3
Average self-esteem score
18-22
Age
80-89
13-17
9-12
23-29
30-39
40-49
50-59
60-69
70-79
Fig. 17.2

7. Erikson and Identity 5th stage: Identity vs. identity confusion
What Characterizes Emotional Development and Self-Development in Adolescence?
Erikson and Identity
5th stage: Identity vs. identity confusion
Confusion takes 2 forms: isolation or lost identity in the crowd
Identity: a self-portrait of many pieces
Physical, cognitive, social, emotional
A lengthy, complex, lifelong process

8. Marcia’s Identity Statuses
What Characterizes Emotional Development and Self-Development in Adolescence?
Marcia’s Identity Statuses
Fig. 17.3

9. Family Influences on Identity
What Characterizes Emotional Development and Self-Development in Adolescence?
Family Influences on Identity
Family atmosphere is important
Individuality: two dimensions
Self-expression
Separateness
Connectedness: two dimensions
Mutuality
Permeability

10. Cultural and Ethnic Aspects of Identity
What Characterizes Emotional Development and Self-Development in Adolescence?
Cultural and Ethnic Aspects of Identity
Includes
Sense of membership in an ethnic group
Attitudes and feelings related to that membership
Minority adolescents have bicultural identities
Prejudice, living contexts can affect search and development of healthy ethnic identity

11. Autonomy and Attachment
What Is the Nature of Parent-Adolescent Relationships?
Autonomy and Attachment
Conflict when adolescents push for autonomy
Parents should relinquish control gradually, as adolescent is able to make reasonable decisions
Gender and culture affect seeking and granting autonomy

12. Parent-Adolescent Conflict
What Is the Nature of Parent-Adolescent Relationships?
Parent-Adolescent Conflict
Escalated conflict due to
Biological changes (puberty)
Cognitive changes (idealism, logic)
Social changes (independence, identity)
Maturational changes
Violated expectations

13. Parent-Adolescent Conflict
What Is the Nature of Parent-Adolescent Relationships?
Parent-Adolescent Conflict
Parents serve as support system as adolescents explore wider world
Most conflict is moderate
Some prolonged, unhealthy conflict associated with adolescent problems
Conflict is less in some cultures

14. Competent Adolescent Development
What Is the Nature of Parent-Adolescent Relationships?
Competent Adolescent Development
Parents should
Show warmth and respect
Show sustained interest in children’s lives
Recognize and adapt to child’s cognitive and socioemotional development
Communicate expectations, high standards
Display constructive problem solving

15. What Aspects of Peer Relationships Are Important in Adolescence?
Friendships
Dramatic increase in psychological importance and intimacy of close friends
Most motivated by popularity with peers
Peers help shape development; increased mutual dependency for many needs
Friend’s character and quality of friendship are important influences

16. Change in Self-Disclosing in Conversations
What Aspects of Peer Relationships Are Important in Adolescence?
Change in Self-Disclosing in Conversations
Self-disclosure in conversation score 2 3 4 1
Grade
5th
7th
10th
College
2nd
Fig. 17.5

17. Peer Groups Peer pressure can be negative; most is positive
What Aspects of Peer Relationships Are Important in Adolescence?
Peer Groups
Peer pressure can be negative; most is positive
Adolescents conform more to peer standards than younger children do
Resist parental influence stronger in U.S.
Self-esteem can motivate membership

18. Peer Groups Cliques Crowds Average 5 to 6 people Usually same sex, age
What Aspects of Peer Relationships Are Important in Adolescence?
Peer Groups
Cliques
Average 5 to 6 people
Usually same sex, age
Formed from shared activities, friendship
Crowds
Larger than cliques, more informal
Usually formed based on reputation
May not spend much time together

19. What Aspects of Peer Relationships Are Important in Adolescence?
Peers and Culture
Some societies restrict adolescents’ access to peers, especially girls
Adolescents engage in more peer interaction during school and in shared leisure activities
Adolescent lifestyles affect desires for and frequency of peer interactions

20. Dating and Romantic Relationships
What Aspects of Peer Relationships Are Important in Adolescence?
Dating and Romantic Relationships
Dating and developmental changes
Heterosexual romantic relationships
Early romantic involvement
More social anxiety
More school-related problems
Special social concerns
Most youth find comfort in numbers

21. Age of Onset of Romantic Activity
Percent of students 80 60 40 20
100
4th
6th
7th
8th
9th
10th
11th
12th
5th
Grade
Fig. 17.6

22. Romantic Relationships in Sexual Minority Youth
What Aspects of Peer Relationships Are Important in Adolescence?
Romantic Relationships in Sexual Minority Youth
Interest in gay, lesbian, bisexual youth
Average age of initiated same-sex activity is 14 to 18 for girls, 13 to 15 for boys
Most common initial partner is close friend
Girls usually have sex with boys first before same-sex activity; opposite for gay boys

23. Romantic Relationships in Sexual Minority Youth
What Aspects of Peer Relationships Are Important in Adolescence?
Romantic Relationships in Sexual Minority Youth
Most sexual minority youth have same-sex experience but few have same-sex romantic relationships
Limited opportunities
Social disapproval

24. Emotional and Romantic Relationships
What Aspects of Peer Relationships Are Important in Adolescence?
Emotional and Romantic Relationships
Strong source of emotional attachment for adolescents
Majority of emotions were positive
Those in love at higher risk for depression; especially young adolescent girls
Romantic breakups cause depression

25. Sociocultural Contexts and Dating
What Aspects of Peer Relationships Are Important in Adolescence?
Sociocultural Contexts and Dating
Values and beliefs of various cultures
Influence dating patterns
Influence mate selection
Often dictate age when dating allowed
Some cultures very strict with girls; U.S. immigrants brought customs with them
“Sneak dating”

26. Cross-Culture Comparisons of Adolescents
Why Is Culture an Important Context for Adolescent Development?
Cross-Culture Comparisons of Adolescents
U.S. adolescents
Work more than in other developed countries
Do less homework than East Asian youth
Spend more time in voluntary structured activities than East Asians
Have more discretionary time
Spend it hanging out and watching TV

27. Why Is Culture an Important Context for Adolescent Development?
Rites of Passage
Ceremony or ritual that marks one’s transition from one status to another
Gain access to adult practices, knowledge, sexuality, separation from nuclear family
Sometimes dramatic or spiritual
Affected by ethnicity and economic class
Minority youth and double disadvantage

28. Differences and Diversity
Why Is Culture an Important Context for Adolescent Development?
Differences and Diversity
Real differences
Among minority groups, not homogeneous
511 Native American tribes recognized
Asians: Chinese, Japanese, and more
Latinos: Mexican, Cuban, and more
Between minority groups and White group
Functional for individuals to adapt

29. Value Conflicts: Assimilation and Pluralism
Why Is Culture an Important Context for Adolescent Development?
Value Conflicts: Assimilation and Pluralism
Assimilation: absorption of ethnic minority groups into the dominant group
Loss of behaviors, values of ethnic group
Pluralism: coexistence of distinct ethnic and cultural groups in one society
Cultural differences appreciated

30. What Are Some Socioemotional Problems in Adolescence?
Juvenile Delinquency
Juvenile delinquent: adolescent who breaks laws, engages in illegal behavior
Broad concept; higher risks for males
Antecedents of delinquency
Authority conflict
Covert behaviors
Overt behaviors

31. Factors Affecting Delinquency
What Are Some Socioemotional Problems in Adolescence?
Factors Affecting Delinquency
Personal
Self-control
Age
Sex/gender
Parental roles and family system
SES
Siblings who are delinquents
External
Peers
Neighborhood quality
Expectations for education
School grades and achievement

32. Youth Violence Predicting a violent youth Overwhelmingly male
What Are Some Socioemotional Problems in Adolescence?
Youth Violence
Predicting a violent youth
Overwhelmingly male
Violence gives sense of power
Much more in poverty-infested, urban areas
Inadequate parent involvement, supervision
Past history of violence, serious problems
Poor self-control, temperamental

33. Reducing Youth Violence
What Are Some Socioemotional Problems in Adolescence?
Reducing Youth Violence
Recommit to raising children safely and effectively
Make prevention a reality
Give more support to schools
Forge effective partnerships among families, schools, social service systems, churches, and other agencies

34. Depression More likely to occur in adolescence than in childhood
What Are Some Socioemotional Problems in Adolescence?
Depression
More likely to occur in adolescence than in childhood
Higher rates in girls than boys
Related factors
Family
Peers
Difficult changes

35. Suicide Rare in childhood; risk escalates in adolescence
What Are Some Socioemotional Problems in Adolescence?
Suicide
Rare in childhood; risk escalates in adolescence
Third leading cause of death in 10- to 19- year-olds in the U.S.
19% of U.S. high school students have considered or attempted
Females more at risk than males

36. Suicide Risks in adolescence Homosexual adolescent risk controversial
What Are Some Socioemotional Problems in Adolescence?
Suicide
Risks in adolescence
Homosexual adolescent risk controversial
Recent concern for use of antidepressants and suicidal thoughts
Issues of copycat suicides
Depression is most frequently cited factor

37. Successful Prevention/ Intervention Programs
What Are Some Socioemotional Problems in Adolescence?
Successful Prevention/ Intervention Programs
Know that most at-risk adolescents have multiple problems
Early sexual activity linked to use of drugs, tobacco, and alcohol
High-risk youth do-it-all

38. Successful Prevention/ Intervention Programs
What Are Some Socioemotional Problems in Adolescence?
Successful Prevention/ Intervention Programs
Intensive individualized attention
Community-wide, multiagency, collaborative approaches
Early identification and intervention

39. Children 17
The End