Growth and Development in Adolescence
(Transition Period from Childhood to Adulthood)
Definition:
Adolescence is a development transition
between childhood and adulthood in physical, psychological and social. Adolescence
as beginning when children become sexually mature and ending when they reach
the age of legal maturity. The biggest change is puberty, the process of
sexually mature. It usually happens between ages 10 – 14 for girls and ages 12
– 16 for boys. We can divide the adolescence in three levels, like,
- Early Adolescence
- Middle Adolescence
- Late Adolescence
Stages of Adolescent Development:
- Psychological Development (Cognitive )
- Physical Development
- Social
Development
Stages
|
Physical
Development
|
Cognitive
Development
|
Social-Emotional
Development
|
Early Adolescence ( 11 – 13
)
|
Puberty.
Greater sexual interest.
Gain height and weight.
|
Abstract thought.
Moral thinking.
|
Interest in privacy.
Like independence.
Moodiness.
Increased peer group.
Conflict with parents.
|
Middle Adolescence (14 – 18
)
|
Puberty is completed.
Physical growth slows for girls, continue for boys.
|
Thinking about the meaning of life.
Capacity foe setting goals.
Interest in moral reasoning.
|
High expectation and poor self concept.
Feeling of love and passion.
Continued the distance from parents.
Interested to make friend.s
|
Late Adolescence (19 – 21 )
|
Young women, may fully developed.
Young men, continued to gain weight, height and body hair.
|
Increased concern for future.
Ability to delay gratification.
|
Increased concerns for others.
Give important to peer relation.
Preference to independence.
Emotional stability
|
Characteristics of Adolescence:
Ø Adolescence Is An
Important Period:
Some periods are
important to physical or psychological efforts. But this adolescence is
important for both. So its raise to the need for mental adjustment and
establishing new attitude, value, interest.
Ø Adolescence Is a
Transition Period:
Transition does not mean
a change from one stage of development to another. Children, when they go from
childhood to adulthood, must “put away childish things” and they must also
learn new patterns of behavior and attitude.
Ø Adolescence Is a Period
Of Change:
The change in attitudes
and behavior during adolescence parallels the rate of physical change. There
are five common changes occurring during adolescence.
·
Heightened emotionality.
·
Rapid changes that occurring
sexual mature.
·
Changes in their bodies,
interest and role in social group.
·
Changes in attitude and
behavior.
·
Adolescents are ambivalent
about changes.
Ø Adolescence Is a Problem
Age:
We have to face the
problem in all stage but its especially difficult for adolescence boys and
girls. Because, in childhood their problem were met and solved, by parents and
teachers. So it’s inexperienced and difficult to cope up the problem in
adolescence.
Ø Adolescence Is a Time Of
Searching For Identity:
The identity the
adolescence seeks to clarify who he is, what his role in society is to be. And
also, in dress, speech and behavior like their gang-mates.
PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT:
Physical development in adolescents in
growth spurt as the body fills out, voice changes (especially in Boys) and an
increase in sex hormones. Secondary sex characteristics, such as breasts in
female and beards I males, appear.
Physical Changes:
Internal Changes
|
External Changes
|
Circulatory System:
The heart grows rapidly. The length and thickness of the wall increase
and research mature level.
|
Height:
Normally a girl reaches
her mature height between the age of seventeen and eighteen.
A boy reaches her
average height same or a year later. Boys and girls who were immunized during
babyhood are usually taller.
|
Endocrine System:
The result of puberty is imbalance in endocrine system in
early system. The sex glands develop rapidly and they do not research mature
level until late adolescence.
|
Weight:
Weight changes now distributed to over areas of the body.
|
Digestive System:
The stomach becomes longer and less tubular and the muscles in
the stomach and intestinal walls of the blood become thicker and stronger.
The liver increase in weight and the esophagus become longer.
|
Body Proportion:
The various part of the body gradually comes into proportion.
|
Body Tissues:
The skeleton stops growing, the age of eighteen. Tissues,
other than bone, continue to develop after the bones have reached their
mature level.
|
Sex Organs:
Boys and girls both sex organs reach their mature size in late
adolescence, but not mature in function level in several years.
|
Respiratory System:
The lung capacity of girls is almost a mature level at age
seventeen; boys reach this level several years later.
|
Secondary Sex
Characteristic:
The major secondary sex characteristics mature at late adolescence.
|
Concern about Physical changes:
Most of the adolescence of have concern
about their, menstruation. Because they suffer physical discomfort such as,
weight gain, headache, back aches, mood swings, depression, and restlessness.
The main reason for concern is the role of attractiveness plays in social
relationship.
PSYCHOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT:
Adolescence is period of mental
functioning of individuals intellectual, emotional and social capabilities. Its
lead to meet the demands of, career, marriage and children.
During adolescence, children are
exploring their independence and developing a sense of self. This is the time
of transition from childhood to adulthood. So they feel confuse or insecure. According
to Ericson Psychological developmental in adolescence is Identity Vs Role Confusion (13 – 19). The goal of many teens is to
establish an identity. It means, in term roles, attitude and beliefs.
In
the identity process the first step is establish the Personality, that is, thinking, behavior be consist no matter what
the place, time, circumstance or social relationship. It’s developed to figure
out “Who am I” but is confused to adopt many roles.
Those who have proper encouragement about
the sense of self, they feel independence and control. Those who have unsure
about their belief and desire will insecure and confused about themselves and
the future.
SOCIAL DEVEOPMENT:
One of the most difficult development tasks
in adolescence is social adjustments.
Because the adolescents
are spend most of the time in friends. So we can easily judge that peer
influence on adolescents attitude, speech, interest, appearance and behavior.
Ø Changes in Social
Behavior:
Increased social
activities, whether with members of the same sex or with opposite sex.
Ø Personal Interest:
·
They spend more time for
their own interest.
·
Interest in Appearance
·
Interest in Cloths
·
Parties
·
Drinking
·
Drugs
·
Helping Others
·
Interest in Achievements
·
Interest in Independence
Ø Vocational Interest:
Both boys and girls more
concern about their career. Boys want more glamorous and exciting job. Also
want more prestigious job. Most of the boys come from middle class families
hope to get high prestigious through their occupation. Girls, give preference
to security and less demand on their time.
Ø Religious Interest:
This is the time to
spend time with religious matter.
Problem during Adolescence:
Now a day’s adolescents are facing many
problems and involve in peers group, search for their own identity. It’s not
only affects their physical survival but also have lifelong physical and
psychological effects.
ü Substance Abuse:
It’s a major health
threat. Legal and illegal substance is available such as, alcohol, glue, paint
vapors, tobacco and pills. And also AIDS infection use of dirty needles
increase the seriousness of this health threat.
ü Eating Disorder:
It’s increased among
adolescents, especially in females. A very most common disorder is Anorexia ( it’s a voluntary weight loss
) and Bulimia ( it’s a eating
disorder characterized by Purges, binges and self-induced vomiting).
ü Suicides and attempted
suicides:
Its increased because
of, a history of stress and personal problem. Early professional help is often
needed to prevent withdrawal and acting out of problem.
For More details feel free to contact with us
We are providing One-to-One counseling.
So you can trust us, share everything and we keep your matter confidentially.
Dr. D Senthil Kumar, B.H.M.S., M.Phil (Psy)
(Consulting Physician & Psychologist)
The “Psychologist” Psychological Counseling Centre’s at
Chennai:- 9786901830 (Head office)
Pondicherry:- 9865212055 (Branch
office)
Panruti:- 9443054168
Vivekanantha Psychological Counseling Centre Health Line:- 97869 01830
