Ages 11 to 18

 Menarche = First menstrual period  Spermarche = First ejaculation  Puberty begins between 8 & 14  2/3 of the variation is genetic

 For girls  Breast development – growth spurt – menarche  For boys  Testes – initial pubic hair - spermarche

 Hormones are secreted from:  Pituitary gland  Regulates growth  Controls adrenal and sex glands  Adrenal glands  Stress hormones epinephrine (adrenaline) and norepinephrine  Gonads  Ovaries – female- Produce Estradiol (Estrogen) and Ova  Testicles – male – Produce Testosterone and sperm  Each sex produces an increased small amount of the other sex hormone

HPA = Hypothalamus-Pituitary-adrenal axis HPG = Hypothalamus-pituitary-gonad axis

 Relationship is Reciprocal  Hormones and trigger emotions, and emotions can trigger hormones

 Circadian rhythms  Puberty alters the body rhythms  E.g. Awake at midnight and sleeping in the morning

 Obesity = early onset of puberty  Malnutrition = late onset of puberty  Dramatic loss of weight will cause your period to stop

 Family conflict & stress = early onset of puberty  Correlation is not causation  Stress hormones are a direct cause of early puberty  Genes may be a factor  Early puberty = early sex  Increased sexual risk taking – More partners, pregnancies, & diseases

 Early maturing girls  May be teased by boys  Lower self-esteem  More depression  Poorer body image  Early maturing boys  More aggression  Law-breaking  Alcohol-abusing  Early maturing in both sexes  Sexual activity & pregnancy = depression and other psychosocial problems

 Anxiety about body image  Girls = Diet to get thin  Boys like thin girls  Boys = Taller and stronger  Girls like tall strong boys

 Self-starvation  Sees herself as fat when she is not  Fear of weight gain  Absence of menstruation  (Both adolescents and adults)  BMI = 18 or lower

 Binge (Compulsive overeating) and purge (Vomiting and laxatives)  Close to normal weight  Hormones  Childhood eating patterns  E.g. “eat everything on your plate”

 Origins  Culture – Fast food culture  Stress – Comfort food  Puberty  One strategy to reduce eating problems  Family eating together during childhood

 Growth is from the extremities to the core  Fingers - arms & legs - finally torso  Weight – Height – Muscle

 Lungs triple in size  Heart doubles in size  Skin becomes oilier (acne)  Pubic hair

 Primary sex characteristics  Directly involved in reproduction  Uterus and testes grow  Secondary sex characteristics  Not directly involved in reproduction  Beard and breasts

 Hormones - Thoughts and emotions  Society (Social context) - shapes thoughts, fantasies, shame, guilt, actual behavior  Religion – Shapes behavior  Virginity pledge Delays first intercourse Increases later pregnancy due to not using protection

 Girls – Biologically interested in long term commitment-”Love me forever”  Boys – Biologically interested in multiple partners – “I want you now”  Protection (condoms) - Increased  Teen births – decreased  Abortions – Decreased  STD’s more common

 Pregnant before age 15  High blood pressure  Spontaneous abortion  Still born  Low birth weight  Other lifelong medical, educational and social problems Poverty Lack of education No husband Depression Drug use

 Excitement and emotional areas (Limbic system & Amygdala) develop before emotional regulation, analysis, and impulse control (Prefrontal cortex) develops.  When emotions are intense, the logical part of the brain shuts down  Deaths from accidents  Fun of immediate sex VS pregnancy & STD’s

 Most common in early puberty  Increases almost every problem  Early pregnancy  Drug abuse  Depression  Suicide  Tend to devalue themselves throughout life

 Young people are less likely to recognize symptoms of a STI  HPV – Human Papillomavirus  Increased risk of uterine cancer and death  Immunization before first intercourse helps Gardasil recommended for both boys and girls – given between 9 – 26 years old Many parents do not want to immunize their year olds (preferred ages for immunization). “Since my child will not have sex, she does not need it.” “If I give her the immunization, it is giving permission to have sex.”