1. Adolescent Stage
Monika Yadav

2. Growth & Development in Adolescence
Succession of events in development of secondary sexual characteristics during puberty is consistent.
There is individual variation in the age of onset, duration and tempo of Growth.

3. Adolescence
Adolescence is a time of considerable physical and psychological growth and change!
ADOLESCENCE is the developmental stage between childhood and adulthood.
The age at which adolescence begins and ends is imprecise, partly because society is unclear about the roles of people in this stage (no longer children, not yet adults)

4. Definition of puberty Pubertas – Latin word for “adult”
Narrow definition: The process by which an individual becomes capable of reproduction.
The activation of the HPG/HPA axis
Broad definition: The physical, psychological, and cultural changes that occur as the growing child transitions into adulthood.

5. Time periods of adolescent
Adolescence is a unique developmental period
it keeps changing!
Early adolescence – 11 to 13 years old
Continues to be pushed earlier (9-10…)
Middle adolescence – 14 to 17 years old
Late adolescence (early adulthood) – 18 to 20 years old
Continues to be pushed later (21-24…)

6. Physical changes… Primary sex characteristics
The body organs and reproductive structures and functions that differ between women and men.
Gonads (testes and ovaries)
Secondary sex characteristics
Characteristics of the body that are caused by hormones, develop during puberty, and last through adult life.
Changes in genitals/breasts/voice
Pubic/body/facial hair

7. changes… Rapid acceleration of physical growth
Adolescent growth spurt
3.5 (girls) to 4.0 (boys) inches/year
½ adult weight gained during adolescence
Changes in body composition
3:1 muscle to body fat ratio for boys
5:4 for girls
Emergence of sex differences in physical performance
Changes in circulatory and respiratory systems
Increase in size/capacity of heart and lungs

8. Two roles of Hormones Organizational role (life-long):
Modification of the organism early in life
primarily influencing its anatomy
Organization/structure of CNS
“Feminine” vs. “masculan-ized” brain and body
Activational role (specific to puberty):
Structural “remodeling” of brain
Increase in salience of sexual stimuli, sexual motivation
Development of secondary sex characteristics

9. Hormone regulatory systems
Endocrine system
HPA axis
Hypothalamus  Pituitary gland  Adrenals
Corticosteroids
Regulates body’s response to stress
HPG axis
Hypothalamus  Pituitary gland  Gonads (Testes/Ovaries)
Sex Hormones (Androgens/Estrogens)
Regulates sexual maturation

11. The hormonal changes brought on by puberty can affect the adolescent’s behavior in at least three ways.
Biological changes affect behavior – Figure 1.9 of the textbook.
Example for Purple squares: Increases in testosterone  increase in boys’ sex drive and sexual activity.
Example for Blue squares: Self-image changes because his body has changed, changes in how he behaves in that boy seeks privacy while bathing.
Example for Orange squares: As her body changes a girl gets attention from older boys that previously didn’t notice her changes in how she behaves in terms of all the extra attention.
Pages 38 and 39 of the textbook.

12. Impacts of Puberty Sleep patterns Family relations Peer relations
Delayed phase preference
9 hours: 1 am to 10 am
Family relations
Transformation of parent-child bond
Peer relations
Transformation of friendships, romantic relationships

13. Impacts of Puberty Self-esteem Moods Changing body image
Changing sense of self
Moods
Increased stress + Increased sensitivity
Fluctuation of moods
Due to hormones or environment?
“Storm and stress”: myth or fact?

14. moods

15. Timing - individual factors
Genetic factors
Timing and tempo
Environmental factors
Nutrition
Body weight
Exposure to hormones/chemicals
Family conflict
Stepfathers

16. Timing - Group Factors Comparisons Across socioeconomic groups
Impact of poverty
Dietary intake, health care, exposure to disease
Across countries
Impact of industrialization
Across time periods
Secular trend

19. Early Maturation Boys Girls Early maturation positives
Popularity, higher self-esteem
Early maturation negatives
Deviant, risk behaviors; more rigidity later
Girls
Popularity (cultural dependence)
Lower self-esteem, eating disorders, emotions, deviant behaviors

20. Late Maturation Boys Girls Late maturation positives
Higher levels of creativity, inventiveness
Late maturation negatives
Low self-esteem, low social competence
Girls
Thinner build
Social withdrawal

21. Nutrition, Food & Eating Disorders During Adolescence
Food and eating disorders become a focus during adolescence.
The adolescent growth spurt requires an increase in food (especially key nutrients such as calcium and iron).
Several key nutrients are essential during this period, especially calcium and iron
The major nutritional issue for many teens: eating a balance of appropriate foods

22. Nutrition, Food & Eating Disorders During Adolescence, continued
Obesity is a common concern during adolescence.
The psychological consequences of adolescent obesity are severe since while body image is a key focus.
Potential health consequences of obesity are also of concern

23. Cognitive Development increases markedly during adolescence
Teens begin to use formal operations to solve problems during this period of their growth.
Piaget’s approach to cognitive development has had a significant influence on developmental psychologists.
FORMAL OPERATIONS PERIOD is the stage during which people develop the ability to think abstractly.
Piaget asserted that children enter this stage at the beginning of adolescence

25. Egocentrism in Adolescent Thinking
Developmental Psychologist David Elkind argues that
the adolescent period fosters adolescent egocentrism
ADOLESCENT EGOCENTRISM is a stage of self-absorption where the world is seen only from one's own perspective.
Thus adolescents are highly critical of authority figures, unwilling to accept criticism, and quick to find fault with others.
Adolescent egocentrism helps explain why teens often think they’re the focus of everyone’s attention!

26. Adolescent egocentrism leads to two distortions:
IMAGINARY AUDIENCE, where adolescents think they are the focus of everyone else's attention.
Constructing elaborate scenarios about other’s thoughts/intentions
PERSONAL FABLES, the belief that the adolescent is unique and exceptional and shared by no one else
No one understands me
Risk taking behavior

27. Thank you