11 6 Prophetic Words When I was a teenager our parents said the world was going to hell in a hand basket and Rock n Roll was the beginning of the end maybe our parents were right The Mystery and Myths of Adolescence Mystery What has happened to our youth Mystery Who will take care of us when we grow old Many Myths and Stereotypes The fact is that adolescents more than any other period of life are subject to stereotypes and myths from persons of other age groups MYTH 1 Adolescence is just a phase Adolescence is not something to get through o It is not just a bridge between childhood and adulthood o Adolescence is an important part of life that needs to be understood Adolescent s are not large children or incomplete adults Adolescence is an important and meaningful time of life in its own right Address adolescents needs in the here and now o This myth may lead us to overlook the serious problems that adolescence may be having by attributing them to just a phase MYTH 2 Storm and Stress To be normal during adolescence is in itself abnormal Anna Freud Recapitulation Theory G Stanley Hall o As we grow as individuals we are recapitulating or recreating our history as a species Ask how do adolescents see themselves Daniel Offer study of self image o Self body image moods well being o Social Self very high vocational educational values and aspirations make friends easily o Sexual Self little research sexuality is not about intercourse in adolescence puberty holding o Familial Self not as much conflict in the family as we thought harmonious well functioning hands etc family relationships 20 report disturbed self image same proportion of adults Storm and Stress view still persists today MYTH 3 Generation Gap Myth Necessary conflict between generations and within families Adolescents share basic values with parents religion education occupations Adolescents share transient values with peers music clothing activities Strong ties with peers do not equal weak ties with parents o One does not preclude the other MYTH 4 Adolescence are All Alike Over emphasis on peer influence and getting into trouble Think of your own adolescence o Very different people belonging to different cliques o In fact great differentiation heterogeneity Adolescence is a time of great variability That they are out there the teenagers as a homogeneous group leads to a dangerous mindset in which we assume that they are they and we are we Joan Lypsitz 11 8 Pubertal Development Puberty Period of rapid skeletal and sexual maturation that occurs mainly during early adolescence Process of reproductive maturity Puberty is not a single event which makes it difficult to measure Girls mature approximately two years earlier than boys o Age at peak height velocity Measuring Puberty Status vs Timing Pubertal Status Individual physical development o Have you started in the middle or finished Pubertal Timing Physical development in relation to peers o Are you early on time or late Psychological effects of Pubertal Timing Early Boys Generally positive o More poised popular o Muscular better at sports o Physical maturity closer to same age girls o More responsibility and expectations Late Boys More negative o Feel more inadequate and insecure o Longer time before adult expectations Psychological effects of Pubertal Timing Early Girls generally negative o Less sociable o Poor body image o Adults are more restrictive o Learn to deal with problems Late Girls Mixed o Only negative when very late 11 13 Adolescent Cognition Thinking about thinking in the way individuals reason and process info Changes 1 What if Thinking about possibilities 2 If then Thinking through hypotheses and considering consequences 3 Thinking about abstract concepts 4 Thinking about thoughts meta cognition o Adolescent Egocentrism preoccupation with yourself o Personal fable o Imaginary audience belief that everyone is looking at you Identity Who am I Clarifying long term goals Developing a new understanding of yourself and where you are heading From all possible and imaginable relations adolescents must make a series of ever narrowing selections of personal occupational sexual and ideational commitments James Marcia s Identity Statuses Achieving identity involves two processes o Crisis exploration and experimentation with different values orientations beliefs o Commitment coherent adherence to a set of values orientations beliefs No crisis made a commitment In crisis No commitment 1 Foreclosed 2 Moratorium 3 Diffusion 4 Achieved No crisis No commitment Made it through crisis and made a commitment Have achieved identity Individuation Ability to sustain individuality and connectedness The Role of Family Four factors of individuation 1 Self assertion 2 Separateness 3 Mutuality 4 Permeability Are you an adult a 1 2 individuality 3 4 connectedness acknowledgement of other identities 18 21 year olds 27 yes 10 no 63 in some respects 21 28 year olds 53 yes 2 no 35 in some respects Criteria for becoming an adult are Intangible psychological gradual and individualistic Arnett 1997 Necessary for Adulthood Role Transitions o Financially independent from parents o No longer living in parents home o Decide on own personal beliefs o Establish equal relationships with parents o Have good control of emotions Cognitive Emotional Behavioral o Avoid committing petty crimes o Avoid drunk driving o Use contraception if sexually active Responsibilities o Accept responsibilities for actions o Capable of keeping family safe o Capable of caring for children o Capable of running a household Not Necessary for Adulthood Role Transitions o Finish with education o Having a child o Marriage Emotional o Long term relationship Biological o Grow to full height o Have had sexual intercourse Role Strain Mismatch between a person s ability and demands of a role o Starting a job where you have no skills Social Role Transitions of Young Adulthood Independent adult leaving home 1 2 Becoming a spouse partner 3 Becoming a parent 4 Becoming a worker full time Multiple new roles leads to role conflict and strain Young adulthood is perhaps the most stressful time of life Middle Adulthood The last uncharted territory of the life course Why is there so little research on middle adulthood 1 Assumption that little happens during middle adulthood 2 Difficulty getting midlife adults to participate in research 3 No clearly demarcated age boundaries When does midlife begin and end Chronological Age 20 year olds 30 to 55