Adolescents

Question 1

Adolescents (13 to 18yrs): Maturation of Systems

Answer 1

Size/strength of heart/blood vol, and systolic BP INC, HR dec, lungs INC in diameter and length, steady decline in basal metabolic rate, continued brain maturation with proliferation of support cells that nourish neurons

Question 2

Adolescents (13 to 18yrs): BG

Answer 2

-Ht growth in girls is fastest in early puberty
-Ht growth in boys is fastest in mid puberty
-Girls usually gain 5-20cm (2-8 inches) in ht and 7-25kg (15-55lb)
B-oys usually gain 10-30cm (4-12 inches) in ht and 7-30kg (15-65lb) in wt, attain 20% of wt during this time
Growth spurt @ 13 yrs - then slows

Question 4

Adolescents (13 to 18yrs): Rapid Phy Growth

Answer 4

Rapid phy growth, typically always hungry, may be deficient nutrients, and nutritional needs (need protein, calcium, vitamin, and vitamin D)

Question 5

Adolescents (13 to 18yrs): Secondary Sex Characteristics

Answer 5

Pubic hair, menarche or penis growth, voice changes for boys, underarm hair, facial hair growth for boys, inc production of oil, sweat glands, acne

Question 6

Adolescents (13 to 18yrs): Growth

Answer 6

Puberty: female
-secondary sex characteristics such as earliest change in over 80% of girls is breast dev, dev of pubic hair usually follows in 2-6 months, early in puberty an inc in vaginal discharge (period following usually 2 yrs after breasts dev)

Question 7

Adolescents (13 to 18yrs): Growth (female)

Answer 7

Menarche (first period) about 2 yrs after dev of breast buds, menstruation - (mean age in US is 12.5yrs with range of 10.5 to 15 yrs), pubertal delay considered if no breast dev by age 13 or menarche within 2-2.5. yrs of the onset of breast dev, precocious puberty is considered if breast dev or pubic hair occurs before 6 or 7 yrs

Question 8

Adolescents (13 to 18yrs): Growth (male)

Answer 8

Puberty: male
-secondary sex characteristics - testicular enlargement usually occurs first (9.5 to 14 yrs of age), pubic hair growth begins early puberty, gynecomastia may occur in mid puberty, pubertal delay if no enlargement of the testes or scrotum by age 14 or if genital growth is not complete 4 yrs after testicles enlarge, precocious puberty is considered if secondary sex characteristics occur before age 9

Question 9

Adolescents (13 to 18yrs): Stress and Coping

Answer 9

inept social performance, social isolation, sexuality, drugs, war or divorce, crowds, gossip, public speaking, death, thinks they’re invincible, coupled with sudden and rapid phy changes that make them become self-conscious, sensitivity, and concern over one’s body and comparing things to oneself and peers

Question 10

2 Myths of Adolescence

Answer 10

They are “on stage” with the attention of others constantly centered upon their appearance or actions, and they are invisible and have an indestructible self

Question 11

Adolescents (13 to 18yrs): Continued Brain Dev

Answer 11

Not comp dev’d until late adolescence, emotional, phy, and mental abilities incomplete, may explain why emotions and impulses seem inconsistent due to frontal lobe not being comp dev’d

Question 12

How do these changes affect adolescents?

Answer 12

vulnerable to risk taking, novelty and sensation seeking, dev of self-regulation lags behind, frequently SLEEP LONGER (9.5 hrs), circadian rhy change and they need to sleep later in the AM and go to bed later at night, may be more clumsy due to growth spurts/body parts growing @ diff rates, girls become sensitive about wt (60% trying to lose wt and 1-3% have eating disorder), compare rate of dev to peers, feel awk showing affection to opp sex parent, ask more direct questions about sex, trying to figure out values around sex

Question 13

What Can Adults Do?

Answer 13

expect inconsistency, provide opp’s for “safe” risk-taking, avoid criticizing or comparing to others/encourage enough sleep, encourage healthy eating, encourage activity, provide HONEST answers about sex (model sound decisions, healthy lifestyle for them)

Question 14

Adolescents (13 to 18yrs): Play

Answer 14

Focus: inc reading and lang skills, body image, rapid and marked phy growth, organized/recreational play (texting/video games/working puzzles)

Question 15

Adolescents (13 to 18yrs): Safety

Answer 15

Major players are: MV safety, recreational athletic activities, substance abuse, firearms, sex, depression and potential suicide attempts

Question 16

Adolescents (13 to 18yrs): Psychosocial Dev (5)

Answer 16

establishing ID, autonomy, intimacy, become comfortable with one’s sexuality, achievement

Question 17

Adolescents (13 to 18yrs): Psychosocial Dev - Theorists - Erikson

Answer 17

Identity vs Role Confusion - evolves thru experiences/testing, must have experiences, integrates opinions of others into their own likes/dislikes, needs diverse interactions, must know themselves before they can become intimate

Question 18

Adolescents (13 to 18yrs): Establishing ID

Answer 18

accepting body image, establishing value system, making a career decision, becoming free from parents

Question 19

Adolescents (13 to 18yrs): Establishing Autonomy

Answer 19

becoming indep and self-governing within rel’s, make and follow thru with decisions, live with own set of principles of right and wrong, less emotionally dep on parents

Question 20

Adolescents (13 to 18yrs): Establishing Intimacy

Answer 20

learns intimacy & sex are two totally diff things, learned w/in context of same-sex friendships, then in romantic, dev’s close/open/honest/caring/and trusting rel’s, also learns to begin, maintain and terminate rel’s, practice social skills, and become intimate from friends

Question 21

Adolescents (13 to 18yrs): Becoming Comfy in One’s Sexuality

Answer 21

if sexual ID dev’s, then education/exposure will occur, more than 50% of HS students are sexually active, mixed messages contribute to teen pregnancy and STD’s
earlier age of first sexual intercourse, greater risk for STD

Question 22

Adolescents (13 to 18yrs): Predictor of Sexual Activity

Answer 22

having steady bf/gf, using alcohol regularly, having parents w/ permissive values about sex, being worried about the future career success, which means we need to focus on more than one risk fact and SEE THE CHILD AS A WHOLE (KNOW)

Question 23

Adolescents (13 to 18yrs): Achievement

Answer 23

society pushes attitudes of competition/success, can see rel btw abilities, plans, aspirations, need to determine what one is good at/areas willing to STRIVE for success

Question 24

How Do These Changes Affect Teens?

Answer 24

more time w/ friends, may journal, have questions about sexuality, begin to lock bedroom door, involved in multiple hobbies/clubs, more argumentative, interact w/ parents as ppl

Question 25

What Can Adults Do?

Answer 25

encourage involvement in groups, praise for efforts/abilities, help explore career goals and options, help set guidelines/consequences, establish rituals for significant passages, KNOW friends and WHAT they are doing, *PROVIDE STRUCTURED ENV/CLEAR EXPECTATIONS*

Question 26

Adolescents (13 to 18yrs): Cog Dev - Theorists - Piaget

Answer 26

Formal Operations (12-15yr) - capable of seeing other's perspectives, more than school-ager's, they can learn from watching/sharing experiences of others, has potential for health promotion

Question 27

How Do These Changes Affect Teens (Cog Dev)?

Answer 27

heightened self-consciousness, believes no one else has experienced feelings/emotions, tend to become cause-oriented, tend to exhibit a "justice orientation"

Question 28

What Can Adults Do?

Answer 28

don't take it personally when teens discount experience, discuss their beh with rules/consequences, provide opp's for comm service, ask teens their view and share own

Question 29

Younger Adolescents and Older Adolescents

Answer 29

Young adolescents at Kohlberg's stage of "conventional level of moral reasoning" -(absolute moral guidelines/rules) vs older adolescents at Kohlberg's stage of "principled moral reasoning" - concrete rules and guidelines questioned