Final Exam Flashcards
(37 cards)
Describe adolescent development (Physical)
Puberty: defined as point at which sexual reproduction possible
– Before reproduction possible
- Hormonal changes occur prior to visible signs of puberty: start ~8 yrs. for girls, ~9 for boys
– Visible puberty signs begin ~10‐13 yrs.
- Secondary sexual characteristics visible: Breasts, body & facial hair
Girls begin menstruation ~average age 12: Begin growth spurt @~12
Boy’s growth spurt begins ~11, voice change later
Depends on many factors:
Genetic Influence – Age of mother’s menarche is strongest predictor of daughters
Physical Influences – Childhood growth in height, weight, nutrition, and percentage of body fat are predictors
Social Influences – Economic Stresses are related to early/late onset
Psychological Influences - Family constellation, parenting behaviors, life stresses are related to timing
Changes in sleep patterns – Melatonin secretion changes, later onset of sleep
Emotional changes are common as hormones change
- Dopamine increases rapidly between 10-15 (Peaks at about 15)
- Pleasure seeking is common, focus on attraction to high-intensity emotional experiences
- Depression can become more common
Brain structure and functioning change
- Synapses in frontal and parietal areas of brain increase
- Increase in the myelination of nerves (The covering of nerves with a sheet of myelin)
Describe adolescent development (Piaget)
Formal Operational Thought (starts ~12 yrs.): Still use senses & concrete objects/examples to learn, now also
– Capable of abstract reasoning, hypothetical thinking
– Can consider what might happen in the future
– Able to debate positions & see variety of sides
– More concerned about abstract concepts: justice, equality
– More realistic, so may cease to “idolize” parents
More complexity/worry in thinking, as
– Able to consider present & future simultaneously
– Able to experience more than 1 emotion at a time (e.g. excited to go to college, but sad to leave H.S. life & friends)
Brain scan research discovered areas of brain related to “executive functioning” not fully formed until mid or even later 20’s: prefrontal lobe
– Executive Function: Command control center of brain (Reasoning, planning, organization, problem‐solving, initiative‐taking)
-Being able to manage in‐depth start to finish of tasks
Describe adolescent development (Erikson)
Identity vs. Role Confusion
“Crisis”: exploration & questioning of alternative beliefs & choices as youth determines his/her sense of self
– Beliefs, morals, sexual orientation, goals, vocational identity
– Exploration period may last well into 20’s
– May include exploring the “forbidden”
If parents & society validate/confirm accept identity
– Youth establishes fidelity/loyalty to identity
– Confirmation of self by others related self confidence
– Develop ego strength, “virtue:” Fidelity – “I know who I am”
If parents/soc. do not accept/validate identity, youth may
– Form “Negative” identity, e.g. school drop out, depression
– Or remain confused/uncertain of who s/he is/where heading
– E.g. sexual orientation, religious view, that at odds w/parents
Adolescent sexual activity & parenting role in advice/discussion around sexuality
– 42% of boys & 43% of girls
- 9% boys say same sex partner, 5% girls
- For most not frequent, not w/many partners
- Ethnic differences; African American/Latino Americans; Age of first sexual experiences, younger than Eur. Amer.
Teens views on each others’ behaviors in comparison with actual findings:
– Overestimate #/frequency who had sexual intercourse
– Underestimate # contracted STD’s or become pregnant
- 4/10 sexually active teen girls contracted STD
- Without treatment some STD’s can cause infertility or death
Most common birth control used:
- Condoms
d. How common is it for teens not to use any birth control at 1st time having sex?
- Boys: 15% did not Girls: 22% had partner who didn’t use
– Last time sex: Boys 33% no condom Girls 50% partner no condom
e. Findings on parent role in conversations about sexuality & teen safe sex practices -Most effective interaction & communication styles Parents who have open communication about variety of topics w/their children, more likely to have open comm. about sexuality: - Parent explaining, talking (ex: Induction, I Messages, MPS) - Parent listening! (Ex. Active Listening)
– Children whose parents talk with them about sexuality
- Starting in preschool with body part names, & progressing in level of information as child gets older
- Are more likely to practice safe sex when become sexually active
– When parents warm & have clear standards (authoritative)
- Teens tend to engage in less risky behavior
What percent of parents report concern about use/abuse of alcohol or substances
74‐80% parents report concern about risks assoc. w/use
What are the actual teen patterns of use over time, % by 12th grade?
Alcohol (drank heavily last 2 wks) 20% 29% (5 drinks in a row)
Marijuana used in last 30 days 15% 20%
Cigarettes (use daily) 8% 15%
Cocaine (used in last year) 3% 4%
Alcohol use rises across high school, rises again in college years, usually gradually decreases during 20’s
Relationship between alcohol/substance use and teen death statistics
- Boys 2X more likely to die as teens than HS girls (CDC 2014)
-50% deaths due to accidents
Most common single cause, car accidents (1 in 3 teen deaths)
High proportion of these fatal accidents - drinking/drugs implicated
What is parent’s role, & what are the findings regarding what parental behaviors are more likely to lower adolescent’s alcohol & substance use or reduce more dangerous behaviors round alcohol;/substance use?
– Parents who model moderation
- More likely to have teens who practice moderation
– Parents who have open conversations about variety of topics w/youth, more likely to have open conversations about alcohol & substance use
Parent explaining, talking (ex.: Induction, I Messages, MPS
Parent listening! (ex.: Active listening)
-Children whose parents talk to them about alcohol & substance use, more likely to practice safe use as teens
– When parent knows where & w/who teen is with (monitor)
- Teens tend to engage in less risky behavior
How do adolescent risk taking & dopamine processes during adolescence interrelate?
Neuroscience findings relate to Social‐Emotional Development.
– Teen brain highly responsive to neurotransmitter dopamine which fires brain’s reward circuits
– Teens’ extraordinary receptivity to rewards (esp. social rewards) & novelty often trumps their fear of consequences or costs of a behavior (Steinberg)
– Risk taking: related to “rewards” & interest in novelty
- Matches need for exploration in identity formation process
- May also cloud judgment (Drinking & driving Lack of contraceptive use)
How do peer relationships and neurotransmitter/brain scan findings interrelate?
Social connections highly important to teens (Steinberg)
– Adolescent brain highly responsive to dopamine & also neurotransmitter oxytocin which makes social connections more satisfying
Adolescents’ interest & high receptivity to social connections related to
– Teens preferring company of those their own age more than ever before or afterwards
– Brain scan studies suggest teen brains react to peer-social-exclusion similarly to how they react to serious threats to their food supply or physical health
Relationship between 4 Parenting Styles and likelihood of parents retaining influence during adolescence & likelihood of teen experimentation during adolescence
Authoritative parent: clear expectations, reasonable, induction
– Parent most likely to maintain influence
– Teen does experiment
Authoritarian parent: parent rigid, mixed results w/youth
– Parent tends to have great influence OR parent w/low influence
– Teen defiant extreme experimenter OR highly compliant
Permissive: parent has not defined own perspective
– Youth free of parental influence, doesn’t establish direction
– Teen immature: conformist OR extreme experimenter
Uninvolved: youth with greatest problems
– Youth more likely to be significantly hostile to parent
What are the research findings on parent-child conflict in adolescence regarding increased conflict causes, amount and changes across adolescence?
Conflict increases from childhood to adolescence: Why?
– Adolescent’s new thinking (Formal Op. Th.) related to potential for exploring/questioning/debating
– Adolescent’s identity formation process related to
Exploration of diverging ideas/lifestyles than parents’
– Hormonal changes related to greater emotionality
– Neural transmitter susceptibility related to
Greater risk taking & importance of peer relationships
What are the research findings on parent-child conflict in adolescence regarding mother/father differences in amount of p-c conflict?
More early adolescence than later ‐‐ More w/Mom than Dad
. When teens & parents have secure attachments & how they resolve & respond to P-C conflict?
- Family members in such families highly motivated to work to restore harmony when anger or conflict occur
- They & their parents tend to be able to regulate their emotional responses & focus on solving problems without excessive frustration
- They & their parents tend to be able to ultimately arrive at compromises
Relationship of P-Adolescent conflict to long term P-C relationship
Typical P‐C conflict does not threaten long term emotional tie
Extreme P‐C conflict (~10%) does threaten long term emotional tie
What are effective parental “Warmth” approaches during adolescence, & why effective for this age?
Parent makes self available for closeness, warmth, security
- Accept more conflict & peer influence likely w/adolescent
- Hormone changes, identity exploration, “Formal Operational Thought”
- Maintains warmth as listener, consultant, supporter
- Use family stories, events & rituals for closeness
- Use encouragement & emphasize accomplishments
- Provide information/consultation
- Maintains open communication (A. Listening, ‘I” messages, MPS)
Explain the change in P-C expectations about the locus of control of youth’s behavior during adolescence
Accept debates: part of normal teen development, not defiance
- Effectively communicate & collaborate/compromise
– Use induction; I‐messages, active listening; mutual problem‐solving
– Avoid communication roadblocks
-Criticism, ridicule
-Commanding rather than communicating
-Treating adolescent’s problem too lightly (being dismissive)
Applaud/reinforce & encourage appropriate self‐regulation
Establish clear reasonable limits, but fewer
Monitor: when parent knows where & who teen is with
– Teens engage in less risky behavior
– Most information comes from teen
– More likely to disclose when parents warm & have clear standards
Keep perspective: Don’t hassle little stuff, some conflict natural
% of U.S. children born to unmarried mothers
– ~40% of children born to unmarried mothers (5% 1960’s)
% of children experience divorce of parents, trend from 1970’s to present?
– ~50% of children (by age 18) experience divorce of parents
c. What % of divorced parents remarry creating step family
– 70‐80% divorced parents remarry, creating step families
d. Trends over time on mother’s age at birth of her first child, % of mothers over age 35 at birth of 1st child
how parent conflict affects child when (1) resolved or (2) angry/unresolved
When parents tend to argue w/moderate emotional tone & resolve conflicts positively
– Child tends to learn negotiation skills through modeling
• When parents often in conflict & could not resolve differences
– Indirect effects on child: Increased likelihood parent
• Distracted, angry, sad, negative with child
– Direct effects: Child more likely to have • High levels of stress hormones • Higher depression levels • Greater anxiety & nervousness • Less interaction with peers • Greater aggressiveness, noncompliance • Poorer grades
Characteristics of parents who are more likely to get divorced
Majority of US women marry by age 30
– 81% of European American; 77% of Latina; 52% of African American
– Those w/higher education levels more likely to marry than those w/less
However Divorce rate climbed 1950’s, 60’s & 70’s
– Since leveled at between 40‐50% of all marriages, ~50% if have children
– 2/3’s of divorced women & 3/4 of divorced men remarry
- Women more likely (66% of cases) to initiate divorce than men
Divorce more likely if: young at time of marriage, low level of ed., from divorced family, cohabitate pre‐marriage, have child pre‐marriage
– Why divorce?
• Communication problems; incompatibility; marital unhappiness; problems around extramarital affairs, abuse, alcoholism
Telling children about divorce: best practices recommended by experts (related to better child coping)
Best if both parents tell children together before one leaves
– Explain the reasons why in ways appropriate to age of child
– Express their sadness that divorce was only alternative
– Explain Parents had problems in marriage that couldn’t be fixed
• Both parents committed to care for children
• Parents know pain their decision causes, truly sorry for causing it
As weeks/months unfold
– Use open communication
• Listen/respond to child’s emotions, concerns, questions
• Repeat clearly & often that divorce in no way child’s fault
• Communicate about each change: why & how will work
– Moves, housing arrangements, school, etc.
– Avoid burdening child with parent’s negative feelings about other parent, or blaming other parent
– Maintain authoritative parenting style
What are common ecological changes family & child experience w/divorce?
• After divorce takes about 2 years for families to adjust
• Divorce not single event, precipitates variety of changes/stressors over time for entire family; e.g.
– Level of contact with non‐custodial parent
– Experience of single parent, not dual (for parent & child)
– Family finance changes
– Moving: loose familiar home, change school, loose friends
• Entire social context influences response to divorce
– Peers, neighborhood, school, family, friends, religious group
• Thus high levels of diversity in family responses to divorce
Name & describe the 3 types/approaches (including likelihood/percentage of each) of parenting coordination patterns between parents after divorce (found by Hetherington & Emery)
– 25% “Cooperative”: parents put aside own issues & work cooperatively to focus on child needs
– 50% “Distant”: practice parallel parenting; each own family rules/approaches & ignore other parent as much as possible
– 25% “Angry”: engage in ongoing P‐P conflict, often for years; actively criticize other parent
• Child tends to respond w/anger, sadness, hopelessness (ongoing)
• Strong predictor of child w/ongoing mood & behavioral problems
