Adolescent+Development

Lena Richardson and Kendra Wenning Liberty University
 * Adolescent Development **

**Introduction ** The complexities of dealing with those going through the period of adolescence are immeasurable. Throughout the period of adolescence, teens face issues regarding sexual identity, growth spurts, self concept exploration, and peer groups (Jaffe, 1998). Many who are in their teenage years get bad reputations because of people (sometimes parents) preconceived conceptions of those in this difficult time period. This article is designed to: help parents acknowledge the issues that their adolescent is going through; discuss the parents’ role in the interaction, and the effect they have in the life of their adolescent. An outline of different experiences teens go through during the adolescent stage will be communicated, information and research about teens is discussed, and techniques and/or tips that parents can use when interacting with their teen will be explored based on the research provided to improve the parent/child interaction during adolescence. **Adolescents ** To begin understanding the adolescent, one must first put a definition to the term. Adolescence literally means to grow into adulthood. It is a time of confusion and sensitivity to one’s outward appearance (Jaffe, 1998). Those in the stage of adolescent development must deal with a number of issues. Some of this issue include, but are certainly not limited to: sexual frustration, outward appearance, hormonal fluctuations, and the need to fit in socially with ones’ peers; therefore, when looking at adolescents it is important not to stereotype them or their behavior because of the difficult time period that they are going through. **Body Image Concerns ** Body image, for example, is especially concerning during the period of early adolescence, which is from age ten to thirteen (Table, 1999). Influenced by media portrayals and magazine articles stating and illustrating that a thin, boney figure is what is in style, adolescents struggle with body image issues which may, in turn, negatively impact their eating habits (Reamer and Siegel, 2009). Times have really changed! Teens do not play outside the way they used to when you were a teen. Instead of getting dirty in the mud, playing games with other neighborhood kids, or engaging in some type of contact sport, children are inside watching God knows what on television, playing video games, surfing the internet, and gaining weight from the lack of physical activity. Because America has such an enormous epidemic of childhood obesity, First Lady Michelle Obama is making great strides with her Let’s Move initiative in changing the way that America’s kids get active and eat. As stated previously, body image is just one of those issues that teens feel strongly about. Some adolescents worry about weight issues, while others desire to look taller and more mature. Adolescent males especially may wish to become bigger and taller than their peers. Many are concerned and frustrated with how they appear to their peers, especially the opposite sex, and therefore they may feel embarrassed when they, for example, are unable to take part in activities that others in their age group can take part in because of physical limitations such as height. For instance, in the movie //Big// with Tom Hanks, the main character, an adolescent boy named Josh, feels discouraged and embarrassed when he is unable to ride a rollercoaster because of his height, even though a girl in his age group is able to enter the ride because she meets the height requirements. media type="youtube" key="6nvrqa-DKzM" height="385" width="480"The text by Jaffe (1999) states, “Timing of maturation clearly affects the behavior and emotional adjustment of off-time adolescents” (p. 94). Those who appear taller or shorter than their peers may experience embarrassment or a feeling of being an outcast because of growth spurts and different onsets of hormonal maturation that adolescents experience. **Sexual Identity and Confusion ** Some adolescents struggle with sexual desire and urges. Many are inexperienced and immature when it comes to taking part in a sexual encounter or relationship with another in their age group or older. Jaffe (1998) highlights and discusses puberty and the confusion that is involved with the time period in a girl’s life when she begins her menstrual cycle. The adolescent girl may feel alone or confused when her body begins to bloom and change. Puberty enhances the adolescent’s sexual desire; this includes sexual thoughts and experimentation (Jaffe, 1998). This idea of heightened sexual arousal is seen in the movie //My Girl// which portrays a young adolescent girl named Vada who experiments with kissing her best friend because she is confused about romantics and adult relationships (Zieff, 1991). media type="youtube" key="-JCQ87cPD30" height="385" width="480"She is confused and frustrated with her growing and blooming body, an issue that many adolescent females are face. Another topic seen in the movie involves Vada who is going through identity confusion when she is constantly portrayed as feeling that she is dying from some disease and her uncertainty about her father’s relationship with another woman after her mother’s death. This period of confusion is outlined by the conception of the stages leading to the adolescent years and during these stages the adolescent begins to form a realization of him or herself but if these stages have not been completed, the adolescent struggles with understanding who he or she is (Jaffe, 1998). **Family Issues ** Along with confusion, teens also struggle through difficult periods in their life when faced their parents are dealing with divorce, separation, and/or financial difficulties. As the text by Jaffe (1998) states, “When parents’ lives are in turmoil, they usually are less physically and emotionally available to their children” (p. 249). Because of the emotional unavailability, adolescents are sometimes confused and may feel the need to act out and seek attention. **Understanding Their Environment ** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Give your child credit! Adolescents do understand what is going on in the world around them. They realize difficulties that their parents are experiencing, as well as, economic crises. Depression, anxiety, and insecurity are just a few feelings experienced by teens because of the affect that outside environmental influences have on them such as the economy (Fritz, 2009). By understanding all of the characteristics involved with those going through adolescents, the literature shows that parents can deal with those in their adolescent years better. **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Parent involvement ** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; text-indent: 23.25pt;">When beginning to understand adolescents, parents can begin to identify and understand the complexities surrounding those in adolescent by reviewing the previously stated facts. Parents must inevitably ask themselves the following questions. What do adolescents go through on a daily basis? What problems do they encounter during this specific stage in their development? What hormonal issues must those going this specific stage in life face? What about specific problems that adolescents are presented with, for example, body image and/or weight issues? As most parents know, understanding teens can be difficult. If you have a teen boy it is difficult and if you have a teen girl it is very difficult because girls for whatever reason struggle with their body image more so than boys tend to during this time period. One way that parents could raise an adolescents self-esteem and get them to love their own body image is by actually telling their child how beautiful they are and also, in my opinion, by monitoring what they see on television and/or in magazines. According to Witmer (2009), “You can help your daughter minimize the media’s impact on her body image by: take this teen issue into considerations. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">I believe that if parents were to have open communication with their children, give compliments daily, and limit what their child(ren) view on television and in magazines—children may think less of their body image and more on being a beautiful person on the inside. I know this concept maybe hard, but in the long run, teaching a child to love him or herself for who he or she is on the inside opposed to what everyone else sees on the outside is more important in the social development of the child. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 0.25in;">While parents are struggling to understand what is going on with their teen, the teen is trying to understand who he or she and what is going on with their bodies, emotions, and peer groups as well. Teens unavoidably seek to identify and/or answer four major questions: Who am I? Am I normal? Am I competent and am I lovable and loving? (Table 3, 1999). Because of the questioning and seeking nature of teenagers, parents need to set the tone in their communications and relationship with their adolescent. Parents should give their teen the freedom to explore his or her world so that he or she can answer the question “Who Am I.” Parents can also give their child room to be like their peers because if one feels that he or she fits in—it helps adolescents feel “normal”. **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Assistance, Love, & Building a Relationship ** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 0.25in;">Assisting adolescents with their problems and challenges will help teens in immediate situations, but it is important that parents refrain from solving problems for the adolescent. Adolescents need to know how to solve their own problems because once they graduate from high school and get out into the real world—they will need to know how to solve their own problems. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 0.25in;">Adolescents also want to feel loved. In this regard, a supportive community and family will help teens realize they are loved and encouraged by those around them. As Towns and Early (2010) state, “Praying for your children is one of the best ways to love them” (p. 17). If you, the parent, encourage religion and God’s love in your home, establish those beliefs in your children so that they may grow in his love and realize that they have the ability to pray as well. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 0.25in;">Family time spent together doing activities will also help strengthen the bond between parent and child, allowing the teen to feel loved, accepted, welcomed, and supported. Going to the movies, having family game night, planning activities such as bowling and roller skating, and making time for family vacations can all help to create family time where bonds can be formed between parent and child. As Cline and Fay (2006) highlight, “Getting close to your teen requires your effort to understand what he or she is experiencing” (p. 95). By scheduling activities with teens, parents are inevitably tightening the bonds formed between them and opening the lines of communication. **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Communication ** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 0.25in;">Communication, especially, is vital in any parent/adolescent relationship. Parents should practice active listening and focus on the positive when talking with their child. Creating opportunities for communication will also help to initiate effective talks between a parent and teen. Parents must remember that it is normal for communication to decrease during adolescence and should avoid power struggles and confrontations which will lead to negative interactions (//Ten Communication Strategies//, n.d.). When dealing with adolescents, parents must inescapably realize that they know their teen and know what activities and behaviors are out of the ordinary. Therefore, parents should know their teen’s schedule and their friends in order to be fully vigilant and aware of what their teen is involved in and who their teen is involved with in order to keep the teen safe but at the same time, give them their space. **//<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Summary //** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 0.25in;">In conclusion, adolescence is a difficult transition period from childhood to adulthood. Because of this transitory period, adolescent/parent relationships may be strained and parents may be confused as to how they can effectively communicate and work with their teen. Adolescents want to feel loved, accepted, and supported and if parents would take these emotions under consideration, they can use this knowledge to build communication and stronger bonds with their teens during their trying adolescent years. **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">References ** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0pt;">Cline, Foster, & Fay, Jim. (2006). //Parenting teens with love and logic//. Colorado Springs, CO: <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Navpress Pub Group. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0pt;">Fritz, G. (2009, June). The economic crisis is our children's crisis too. //Brown University Child &// //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Adolescent Behavior Letter //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">, p. 8. Retrieved from Academic Search Complete database. //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Get Organized: A guide to preventing teen pregnancy //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"> (Volume 1). (1999). Washington, DC: <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">The National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy. TABLE1 TABLE3 <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0pt;">Jaffe, M. L. (1998). //Adolescence//. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. ISBN: 0-471-57190-3. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0pt;">Marshall, P. (Director). (1988). //Big// [Motion Picture]. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0pt;">Reamer, F., & Siegel, D. (2009). Guiding families in choosing the right intervention for their <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">struggling teen. //Brown University Child & Adolescent Behavior Letter//, //25//(5), 1-6. Retrieved from Academic Search Complete database. //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Ten communication strategies for parents of teenagers //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">. (n.d.). Retrieved from <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">[|http://www.eckerdacademy.org/articles/ten-communication-strategies-for-parents-of teenagers.html]. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0pt;">Towns, E. L., & Earley, D. (2010). //Praying for your children//. Shippensburg, PA: Destiny Image <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Publishers, Inc.
 * Limit your teen daughter from this type of advertising. This doesn’t mean that you need to take away all teen magazines, just be aware of which ones
 * Start an advertising awareness program in her school.
 * Talk to her about the health risks of being so thin.
 * Talk to her about how photos of models are altered and airbrushed.”

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Witmer, D. (2009). Retrieved April 4, 2009, from How does the media effect

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; text-indent: 0.5in;">body image in teens? Web site: [].

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0pt;">Zieff, H. (Director). (1991). //My Girl// [Motion Picture].

**5 Multiple Choice Questions**

1.) Teens are most concerned with body image during _.
 * 1) Middle Adolescence
 * 2) Early Adolescence
 * 3) Late Adolescence
 * 4) Childhood

2.) Communication between parent and child is not very important during adolescence.
 * 1) True
 * 2) False

3.) Teens realize and are affected by __.
 * 1) Family problems such as divorce
 * 2) Economy
 * 3) Media portrayals
 * 4) All of the above

4.) Parents should solve all of their teenager’s problems for them.
 * 1) True
 * 2) False

5). Define adolescence as described in the article.