Warwickshire Children and Young People's Workforce

Adolescent Growth and Development

Adolescence is a time of many changes (transitions) both for teenagers and their families. To make sure that teenagers and adults cope with these changes successfully, it is important to understand what is happening to the teenager physically, cognitively, and socially; how these transitions affect teenagers; and what adults can do. Please bear in mind that while all teenagers develop, they don't all follow the same timeline.

Physical Development

During the teenage years, adolescents experience changes in their bodies at a rate of speed unparalleled since infancy. Physical development includes:

·                     Rapid gains in height and weight. During a one-year growth spurt, boys and girls can gain an average of 13cms and 10cms in height respectively. Growth spurts typically happen two years earlier for girls than for boys. Weight gain comes from increased muscle development in boys and body fat in girls.

·                     During puberty, changing hormone levels play a role in triggering the development of secondary sex characteristics. These include: (1) growth of pubic hair; (2) menarche (first menstrual period for girls) or penis growth (for boys); (3) voice changes (for boys); (4) growth of underarm hair; (5) facial hair growth (for boys); and (6) increased production of oil, increased sweat gland activity, and the beginning of acne.

·                     Brain development. Recent research suggests that teenagers' brains are not completely developed until late in adolescence. Studies suggest that the connections between neurons affecting emotional, physical and mental abilities are incomplete. This research explains why some teenagers seem to be inconsistent in controlling their emotions, impulses, and judgments. See separate article on brain development.

Effect of changes

·                     Research suggests that teenagers need more sleep to allow their bodies to deal with such rapid growth. On average, teenagers need about 9 1/2 hours of sleep a night.

·                     Teenagers may be more clumsy because of growth spurts. During this phase of development, body parts don't all grow at the same rate. This can lead to clumsiness as the teenager tries to cope with limbs that seem to have grown overnight. They can appear gangly and uncoordinated. Bones in hands and feet develop first.

·                     Teenage girls may become overly sensitive about their weight. This arises because of the rapid weight gain associated with puberty. A small percentage of adolescent girls (1-3%) become so obsessed with their weight that they develop severe eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa or bulimia. Anorexia nervosa refers to starvation; bulimia refers to binge eating and vomiting.

·                     Concern is caused if teenagers see themselves as not physically developing at the same rate as their peers. Being out of step with peers is a concern to adolescents because most just want to fit in. Early maturation affects boys and girls differently. Research suggests that early maturing boys tend to be more popular with peers and hold more leadership positions. Adults often assume that early maturing boys are cognitively mature as well. This can lead to false expectations about a young person's ability to take on responsibility. Because of their physical appearance, early maturing girls are more likely to experience pressure to become involved in relationships with older boys before they are emotionally ready. This can lead to depression, eating disorders, and anxiety.

·                     Teenagers may feel awkward about showing affection to the opposite sex parent. As they develop physically, teenagers are beginning to rethink their interactions with the opposite sex and this may show itself in changes to physical interactions with parents.

·                     Teenagers may ask more direct questions about sex. At this stage, adolescents are trying to decide on their sexual values. Teenagers often equate intimacy with sex. Rather than exploring an emotional attachment first, teenagers tend to assume that if they engage in the physical act, the emotional attachment will follow. They may ask questions about how to abstain without becoming embarrassed or about how they will know when the time is right. They may also have specific questions about methods of birth control and protection from sexually transmitted infections.

How to help

Knowledge about what changes and behaviour during adolescence are normal can help both teenagers and adults to manage the changes successfully.

·                     Don't criticize or compare the teenagers to others.

·                     Encourage teenagers to get enough sleep. Try to be understanding.

·                     Encourage healthy eating habits. Teenagers need to take in more calories to fuel their growth. Monitor eating habits.

·                     Encourage physical activity. Exercise will help teenagers burn excess energy, strengthen developing muscles, and help them to sleep better at night.

·                     Provide honest answers about sex. Teenagers are in search of knowledge on this subject. If adults do not provide accurate information, teenagers are forced to rely on their peers or other possibly inaccurate sources.

·                     Be understanding of their need for physical space. Do not take it personally if your teenager is not as physically affectionate as he or she was in the past. Maintain communication, but respect teenagers' need to withdraw.

·                     Be patient with excessive grooming habits. Often, this behaviour reflects teenagers' attempts to keep some sense of control over their rapidly changing bodies.

 Cognitive Development:

Teenagers have better thinking skills than younger young people. These advances in thinking can be divided into several areas:

·                     Developing advanced reasoning skills. Advanced reasoning skills include the ability to think about multiple options and possibilities. It includes a more logical thought process and the ability to think about things hypothetically. It involves asking and answering the question, "what if...?".

·                     Developing abstract thinking skills. Abstract thinking means thinking about things that cannot be seen, heard, or touched, like faith, trust, beliefs and spirituality.

·                     Developing the ability to think about thinking in a process known as "meta-cognition." Meta-cognition allows individuals to think about how they feel and what they are thinking. It involves being able to think about how one is seen by others. It can also be used to develop strategies for improving learning.

 Effect of changes

·                     Teenagers are more self-conscious. They tend to think that everyone is as concerned with their thoughts and behaviour as they are.

·                     Teenagers tend to believe that no one else has ever experienced similar feelings and emotions. They may become overly dramatic in describing things that are upsetting to them. They may say things like "You'll never understand," or "My life is ruined!"

·                     Teenagers tend to exhibit the "it can't happen to me" syndrome. This belief causes teenagers to take unnecessary risks like drinking and driving ("I won't crash this car"), having unprotected sex (I can't possibly get pregnant), or drugs (“I won’t get hooked”).

·                     Teenagers tend to become very cause-oriented. This is related to the ability to think about abstract concepts. After reading about cruelty to animals a teenager may become a vegetarian and a member of Animal Rights groups or Greenpeace.

·                     Teenagers tend to show a "justice" orientation. They are quick to point out inconsistencies between adults' words and their actions. They have difficulty seeing shades of grey.

How to help

·                     Don't take it personally when teenagers discount your experience. Try to empathize with and listen to their concerns. Try to provide a mentor from family or older friends.

·                     Get teenagers involved in discussing rules for and consequences of behaviour. Teenagers should take a more active role in deciding how they should behave. Their better reasoning skills make it easier for them to imagine realistic consequences for their actions, although research into brain development indicates that their judgement skills are not fully developed.

·                     Provide opportunities for teenagers to take part in controlled risky behaviour. Get them involved in properly supervised extreme sports, such as parachuting, or rock climbing. This will allow teenagers the chance to play out their "it can't happen to me" mentality in an environment that won't be fatal if they fail.

·                     Provide opportunities for teenagers to get involved in community service. Teenagers want to become active in things that have deeper meaning. Suggest they volunteer at something they consider worthwhile. Talk with them about their experiences.

·                     Talk to teenagers about their views and be open to discussing your own. Talk about news stories on television or in the paper; ask them about political and spiritual beliefs. Teenagers are already thinking about these things so give them a chance to discuss them.

·                     Try to build a genuine relationship with the teenager. Let them know what you were like as a teenager. Talk to them about your mistakes and vulnerabilities. Try to understand their feelings and express yours so you can be understood.

Psycho-Social Development

There are five recognized psychosocial issues that teenagers deal with. These include:

·                     Establishing an identity, one of the most important tasks of adolescents. The question of "who am I" is not one that teenagers think about at a conscious level. Teenagers begin to integrate the opinions of influential others (e.g. parents, other caring adults, friends, etc.) into their own likes and dislikes. The eventual outcome is people who have a clear sense of their values and beliefs, career goals, and relationship expectations. People with secure identities know where they fit (or where they don't want to fit) in their world.

·                     Establishing autonomy. Establishing autonomy really means becoming an independent and self-governing person within relationships. Autonomous teenagers have gained the ability to make and follow through with their own decisions, live by their own set of principles of right and wrong, and are less emotionally dependent on parents. Autonomy is a necessary achievement if the teenager is to become self-sufficient in society.

·                     Establishing intimacy. Many people equate intimacy with sex. Intimacy is usually first learned within the context of same-sex friendships. Intimacy refers to close relationships in which people are open, honest, caring and trusting. Friendships provide the first setting in which young people can practice their social skills with those who are their equals. Teenagers learn how to start, maintain, and end relationships, practice social skills, and become intimate.

·                     Becoming comfortable with one's sexuality. Adolescence is the first time that young people are both physically mature enough to reproduce and cognitively advanced enough to think about it. The teenage years are the prime time for the development of sexuality. How teenagers are educated about and exposed to sexuality will affect whether or not they develop a healthy sexual identity.

·                     Achievement. Because of cognitive advances, the teenage years are a time when young people can begin to see the relationship between their current abilities and plans and their future career goals. They need to find out what their achievement preferences are-what they are currently good at and areas in which they are willing to work for success.

Effects of changes

·                     Teenagers begin to spend more time with their friends than their families. It is within friendship groups that teenagers can develop and practice social skills. Teenagers are quick to point out to each other which behaviour is acceptable and which is not. Even though teenagers are spending more time with their friends, they still tend to conform to parental ideals when it comes to decisions about values, education, and long-term plans.

·                     Teenagers may have more questions about sexuality. They may ask about adults' values and beliefs. They may ask how you knew it was time to have sex or why you waited.

·                     Teenagers may begin to keep a diary. Part of achieving identity is thinking about one's thoughts and feelings. Teenagers often begin writing as a way of working through how they feel.

·                     Teenagers may begin to lock their bedroom doors. Locking doors is a way to establish privacy. As long as they continue to interact with the family, locked doors are usually nothing to worry about.

·                     Teenagers may become involved in multiple hobbies or clubs. In an attempt to find out what they are good at, teenagers may try many activities. Teenagers' interests also change quickly.

·                     Teenagers may become evasive about where they are going or with whom. When asked, teenagers typically reply with "nothing" or "hanging out." When asked whom they'll be with, teenagers reply, "just some friends."

·                     Teenagers may become more argumentative. Teenagers may question adults' values and judgments. When teenagers don't get their way, they may say, "you just don't understand."

·                     Teenagers may not want to be seen with parents in public. They may make parents drop them off a street away from their friends' houses or from school.

·                     Teenagers may begin to interact with parents as people. Even though they may not want to be seen with parents in public, teenagers may begin to view parents more as people. They may ask more questions about how a parent was when he or she was a teenager. They may attempt to interact with adults more as equals.

How to help

·                     Encourage involvement in a range of groups or activities both within and outside school. Teenagers are trying to gain a sense of achievement-a sense of being good at something. Don't get frustrated if they frequently change their minds. Encourage them to stick with a project or activity long enough to establish some skills.

·                     Praise teenagers for their efforts as well as their abilities. This will help teenagers to stick with activities instead of giving up if they are not immediately successful.

·                     Help teenagers explore career goals and options. Ask them questions about their future career goals. Remember that figuring out what they don't want to do is just as important as figuring out what they like!

·                     Give teenagers an opportunity to establish ground rules and consequences. Allow teenagers to have input into “staying out” times and other family rules. Their better thinking skills and their need for autonomy makes this a good time for them to provide suggestions and to show responsibility for their own behaviour.

·                     Establish events/celebrations to mark significant milestones. Have a mother-daughter lunch when the daughter gets her first period. Have a father-son outing when the son begins to shave. Have a family celebration when the teenager moves from school to college. Celebrate the teenager's first driver's license and his or her ability to vote.

·                     Be aware of who their friends are and what they are doing. Parental monitoring should not end when young people enter their teenage years. Despite objections, make sure you know who their friends are and where they are going. Meet the friends’ parents if possible. Provide things to do at home to encourage teenagers to "hang out" at your house so you'll know where they are and what they are doing.

·                     Continue to provide a structured environment. Teenagers should be allowed to have more independence, but not enough to place them at risk. Despite their complaints, teenagers rely on adults to provide them with the sense of safety and structure they need to deal effectively with all the psychosocial tasks of adolescents.

Please note: This is an edited version of an article by Angela Huebner, Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist, Family and Child Development, Virginia Tech. The original can be found at www.ext.vt.edu/pubs/family/350-850.html