Chapter 10

Socioemotional Development in Adolescence

Identity

Identity is a self-portrait composed of many pieces, including: vocational/career identity political identity religious identity relationship identity achievement; intellectual identity sexual identity cultural/ethnic identity interests personality physical identity

Identity Self-understanding

Self-esteem Self-concept Possible selves False self

Erikson’s ViewErik Erikson first understood the

centrality of identity for adolescent development Psychosocial moratorium

Erikson’s 5th stage: identity versus identity confusion

Crisis -- the exploratory period of identity development

Commitment -- personal investment in identity

Marcia’s Four Statuses of IdentityIdentity diffusion

individuals have not yet experienced a crisis or made any commitments

undecided and uninterested in occupational and ideological choices

Identity foreclosure have made a commitment but not

experienced a crisis parents hand down commitments to their

adolescents before they have had a chance to explore different options on their own

Marcia’s Four Statuses of IdentityIdentity moratorium

individuals in the midst of a crisis but whose commitments are either absent or are only vaguely defined

Identity achievement individuals who have undergone a crisis

and made a commitment

Ongoing Search Resolution of the identity issue during

adolescence does not mean that identity will be stable through the remainder of life

Questions about identity come up throughout life

These cycles may be repeated throughout life

Ethnic IdentityEthnic identity -- enduring aspect of

the self that includes a sense of membership in an ethnic group, along with the attitudes and feelings related to that membership

Bicultural identity -- adolescents identify in some ways with their ethnic group and in other ways with the majority culture

Ethnic Identity in Immigrant Groups

First-generation immigrants are likely to be secure in their identities and unlikely to change much they may or may not develop a new identity

Second-generation immigrants are more likely to think of themselves as “American” possibly because citizenship is granted at birth ethnic identity is likely to be linked to retention of

their ethnic language and social networks

Autonomy and Attachment

Adolescent’s push for autonomy and responsibility puzzles and angers many parents

As the adolescent pushes for autonomy, the wise adult relinquishes control where the adolescent can make reasonable decisions, but continues to guide the adolescent

Boys are given more independence than girls

Secure attachment may be important in adolescents’ relationships with their parents

Parent-Adolescent ConflictMuch of the conflict involves the

everyday events of family life (e.g., keeping a bedroom clean, dressing neatly, getting home by a certain time, use of the phone)

The conflicts rarely involve major dilemmas such as drugs or delinquency

Conflict with parents often escalates during early adolescence, remains somewhat stable during the high school years, and then lessens as adolescence endsExample: Generation gap

Old and New Models Old model -- as adolescents mature

they detach themselves from parents and move into a world of autonomy apart from parents parent-adolescent conflict is intense and

stressful throughout adolescence New model emphasizes parents as

important attachment figures and support systems in most families, parent-adolescent conflict is

moderate rather than severe everyday negotiations and minor disputes not

only are normal but serve a positive function

Friendships Sullivan discussed the importance of

adolescent friendships Friends are important in shaping the

development of children and adolescents Everyone has basic social needs, friends

help meet social needs Teenagers are motivated to seek out

close friends Foreshadows the quality of romantic

relationships in adulthood

Peer GroupsStandards of peer groups and the

influence of crowds and cliques become increasingly important during adolescence Peer pressure -- conformity to peer standards Cliques -- small groups ranging from 2 to

about 12; members are usually same sex and about the same age; develop an in-group identity

Crowds -- larger and less personal groups; membership based on reputation; and they may or may not spend much time together

Dating and Romantic Relationships

Dating can be a form of recreation, a source of status, a setting for learning about close relationships, and a way of finding a mate

Three stages of romantic relationships Entering into romantic attractions and

affiliations at about age 11 to 13 Exploring romantic relationships at

approximately age 14 to 16 Consolidating dyadic romantic bonds at about

17 to 19

Dating in Gay and Lesbian Youth  

Many sexual minority youth date other-sex peers, which can help them clarify their sexual orientation disguise it from others

Sociocultural Contexts and Dating  Influence may be seen in

differences in dating patterns among ethnic groups

Values, religious beliefs, and traditions often dictate the age at which dating begins how much freedom in dating is allowed whether dates must be chaperoned by adults

or parents the roles of males and females in dating

Dating and Adjustment There is a link between dating

and romantic relationships with measures of adjustment

Those who date are more likely to have Higher levels of social acceptance Higher levels of friendship and romantic

competenceEarly dating and “going with”

someone is associated with adolescent pregnancy and problems at home and school

Traditions and Changes in Adolescence Around the Globe

Fewer adolescents around the world die from infectious diseases and malnutrition now than in the past

The experiences of male and female adolescents continue to be quite different

Some adolescents grow up in closely knit families with extensive extended kin networks that retain a traditional way of life

Some cultures give peers a stronger role in adolescence

Rites of Passage  Rite of passage -- ceremony or

ritual that marks an individual’s transition from one status to another gain access to sacred adult practices, to

knowledge, and to sexuality often involve some form of ritual death and

rebirth, or by means of contact with the spiritual world

(Kottak, 2009)

Do we have rites of passage for American adolescents? We do not have universal formal

ceremonies to mark passage from adolescence to adulthood

Certain religions do (e.g., Jewish bar and bat mitzvah, the Catholic confirmation)

School graduation ceremonies come the closest

Social organizations may have ceremonies like initiations or debuts

ImmigrationRelatively high rates of immigration

contribute to the growth of ethnic minorities in the United States

Immigrants often experience stressors such as language barriers, separations from support networks, changes in SES status, the dual struggle to preserve identity and to acculturate

Immigrant Family Issues Many come from collectivist cultures in

which family obligation is strong For adolescents, this obligation may

mean assisting parents in their occupations and/or contributing to the family’s welfare

The long hours immigrant youth work in such jobs can be detrimental to their academic achievement

Ethnicity and Socioeconomic Status   Not all ethnic minority families are poor Economic advantage does not entirely

enable minorities to escape prejudice, discrimination, and bias

However, poverty contributes to the stressful life experiences of many ethnic minority adolescents

The MediaThere has been a dramatic increase

in media multitaskingTelevision viewing and video-game

playing peak in early adolescence and then begin to decline

Older adolescents spend more time listening to music and using the computer

Increased Internet use Cyberbullying Sex crimes

Juvenile Delinquency

Juvenile delinquent -- label applied to an adolescent who breaks the law or engages in behavior that is considered illegal IncidencePrevalenceAdolescence-limited offenderLife-course-persistent offender

delinquency rates among minority groups and lower-socioeconomic-status youth are especially high

These groups have less influence over the judicial decision-making process and may be judged more delinquent

Causes of Delinquency   Many causes have been

proposed, including heredity, identity problems, community influences, and family experiences

Adolescents with a negative identity may find support for their delinquent image among peers, reinforcing the negative identity norms of many lower-SES peer groups and

gangs are antisocial

Causes of Delinquency   Parental monitoring is especially

important in determining whether an adolescent becomes a delinquent

Family discord and inconsistent and inappropriate discipline and sibling influences are also associated with delinquency

Having delinquent peers greatly increases the risk of becoming delinquent

Depression   Internalizing vs. Externalizing problems

Adolescent girls consistently have higher rates of depression than adolescent boys females twice that of males

Family factors place adolescents at risk for developing depression

Poor peer relationships are associated with adolescent depression

Problems in adolescent romantic relationships can also trigger depression, especially for girls

Suicide   Suicide behavior escalates in

adolescence and then increases further in emerging adulthood

Suicide is the third-leading cause of death in ages 10 to19

Although a suicide threat should always be taken seriously, far more adolescents contemplate or attempt it unsuccessfully than actually commit it Suicidal ideation Parasuicide

Gender Differences in Suicide Females were more likely to attempt Males were more likely to succeed in

committing suicide Males use more lethal means, such as

guns Females are more likely to cut their wrists

or take an overdose of sleeping pills Suicidal adolescents often have

depressive symptoms

The Interrelation of Problems and Successful Prevention/Intervention Programs

Four problems that affect the most adolescents drug abuse juvenile delinquency sexual problems school-related problems

Those who have more than one of these problems are more at risk

Successful ProgramsPrograms that have been

successful in preventing or reducing adolescent problems found these common components Intensive individualized attention Community-wide multi-agency collaborative

approaches Early identification and intervention