Life-Span Development Twelfth Edition Chapter 12: Socioemotional Development in Adolescence ©2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved

Life-Span Development Life-Span Development Twelfth EditionTwelfth Edition

Chapter 12:

Socioemotional Development in Adolescence

©2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

Self-EsteemSelf-EsteemSelf-Esteem is the overall way we evaluate

ourselves◦Girls’ self-esteem tends to decline during

adolescence, while boys’ self-esteem increases Girls’ negative body image during pubertal change Greater interest young adolescent girls take in social

relationships Gender differences may be exaggerated

◦Low self-esteem in adolescence is associated with: Poorer mental and physical health Worse economic prospects Higher levels of criminal behavior


IdentityIdentity

Vocational/CareerPoliticalReligiousRelationshipAchievement,

Intellectual

SexualCultural/EthnicInterestsPersonalityPhysical


IdentityIdentityErikson’s Identity versus Identity Confusion:◦Psychosocial Moratorium: the gap between

childhood security and adult autonomy Adolescents are generally free to try out different

identities and choose what is right for them

◦Adolescents who resolve the conflict emerge with a refreshing, acceptable sense of self

◦Adolescents who do not successfully resolve the conflict suffer identity confusion Withdrawal and isolation Immersion in peers


IdentityIdentityFour statuses of identity based on crisis or

commitment◦ Crisis: a period of identity development during which the

individual is exploring alternatives◦ Commitment: a personal investment in identity

Diffusion: individuals who have not yet experienced a crisis or made any commitments

Foreclosure: individuals who have made a commitment but not experienced a crisis

Moratorium: individuals who are in the midst of a crisis but whose commitments are absent or weak

Achievement: individuals who have undergone a crisis and made a commitment


IdentityIdentity


IdentityIdentityKey changes in identity are more likely to

take place in emerging adulthood than in adolescence◦Especially true for vocational choice

One of emerging adulthood’s themes is not having many social commitments◦Developing a positive identity requires

considerable self-discipline and planningIdentity does not remain stable throughout

life◦“MAMA”: repeated cycles of moratorium to

achievement


IdentityIdentityFamily atmosphere is important in the

adolescent’s identity development◦ Individuality (self-assertion and separateness)◦Connectedness (mutuality and permeability)

Ethnic Identity: an enduring aspect of the self that includes a sense of membership in an ethnic group and the attitudes and feelings related to that membership◦Development of a bicultural identity◦ Identity development tends to be more complex

for members of ethnic minority groups


IdentityIdentityDowntrend in religious interest among

adolescents has occurred in the 21st centuryAdolescence and adulthood can serve as a

gateway to a spiritual identity that “transcends, but not necessarily excludes” the childhood religion◦Adolescents higher in religiosity are:

Less likely to smoke, drink, use marijuana Less likely to be truant from school and engage in

delinquent activities Less likely to be depressed


FamiliesFamiliesParents often have to weigh competing

needs for autonomy and control, independence and connection

Adolescents’ ability to attain autonomy and gain control over their behavior is acquired through appropriate adult reactions to their desire for control

Boys are often given more independence than girls


FamiliesFamiliesRole of Attachment:◦Securely attached adolescents are less likely to

engage in problem behaviors such as juvenile delinquency and drug abuse

◦Securely attached adolescents have better peer relations Correlations are moderate

Balancing Freedom and Control:◦Adolescents still need to stay connected to

families◦Parents who play an active role in monitoring and

guiding adolescents’ development are more likely to have adolescents with positive peer relations and lower drug use


FamiliesFamiliesParent–Adolescent Conflict:◦Parent–adolescent conflict increases in early

adolescence Conflict typically involves everyday events of family life

◦Disagreements may serve a positive developmental function Conflicts facilitate the adolescent’s transition from being

dependent to becoming autonomous

◦About one in five families engage in prolonged, intense, repeated, unhealthy conflict Associated with various adolescent problems


FamiliesFamilies


PeersPeersPeer Relationships: ◦Most teens prefer a smaller number of peer

contacts and more intimacy◦Friends become increasingly important in

meeting social needs during adolescence◦Teens with superficial or no friendships tend

to be lonely and have lower self-esteem◦Characteristics of friends have an important

influence Friends’ grade-point average is a consistent

predictor of positive school achievement


PeersPeers


PeersPeersPeer Pressure:◦Young adolescents conform more to peer

standards than children do Peaks about 8th and 9th grade 14 to 18 years of age is an especially important time

for developing the ability to stand up for one’s beliefs

◦U.S. adolescents are more likely than Japanese adolescents to put peer pressure on their peers to resist parental influence


PeersPeersCliques and Crowds:◦Cliques: small groups (2 to 12 individuals),

typically of the same sex and about the same age Based on friendship or similar activities

◦Crowds: larger than cliques and less personal Based on reputation May not spend much time together Usually appear in early adolescence and become

less prominent in late adolescence


Dating and Romantic RelationshipsDating and Romantic Relationships

Adolescents spend considerable time either dating or thinking about dating

Dating can be a source of:◦Recreation◦Status and achievement◦Learning about close relationships◦Mate selection

Adolescents often begin by hanging out together in mixed-sex groups

Cyberdating has become popular among middle-school students


Dating and Romantic RelationshipsDating and Romantic Relationships

Gay Male and Lesbian Youth:◦Many date other-sex peers, which can help

clarify their sexual orientation or disguise it from others

Sociocultural Contexts:◦Differences in dating patterns among ethnic

groups Values, beliefs, and traditions often dictate how and

when adolescents date


Dating and Romantic RelationshipsDating and Romantic RelationshipsDating and Adjustment:◦Adolescents who date are more likely to be

accepted by peers and be perceived as more physically attractive

◦Dating and romantic relationships at an unusually early age have been linked with several problems Lower grades Less active participation in class School-related problems Delinquency Substance use

◦Adolescents who watch soap operas are more likely to date early and have more dating partners


CultureCultureCross-Cultural Variations:◦Two-thirds of Asian Indian adolescents accept

marriages arranged by their parents◦Female adolescents in the Philippines sacrifice

their futures to work and send money home◦ In the Middle East, many adolescents are not

allowed to interact with the other sex, even in school

◦Street youth in Kenya survive economically by delinquency or prostitution

◦Russian youth are marrying earlier to legitimize sexual activity


CultureCultureHealth:◦Fewer adolescents around the world die from

infectious diseases and malnutrition than in the past

◦Some health-compromising behaviors are increasing in frequency (illicit drug use and unprotected sex)

Gender:◦Experiences of male and female adolescents are

quite different around the world In many countries, adolescent females have much less

freedom than males


CultureCultureFamily:◦ In some countries, adolescents grow up in closely

knit families with extensive extended kin networks

◦ In western countries, parenting is less authoritarian and larger numbers of adolescents are growing up in divorced families and stepfamilies

◦Family trends include: Greater family mobility Migration to urban areas Family members working in distant cities or countries Smaller families; fewer extended-family households Increases in mothers’ employment


CultureCulturePeers:◦Some cultures give peers a stronger role in

adolescence than others In western nations, peers are prominent in adolescents’

lives In other regions, peer relations are restricted (especially

for girls)Rites of Passage:◦Rite of Passage: ceremony or ritual that marks an

individual’s transition from one status to another◦Vary among cultures

Rich tradition has prevailed in African cultures In the U.S., rites of passage are found in various

religious and social groups


EthnicityEthnicityImmigration:◦ Immigrants often experience stressors uncommon

to longtime residents Language barriers Separation from support networks Changes in SES status Struggle to preserve identity and to acculturate

Assimilation: the absorption of ethnic minority groups into the dominant group

Pluralism: the coexistence of distinct ethnic and cultural groups in the same society


EthnicityEthnicityEthnicity and Socioeconomic Status:◦Ethnic minorities are overrepresented in the

lower socioeconomic levels of American society

◦Many ethnic minorities experience a double disadvantage: Prejudice, discrimination, and bias Stressful effects of poverty


EthnicityEthnicity


Juvenile DelinquencyJuvenile DelinquencyJuvenile Delinquent: an adolescent who

breaks the law or engages in behavior that is considered illegal◦Broad concept that includes many actions, from

littering to murder◦At least 2% of all youth are involved in juvenile

court cases◦More likely to be committed by males, but

involvement by females is increasing◦Property offenses are committed more than any

other crime◦Rates are disproportionately higher for minority

and lower-SES youth


Juvenile DelinquencyJuvenile DelinquencyShould an adolescent who commits a

crime be charged as an adult?◦One study demonstrated that trying adolescent

offenders as adults increased their crime rateEarly onset (before age 11) antisocial

behavior is associated with more negative outcomes than late onset antisocial behavior◦More likely to persist into adulthood◦More mental health and relationship problems


Juvenile DelinquencyJuvenile DelinquencyCauses of Delinquency:◦Heredity◦Identity problems◦Community influences◦Family experiences

Parental monitoring is important History of physical abuse Hostile sibling relationships


Juvenile DelinquencyJuvenile DelinquencyCauses of Delinquency (continued):◦Lower-class culture

Antisocial peer groups and gangs Status given for antisocial behavior Observation of models engaging in criminal

activities Inadequate community resources

◦Cognitive factors Low self-control Low intelligence Lack of sustained attention


Depression and SuicideDepression and SuicideDepression is more likely to occur in adolescence than

childhood◦ Linear increase from 15 to 22 years of age◦ Earlier onset is linked with more negative outcomes

Depression is consistently higher in girls and women◦ Females tend to ruminate◦ More negative body image◦ Females face more discrimination than males◦ Puberty occurs earlier for girls

Family factors play a role◦ Having a depressed parent◦ Emotionally unavailable parents◦ High marital conflict◦ Parents with financial problems


Depression and SuicideDepression and SuicidePoor peer relationships are associated

with adolescent depression◦Co-rumination in girls

Depressed adolescents recovered faster when they took an antidepressant and received cognitive behavior therapy than when they received either treatment alone◦Safety concern with certain antidepressants in

adolescence


Depression and SuicideDepression and SuicideSuicide is the 3rd leading cause of death in

10- to 19-year-oldsFar more adolescents contemplate or attempt

it unsuccessfully than actually commit itFemales are more likely to attempt suicide,

but males are more likely to succeedLesbian and gay male adolescents are only

slightly more likely than heterosexual adolescents to commit suicide


Depression and SuicideDepression and SuicideOther Risk Factors:◦History of family instability and unhappiness◦Lack of supportive friendships◦Genetic factors◦Depressive symptoms◦Low self-esteem◦High self-blame◦Being overweight


Depression and SuicideDepression and SuicideSuccessful Intervention Programs

Include:◦Intensive individualized attention◦Community-wide multi-agency collaborative

approaches◦Early identification and intervention


Documents

Life-Span Development Twelfth Edition Chapter 12: Socioemotional Development in Adolescence ©2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved