Monika Yadav

Growth & Development in Adolescence

1. Succession of events in development of secondary sexual characteristics during puberty is consistent.

2. There is individual variation in the age of onset, duration and tempo of Growth.

Adolescence

Adolescence is a time of considerable physical and psychological growth and change!

ADOLESCENCE is the developmental stage between childhood and adulthood.

The age at which adolescence begins and ends is imprecise, partly because society is unclear about the roles of people in this stage (no longer children, not yet adults)

Definition of puberty

Pubertas – Latin word for “adult”Narrow definition: The process by

which an individual becomes capable of reproduction.– The activation of the HPG/HPA axis

Broad definition: The physical, psychological, and cultural changes that occur as the growing child transitions into adulthood.

Time periods of adolescent

Adolescence is a unique developmental period– it keeps changing!

Early adolescence – 11 to 13 years old– Continues to be pushed earlier (9-10…)

Middle adolescence – 14 to 17 years oldLate adolescence (early adulthood) – 18

to 20 years old– Continues to be pushed later (21-24…)

Physical changes…

Primary sex characteristics• The body organs and reproductive structures and

functions that differ between women and men.

• Gonads (testes and ovaries)

Secondary sex characteristics• Characteristics of the body that are caused by

hormones, develop during puberty, and last through adult life.

• Changes in genitals/breasts/voice

• Pubic/body/facial hair

changes… Rapid acceleration of physical growth

• Adolescent growth spurt• 3.5 (girls) to 4.0 (boys) inches/year• ½ adult weight gained during adolescence

Changes in body composition• 3:1 muscle to body fat ratio for boys• 5:4 for girls • Emergence of sex differences in physical

performance Changes in circulatory and respiratory

systems• Increase in size/capacity of heart and lungs

Two roles of Hormones

Organizational role (life-long): – Modification of the organism early in life

• primarily influencing its anatomy

– Organization/structure of CNS• “Feminine” vs. “masculan-ized” brain and body

Activational role (specific to puberty):– Structural “remodeling” of brain– Increase in salience of sexual stimuli, sexual

motivation – Development of secondary sex characteristics

Hormone regulatory systemsEndocrine systemHPA axis

– Hypothalamus Pituitary gland Adrenals– Corticosteroids– Regulates body’s response to stress

HPG axis– Hypothalamus Pituitary gland Gonads

(Testes/Ovaries)– Sex Hormones (Androgens/Estrogens)– Regulates sexual maturation

The hormonal changes brought on by puberty can affect the adolescent’s behavior in at least three ways.

Impacts of Puberty

Sleep patterns– Delayed phase preference– 9 hours: 1 am to 10 am

Family relations– Transformation of parent-child bond

Peer relations– Transformation of friendships, romantic

relationships

Impacts of Puberty

Self-esteem– Changing body image– Changing sense of self

Moods– Increased stress + Increased sensitivity

• Fluctuation of moods

– Due to hormones or environment?– “Storm and stress”: myth or fact?

moods

Timing - individual factors

Genetic factors

Timing and tempoEnvironmental factors

– Nutrition– Body weight– Exposure to hormones/chemicals– Family conflict– Stepfathers

Timing - Group Factors

Comparisons Across socioeconomic groups

– Impact of poverty– Dietary intake, health care, exposure to disease

Across countries Impact of industrializationAcross time periods

– Secular trend

Early Maturation Boys

– Early maturation positives• Popularity, higher self-esteem

– Early maturation negatives• Deviant, risk behaviors; more rigidity later

Girls– Early maturation positives

• Popularity (cultural dependence)

– Early maturation negatives• Lower self-esteem, eating disorders, emotions, deviant

behaviors

Late Maturation Boys

– Late maturation positives• Higher levels of creativity, inventiveness

– Late maturation negatives• Low self-esteem, low social competence

Girls– Late maturation positives

• Thinner build

– Late maturation negatives• Social withdrawal

Nutrition, Food & Eating Disorders During Adolescence

Food and eating disorders become a focus during adolescence.

The adolescent growth spurt requires an increase in food (especially key nutrients such as calcium and iron).

Several key nutrients are essential during this period, especially calcium and iron

The major nutritional issue for many teens: eating a balance of appropriate foods

Nutrition, Food & Eating Disorders During Adolescence, continued

Obesity is a common concern during adolescence.

The psychological consequences of adolescent obesity are severe since while body image is a key focus.

Potential health consequences of obesity are also of concern

Cognitive Development increases markedly during adolescence

Teens begin to use formal operations to solve problems during this period of their growth.

Piaget’s approach to cognitive development has had a significant influence on developmental psychologists.

FORMAL OPERATIONS PERIOD is the stage during which people develop the ability to think abstractly. – Piaget asserted that children enter this

stage at the beginning of adolescence

Egocentrism in Adolescent Thinking

Developmental Psychologist David Elkind argues that

the adolescent period fosters adolescent egocentrism

ADOLESCENT EGOCENTRISM is a stage of self-absorption where the world is seen only from one's own perspective.

Thus adolescents are highly critical of authority figures, unwilling to accept criticism, and quick to find fault with others.

Adolescent egocentrism helps explain why teens often think they’re the focus of everyone’s attention!

Adolescent egocentrism leads to two distortions: – IMAGINARY AUDIENCE, where

adolescents think they are the focus of everyone else's attention. • Constructing elaborate scenarios

about other’s thoughts/intentions– PERSONAL FABLES, the belief that

the adolescent is unique and exceptional and shared by no one else• No one understands me• Risk taking behavior