UNIT 7 – YOUNG ADULTHOODCHAPTER - 10

Michelle Fischer, ACSW, LSW, MSWHN144

GOOD NEWS!!

No quiz this week!

Let’s take a quick look at the directions for your project this week.

Eco-Map Project Details

An eco-map is a graphic visual that illustrates the systems in a person’s life that influence their behavior.

There are sample eco-maps on pages 623-624 of your text.

Take a look at the example in your book Create an eco-map for Luis Perez. Be sure to include all systems and

influences that affect his behavior. In addition to filling in the circles, be sure to

add lines that signify the strength of the relationship between Luis and each system (see example on page 623)

A few tips:

I don’t care what shapes, colors, etc. you use. PLEASE make sure to include a key so that I know what everything means!

Remember, the only thing you write in each circle is the name of the person, place, or thing that affects Luis’ behavior. You will have the opportunity to explain those systems in your final project (Unit 9).

Young Adulthood (22-34 years old):

Theories of adulthood Transition involves reaching maturity,

leaving home, new responsibilities, and other major life changes

Focus on intimate and social relationships with others

Erikson’s stage: Intimacy vs. Isolation

What does that mean????

Intimacy refers to the ability to share one’s true self (good and bad) Involves taking risks, sharing things about

yourself

Those who cannot effectively resolve the tasks of intimacy are often left to isolation

Two critical developmental tasks: economic independence & independent decision-making

How does the economy impact this stage?

Developmental Tasks:

Is young adulthood defined by age or by social and economic factors?

Young adults are getting married an average of 4 yrs later than 30 yrs ago (25 for women, 27-men)

Many young adults are living at home with parents

Have they entered adulthood or are they in an extended period of adolescence?

What does/did your young adulthood look like?

Emerging adulthood (Arnett 2000, 2004):

A distinct stage of development that is neither adolescence nor young adulthood Characterized by a period of transition into

adult roles, but constitutes a distinct period of the life course that emphasizes change & exploration of possibilities

Those emerging into adulthood do not see themselves as adolescents or entirely as adults but as somewhere in between

Daniel Levinson’s theory of adult development

Young adulthood (ages 17-33 years old)

Focus on choices of love, occupation, friendship, values and lifestyle

Novice phase of development – primary task is to move into adult world and build stable life structure

Levinson’s eight stages of adult development

17-22: Leave adolescence; make preliminary choices for adult life

22-28: Initial choices in love, occupation, friendship, values, lifestyle

28-33: Change in life structure, either a moderate change or, more often, a severe & stressful crisis

33-40: Establish a niche in society; progress on a timetable, both in family & career accomplishments

Levinson…

40-45: Life structure comes into question; usually a time of crisis in the meaning, direction and value of each person’s life; neglected parts of the self (talents, desires, aspirations) seek expression; mid-life crisis?

45-50: Choices must be made & new life structure formed; the person must commit to new tasks

50-55: Further questioning & modification of the life structure; men who did not have a crisis at age 40 are likely to have one now

55-60: Build a new life structure; can be a time of great fulfillment

Biophysical strengths Physical

performance is usually the strongest during early 20’s

Young adulthood is a good time for individuals to develop health-conscious behavior patterns

This stage is the best period for a woman to become pregnant

Biophysical hazards Poor men of color

have worst health, especially African American men (e.g., stress and smoking)

One of the strongest determinants of health is socioeconomic status (SES)

Cultural beliefs, such as masculinity, can impact on health

Styles of Communication

True or false? Women have much greater level of intimate

communication with each other than men do

True or false? Studies have found that most of the women and

few of the men report lack of communication as a major reason for divorce

Communication…

True or false? Men are socialized to see the social world as

hierarchical, and thus approach conversations as negotiations for achieving the upper hand

True or false? Women are socialized to see the social world as a

community and to focus on their connections with other people, and thus approach conversations as negotiations for closeness and to reach consensus

Communication. . .

Boys’ and girls’ sports behaviors-boys search for 1 or 2 leaders; girls play in leaderless manner

Boys committed to looking good; girls search for common ground

Boys refuse to say, “I’m sorry”, but girls say, “I’m sorry as an expression of empathy

Preschool-boys fought to pursue own interests; girls balance their interests with others-verbal negotiation

Miscommunication…

Deborah Tannen believed that gender differences in communication are often the source of much frustration and anger between men and women.

What happens? Men and women often don’t understand each other.

Many people believe that men and women speak different languages – but they don’t!

It is mostly a matter of misunderstanding that emerge from HOW we learn to communicate throughout life.

Psychological Hazards

Young adult years are one of the most difficult periods in a person’s life. Their decisions have a great impact on their life’s trajectory

Growing and major responsibilities can create stress and problems

Many become frustrated when inadequately prepared for the life challenges they now face

Such frustrations & immense responsibilities often cause psychological problems, such as mental illness

Parenting

Gay and Lesbian Parents Stay-at-home fathers Voluntary Childlessness Infertility Adoption Parenting a physically or mentally

challenged child Divorce-1/4 of American children come

from divorced households

Depression in Young Adulthood Depression is a common psychological

hazard among young people A growing number of college students

are suffering from depression – from 7% in 1992 to 18% in 2001 (Kluger, 2003)

Many students rely on medical solutions, such as antidepressants, which may hinder their ability to develop critical coping skills

Women experience high rates of depression – 70% of all reported cases

Serious Mental Illness (SMI)

Many major mental illnesses become evident in late adolescence and early adulthood

Schizophrenia is a prominent thought disorder that includes delusions, inappropriate affect, and disorganized speech

Heredity is major factor in developing disorder 45% chance for identical twin or offspring of

two persons with disorder; 15% for fraternal twin or offspring of one person with disorder; 10% for a sibling; 4% for nephew or niece

Schizophrenia

People who suffer from schizophrenia can be grouped into three broad categories Those treated successfully with a full recovery Those in partial recovery leading a reasonably

normal life Those with little or no recovery having repeated

hospitalizations Four factors that promise for recovery

Sudden rather than gradual onset Onset that occurs at a later age Good social and work environment before onset Informal support system within the patient’s

family

Managed Care Systems

Cost-containing system of health care administration

Leaves the most vulnerable of populations-poor, elderly, people of color, women and children at risk; these populations often selected out of managed care due to their high risk status (poor nutrition, inadequate income, lack of prenatal care, substandard housing, minimal preventative care)

What can human service workers do?

Managed Care, Cont.

Physicians could make better use of their time by referring clients to social workers (issues related to family, resources, mental health, behavioral problems, medical non-compliance, children, older adults, and those diagnosed with mental retardation

Human service workers can provide assessments and screenings, case management, counseling, and refer to services

Multicultural Considerations Native Americans:Many of their unique problems

stemfrom a history of discrimination, broken treaties & prejudice. Poor academic attainments(only 57% are high schoolgraduates). Extremely high unemploymentrates. Language problems have

affectedprogress. Stereotypes promoted by

televisionand movies

African Americans:Dialect differences have

challengedthem. The stereotype of the “violentblack” is influencing their

socialprogress. Poor academic progress and

lackof social progress. Social conditions that aredetrimental to self-

improvement likediscrimination, racism and lack

ofopportunities.

Multicultural Considerations

Asian Americans:Language problems havebeen a challenge. The “model minority”stereotype. With acculturation, familyroles & expectations canconflict with the white

Americanculture. Value changes in familyrelationships can lead to aschism between younger and

older generations.

Hispanic AmericansLanguage problems are criticalbecause many Hispanics

speak onlySpanish. Poor academic progress and

lackof social progress. Improvement in middle-paying

&high-paying jobs. Lack of appropriate skills forcoping in the dominant whitesociety & with discrimination &prejudice.

Multicultural Considerations

What prejudices do you see in your own communities?

What can human service professionals do to improve the quality of life for ethnic groups?

There is a lot more to this chapter but we don’t have enough time to cover all of it.

Any thoughts, questions, comments on what we went over today?

Don’t forget that your project is due at the end of this unit.