How Might a Youth Worker Assist Young People with the Development of Moral Thinking - Essay Example

How might a youth worker assist young people with the development of moral thinking What are the issues for undertaking this kind of work Table of Content Serial Number and Topic Page Number 1.0 Introduction 02 2.0 Executive Summary 03 3.0 Adolescence 05 3.1 Parent to Infant Development 06 4.0 Adolescence and the Challenges 07 4.1 Adolescence and Family 07 4.2 Adolescence and Sexuality 10 4.3 Adolescence and Health 11 4.4 Adolescence, Friendship and Peers 12 5.0 The Youth Worker and Adolescence 14 6.0 Conclusion 15 7.0 References 16 1.0 Introduction Adolescence is a period of physical and emotional change in a youth. This period is characterised by stress and tension as the youth strives to establish a personal identity, and begins a journey from dependence to independence. There are many changes that occur during this transit from adolescence to adulthood. The first stage is puberty. A time to introspect and equate, girls attain puberty at an earlier age than boys at 12, and boys at 14 respectively. Though this may not be true in all cases, this is the general age. Puberty lasts as long as 4 years. As mentioned, early adolescence is a time for introspection; a time when boys and girls try to establish their sexual identity, and come to terms with an independent life. Late adolescence is when the youth comprehends separation from the family and living an independent life. There are a lot of directions that these adolescents need. The physical and mental changes that come about develop their identity and character. It is quite natural for parents to expect a change for the better. Expectations from parents and society increase. This is a time when a youth, if not guided properly, can end up being a liability to society. Parents need to be careful in the way they handle their children at this time. Children can get carried away and be influenced by the people around them. A time when they are told to 'grow up' or 'act you age', these children must be counseled in knowing the right from wrong. This must be done professionally. Children are now in a position to understand their role in society and take a firm decision on their career. Many youths come through their adolescent years without problems. However, for some, it is a difficult period, necessitating a great deal more of understanding, patience and support. No two children are alike. Each child will have his/her own thoughts and views on life and parents experience different challenges along the way in the growth of their child. However, through their journey of adolescence, analogical situations faced by almost all adolescents are: Measuring the society's values and moral standards Identifying themselves with others; a personal identity Rebellion of authority Moodiness To an extent, an interest in the opposite sex This is the time when all the training and guidance thought to them will be of importance. There is no point in trying to impose on them, for the simple reason that they would rebel. The youth should be taken into confidence and taught the aspects of life. 2.0 Executive Summary Moral education is an integral part of psychology and education. Never before have the reports of increased violent juvenile crime, teen pregnancy, and suicide been highlighted as now. The reason: The numbers of cases just got longer and longer, outnumbering all other news reports in newspaper every day. While not all of these social concerns are moral in nature, they are complex. There is a need to find solutions to these problems so that children are better prepared to face the challenges of life more socially. It is much easier said than done. There are many potholes on the way to success. Adolescence is often stereotyped as a period of stress and turbulence, though this may be far from true. Many adolescents have shown a lot more resilience in the face of challenges and stress, quite a few have engaged in behaviours involving risk, and there are others who have threaded the risk-taking path, leading to grave consequences. As discussed, adolescents will find themselves in a world made-believe of their own account. This is the time when they have to resolve those issues in a manner most viable and relate to them. The true change of character and behaviour happen during this trying period. "Almost all adolescents commit some crimes in some form, a few numbers end up being delinquents; similarly, almost all adolescents consume alcohol at some point of time in their teens for fun, yet a few continue to pursue the route to serious substance abuse and narcotic dependency; all female adolescents worry about their body image and their weight, however, only a small proportion suffers from anorexia or bulimia; quite a lot experience sexual relations, but not many become premature parents" (Kevin Durkin, 1995)1. These are a few examples of the stress and turbulence experienced by adolescents during their years of transition. Parental guidance may not be the solution to this problem, as adolescents may rebel under direct and strict parental supervision. This is the time when professional help is needed. This is the time when social and youth workers can assist young people with the development of moral thinking. This paper takes a broad look at the physical and mental obstacles that such workers have to overcome to impart professional assistance. 3.0 Adolescence "Adolescence is often conceptualised as a transition between childhood and adulthood. Today, there is a greater recognition on the part played by external elements, such as family, friends, neighbourhood, and society in moulding an adolescent's character. An early awareness of sexuality, dating and other adolescent behaviours commence at an earlier age today. Interests in clothes, music, and other common teen concerns seem to occupy them. There has been a definite change in the developmental stage of a child today. Adolescence now begins for some as early as 9 or 10 and continues to well after their 21st birthday" (Coleman & Hendry, 1999)2 "Despite the familiarity of the term adolescent, it is difficult to define adolescence. When does adolescence begin We presumed that adolescence began at the age of 12-13, but this chronological criterion fails to take into account of the maturational differences among young people. A child of 12 need not necessarily have the same physical and mental growth of another, the child could have the stature and maturity of an adolescent of 14-15 years. A girl may start her periods at the age of 11, while another could experience her first periods in her mid-teens or older. On the whole, we see that there are no known psychological criterion that correlates perfectly with age, and there are no psychological state that is recognised as a marker of adolescence. Likewise, it is difficult to determine when adolescence ends" (Kevin Durkin, 1995)3 3.1 Parent to Infant Development Before we proceed with factors influencing the transition of the adolescent to a more mature individual, the following can help immensely in understanding how external parts can influence and change the behaviour of a child. Parents and their young, develop a strong bond of oneness through their constant interaction. Parents guide and identify with their children things that are around them. It is not uncommon to see parents point their fingers in the direction of an object and repeat the name of that object to the infant. Similarly, a parent makes the infant interact in a more physical manner. The repeated rolling of a ball, clapping of hands, identifying objects and so on, are all part of the development stage in a child. What we see here is the recurrence of actions between the adult and child. These activities may seem trivial on the face of it, but what it does is the purposeful development of child. "Bruner4 substantiated this phenomenon when he argued that through recurring participation, infants learn more about structures and demands of social interactions, preparing and rehearsing skills that will ultimately become essential to successful interchanges, such as conversation" (Kevin Durkin, 1995)5. 4.0 Adolescence and the Challenges An adolescent is influenced by various factors during the years of growing up. These factors shape the character and behaviour in his/her adult life. The factors that are addressed here are: 1. Family 2. Sexuality 3. Health 4. Friends 5. Work 6. Young people and anti-social activities 7. Politics In order to understand the challenges before youth workers and adolescents, this paper looks at the top four factors that contribute to varied behaviour among the teens. Though not in the order, all these environments have a role in the development of an adolescent's behaviour and character. 4.1 Adolescence and Family "The adolescent stage sees a major change in the way parents and young people interact. Though gradual, this change may not lead to the complete breakdown of relationships. Research emphasizes continuity as much as change, and highlighted the central role that parents play during this period. It has also indicated that conflict within the family is less prevalent than most people assume. On the contrary, it is believed that many adolescents get on well with their parents, and turn to them for guidance and support as they confront critical issues in the transition to adulthood. It is argued that adolescents seek more independence, or autonomy, in family relationships. The freedom of expression and action is what they seek; freedom from parental restraint, and control of one's own life" (Coleman and Hendry, p.74, 1999).6 "Young people who see their parents as unsupportive would be more at risk than autonomous adolescences who have supportive parents. It is believed that adolescence in the middle years is the time when most intense negotiations take place regarding autonomy. It is at this stage that youngsters seek to establish their right to freedom, while parents wish to affirm their moral control. There is a view that adolescents spend their least time with their family. Autonomy may be important, but so too is connectedness" (Coleman & Hendry, p.77). An area of major concern is that of parents-adolescent conflict, also commonly referred to as the generation gap. What is especially interesting about this topic is that, there appears to be a clear divergence of opinion between research and the general public. On the one hand, parents and the general public believe that adolescents are prone to conflicts and disagreement at home on issues, such as sex, drugs and morality. The quality of communication between parents and their young vary depending on a range of variables "Maccoby and Martin (1983)7 said that parents can vary both in their demanding ness and responsiveness, quoting 4 types of parenting behaviour: indulgent, indifferent, authoritative and authoritarian. Authoritarian parents place a high value on obedience and conformity. They are more likely to punish for misbehaviour, and will block autonomy. Authoritative parents are warm but firm. They set standards, are more likely to give explanations and to reason with the young person than be punitive. Indulgent parents behave in a compassionate way, accepting their young's view and are passive. They are unlikely to set standards, or have high expectations for their children, and will not seek to punish. Indifferent parents are neglectful. They know little of what their children are doing, and have little time to spend on their child's activities. Most studies of parenting under these classifications showed consistent results. In almost all cases children and young living in families with authoritative parents did better on a range of issues, including self-esteem, individual perspective, and were most likely of avoiding risk behavior such as drugs and unethical sexual activities" (Dornbusch et al., 1987)8. Adolescents brought up by indulgent parents are often found less mature, irresponsible and conform to their peers. "Undoubtedly, those children who grow up in neglected or indifferent families are most prone to risk. They are more impulsive and tend to get involved in high-risk behaviour at an early stage of their life" (Fuligni & Eccles, 1993; Kurdek & Fine, 1994). 4.2 Adolescence and Sexuality "Sexual development is a central strand of all adolescent experience. The biological maturation which is not just a biological change, also involves growth and maturation in their social and emotional world. This process is influenced by a many factors; both internal and external; rate of pubertal maturation, family, neighbourhood, and the political climate. The development of sexuality in these adolescents can cause considerable anxiety, to both teenagers and adults, such as unwanted pregnancy or infection from sexually transmitted diseases" (Coleman and Hendry, p.98, 1999) Today more young people are becoming sexually active at a younger age than in the 1960s or the 1970s (Coleman and Hendry, p.98, 1999).9 "It may appear self-evident, but the sexual behaviour in adolescents takes place in the context of adult attitudes and behaviour. Adolescents are blamed for having permissive attitudes, or indulging in casual sex without considering the consequences. Sexual development among the young is affected by what is happening around them. Today we live in a society which is remarkably open about sexuality. Many of the taboos of the 70s and 80s have given way pervasive sex. Television, movies and videos, advertisements and magazines contribute to the growing awareness of sexuality. More importantly, they see the behaviour of adults around them, whether in the family or in the neighbourhood, indulging in sexual relationships outside marriage. They see adults pursue sexual gratification without considering the consequences, and as such are influenced by such experience" (Coleman and Hendry, p.102, 1999).10 "Increase in androgen lead to increased interest in sex among girls. However, does this new found interest translates into behaviour depend on the social environment. Girls who have high levels of androgens become sexually active only if they have friends who are similarly inclined, or parents who are permissive. Girls in a less encouraging environment than above are unlikely to be sexually active. This factor does not appear to act in the same way for boys, in, whom high levels of androgens are likely to lead to sexual activity, regardless of the social context. A survey revealed that 69 per cent of sexually active adolescents felt that they could discuss any concerns they had with their friends, 33 per cent felt they could discuss sexual problems with their mother, while only about 15 per cent felt they could discuss such things with their father" (Coleman and Hendry, p.105-104). "The AIDS/HIV discovery has had a profound effect on adolescents' attitude to sex, and sexual behaviour itself. They understood the terrible consequence of catching these dreaded diseases through unprotected sex, which included pregnancy" (Coleman and Hendry, p.107).11 4.3 Adolescence and Health "As Hurrelmann and Losel (1990)12 suggested, personal behaviours in adolescence can contribute to morbidity and mortality. Smoking, drinking, drug misuse and so on can impinge good health. Adolescents are most likely to take risks during this transition period to adulthood. How do these come about Anti-social behaviour or self-destructive behaviour can cause irreparable damage to one's health, as adolescents seek status or solace. Adolescents adopt such behaviours in the belief that they can achieve their desired goal, such as experiencing pleasure or gaining peer acceptance; little understanding the consequence their action can pose on them. First and foremost, adolescents seek thrills through certain behaviour that can cause physical and mental damage. Such acts arouse and test the limits of one's capacity. Then there is the audience-controlled risk-taking behaviour. In order to be accepted and identified in a peer group and establish a social position, adolescents demonstrate certain qualities and abilities. There are also other risk-taking behaviours which harbour on irresponsibility. These are not performed because of the risk they imply, but to achieve other desired goals. Such irresponsible behaviours demonstrate the inability of these teens to see long-term consequences" (Coleman and Hendry, Chapter 7, Adolescent Health, p.120) 4.4 Adolescence, Friendship and Peers "Close friendships have an important impact on the development of an adolescent. Teens try to impress themselves on their colleagues by participating and sharing of ideas and activities" (Youniss and Smollar, 1985)13 "This 'groupism', forms a strong bond, and the members of the group tend to behave in a rather uniform manner. There is a strong formation and maintenance of a fairly stable group, which also develops mutual similarity" (Savin-Williams and Berndt.1990).14 "The quality of relationship that adolescents establish with their friends is important in identifying and integrating their character with that group. It is this quality that helps them derive benefits in terms of emotional support, assistance and social learning, and is reflected in their self-esteem" (Kirchler et al, 1995)15 "Perhaps the most distinctive feature of adolescent relationships is the disintegration of the gender segregation. Despite indifferent social approaches, adolescence sees a progression towards the establishment of cross-gender friendships and romantic relationships. Mirroring earlier social patterns, these changes do not necessarily occur evenly in the adolescent's psychosocial development" (Coleman and Hendry, p.142, 1999)16 "While an adolescent's relationship with his/her parent changes, the bond among the peers develop" (Brown, 1990, Fine et al., 1990, and Steinberg and Silverberg 1986)17 "According to Lewin (1952)18, adolescents venture into more activities in diverse settings away from parental-controlled environment and social surroundings. This shift is not solely due to the attractive pull of external forces, but by a feeling of independence" (Peers in Adolescence, Kevin Durkin, p.525). 5.0 The Youth Worker and Adolescence It can be safely said that, the adolescents of today, are far more informed than their peers of yesteryears. However, the advent of technology has only enhanced their reach to all forms of information. Television, magazines, internet and advertisements has influenced the thought and susceptibility to unethical practices. Teens tend to explore avenues till then unknown to them. We saw in the earlier chapters that adolescents were influenced by internal and external factors. It becomes imperative for youth workers to understand the intricacies in guiding and assisting the adolescents in the development of moral thinking. As a youth worker, the most important aspect of moral development is identifying the mistakes that an adolescent makes in his/her years of growth. It has been seen that parents themselves will not be able to guide their young, for fear of rebuke. Parents see their young differently and may try to enforce themselves on their child. Children may see this as an invasion into their privacy, or suppression of freedom, leading to a revolt of sorts. A youth worker on the other hand, will be able to identify him/her self with the adolescent. This will make the child more receptive to the guidance and counseling by the youth. It is therefore important that a youth worker understands the flaws emanating from the adolescent and rectify it by acting more as a friend than teacher. A youth worker will be cordially accepted by the adolescents, as they see them as friends than preachers. A youth worker must be able to educate and reason with these teens on the finer points of social life. A youth worker will be able to express him/her self with the youth, as they are identified to be one of them. Early adolescence is a time for introspection; a time when boys and girls try to establish their sexual identity, and come to terms with an independent life. Youth workers can set an example as being a responsible part of the society they live in, by demonstrating the rights from wrong. Adolescents will automatically accept virtues by their peers, and youth workers are no different. They can illustrate and comprehend the difficulties the adolescents face in the face of uncertainties. It is these qualities that youth workers must impress upon the growing adolescents. 6.0 Conclusion Adolescence is a critical stage of an individual's life. This is a time, when a teen begins to experiment with his/her life. The rebellious instinct to act in a manner they feel right is never more evident now. It has been seen that the youth tend to become more prone to influences that can be useful as well as harmful. It is the judgement of knowing what is right and what is wrong that makes an adolescent a strong contributor to society. Without proper guidance, the youth could end up being a mental break. This is where youth workers can play a positive role in setting examples and developing moral thinking. Unwanted pregnancy, anti-social activities, drug abuse are all part of unethical practices. Youth workers should lend emotional support, assistance and social learning, to make the youths a positive contributor to the development of society. 7.0 References 1.0 John C. Coleman and Leo B. Hendry, The Nature of Adolescence, 3rd Edition, Routledge, 1999 2.0 Carol Gillian and the morality of care, Studies in Moral Development and Education, http://tigger.uic.edu/lnucci/MoralEd/overview.html 3.0 Kevin Durkin, Developmental Social Psychology: From Infancy to Old Age, Blackwell Publishers Ltd, 1995 Read More