Developmental Psychology-Adolescence - Essay Example

Unlike girls, adolescent boys are facing higher risk-taking behaviour because their expected role in our society (Johnson, Sudhinaraset, & Blum, 2010). Approximately 53% of the risk factors associated with adolescent drinking are strongly linked to family-related stressors (King, Molina, & Chassin, 2009). Life stressors related to relationship breakup is strongly associated with substance use (except illegal drugs) and mental health whereas disruption in family is strongly associated with depression and use of cigarettes and marijuana (Low et al., 2012). There is nothing we can do with biological factors that can trigger alcohol drinking.

Adolescence in general are prone to peer-pressure (Gardner & Steinberg, 2005). Parents play a significant role in reducing negative risk-taking behaviour in adolescence (Wood et al., 2004). By educating parents on how familial stressor and peer pressure can influence alcohol drinking and substance abuse in adolescence, parents can control and minimize the development of family-related stress on children. . sical Development on Adolescents Puberty is the stage wherein boys and girls are expected to undergo the process of biological changes in their body whereas adolescence is the period in life which occurs between the early stages of puberty up to the time wherein a person would be considered as an adult (Arnett & Maynard, 2013, p. 341). During the adolescence stage, boys and girls differ on how they perceive their physical image (Caglar, 2009).

Culture affects the development of adolescence such that boys in general are expected to show the image that they are masculine and strong. I remember a friend of mine who experienced a significant change in his tone of voice at the age of 16. His physical development was a bit late since the normal time frame wherein the boys’ voice is expected to change is between 11 to 15 years of age (Arnett & Maynard, 2013, p. 343). My friend told me once that it was really an awkward situation for him since most of his friends had deep voice and facial, axillary, and chest hair growth at the age of 13.

Back then, most of his friends had an active social life since most of them were active in sports. He also mentioned once that there were times when his friends would personally talk to him about their fascination on some pretty girls in school. Because of his friend’s decision to be active sports, most of his friends were able to easily attract their prospective girlfriends physically. Each time he would unconsciously compare his skinny body with the broad shoulders and masculine body of his friends, he would end up developing a strong sense of low self-confidence and insecurity.

For a certain period of time, my friend developed a negative perception and feelings about himself which has negatively affected his ability to establish a