Physical Development Of Adolescents - Case Study Example

Physical Development Of Adolescents The development of a child is at its peak during the ages 12-18 where he/she becomes an adolescent. Adolescence is the transition from childhood to adulthood. They are bound to undergo a series of physical, social and emotional developmental changes. Some of these changes are observable while others are internal and occur in the individual. Both the males and the females undergo different body changes and they may also exhibit a change in behavior. On reaching adolescence, the child develops the ability to understand more abstract concepts, for example mathematical concepts, they develop an understanding of their moral expectations, establish relationships without any inhibitions, develop a mature self- concept and purpose and it’s the stage where they are able to establish their identity which they will never lose[BJo10]. According to Erik Erickson’s theory of social development, it is at this stage that the individual has the challenge of ego-identity vs. role diffusion. At this stage, the adolescent must learn form their ego-identity, which is a strong sense of ‘who I am’ and develop a firm stand of what they represent. Without this, they will role diffuse which is jumping from one activity to another. This confusion creates a great chance of falling into peer pressure and influence since the adolescent has no firm individual moral standing. The sexual development changes are the most captivating during this stage but at the same time can be confusing to some individuals. The release of hormones during the age of 8-13, the body develops a new feel and look. The period of development may vary in individuals with some developing at a longer period of time than others. The differences between the boys and girls are most seen at this time. Both boys and girls grow pubic and under arms and get acne due to increased skin oils. However, just about everything else differs according to gender[ECa09]. Development in a female While both boys and girls go through puberty, girls reach puberty and sexual maturity at earlier ages than boys[ECa09]. The following is a case study of an eighteen year old Hindu female. As from the age of around ten years, her height started increasing with the limbs growing first then her trunk. She started gaining weight with more body fat forming around her upper arms, thighs and upper back. Her hips became more rounder and the waist narrower. The breasts started developing. There was the increase in hair on the arms and legs, around the pubic areas and armpits in the early puberty. There was also the start of menstruation and a greater sexual interest. The physical growth slowed down over the years. With these physical changes, so were there emotional changes. There was awkwardness at first during the first changes with one worrying whether they are actually normal and whether they are the only ones who are going through it. The transition brought with it a lot of emotions and moodiness. These emotions peaked the most a week before of after her menstrual periods. One would be in a good mood and irritable in another. This moodiness would at times result cause one to behave childishly particularly when stressed. The need for attention from the opposite sex also increased. The need in privacy was also experienced and most of the time there is the need to test limits and rules that are imposed. The notion that the parent is the enemy and may not be as perfect as first thought in the early years becomes a source of conflict[Woo04]. This brings a tendency to distance self from parent and a drive towards independence. The maturity of the body causes one to get a lot of attention from the opposite sex. While in the beginning boys kept to themselves and did not want to be associated with girls, they now strive to get the girls attention[Elk67]. There is also the development of sexual urges and the curiosity to find out how it feels to be intimate. Development of certain features like breasts that can be stimulated easily are the main sources of this. These feelings of love and passion drive one engage in relationships. There is the reliance on friends more and the need to be popular may become an issue. It is also during this period that a girl becomes more self-involved and develops either a poor or good self-concept. This is the reason why there is the need to always look good. Sexuality is also established with one establishing their sexual orientation[ECa09]. This is whereby one establishes whether she is attracted to the same sex or to different sex. A lot of time is spent with friends. What they say concerning you becomes a great influence of how one lives. The need to have many clothes and be more fashionable develops since that way one will get more friends and will be more appreciated. It also influences the cognitive development that takes place during this period. When she feels good about herself and is comfortable, there is better rationality[BJo10]. There is growth in abstract thinking. Ones intellectual interests start expanding and at this time one places an importance to them. Ones morals become important and this is when you start questioning each and everything one does. What the society thinks become important and the understanding of what the norms are weigh on ones mind thus influencing ones action. There is also the need to be associated with a certain group of people and in most cases it’s a group of people with whom one shares the same interests or goals. However, one is mostly interested in the present rather than the future and its why most of the time one would rather spend what they have rather than save for the future[Elk67]. Influence of culture in development of adolescence Teens that come from different backgrounds are influenced by different cultural norms and parental expectations that stem from different attitudes towards values and norms in society[Woo04]. Different cultures may affect the developments in terms of social identity and behavior. How one relates with the parent may also change when they are adolescents. During development, a parent plays a major role in shaping and instilling value in a girl. They play a big role in the building of their child’s personality and identity. This parenting styles and practices are influenced by culture and ones upbringing is influenced by the ethnic group’s traditions and practices[Woo04]. When one’s cultural obligations clashes with that of the peers, there is the identity crisis since there is the confusion of which group one should listen so. From our case study, in the Hindu culture once a girl enters puberty; her association with the male counter parts is limited compared to before. The culture is in support of beauty in women and it’s in this stage that they mostly adorn the girls in a lot of ornaments and jewellery. Most of this is presented by their grandmothers and mothers. One is taught different arts like dancing which they believe will come in handy in attracting a suitor. It is also in this stage that a girl is expected to start developing wifely traits and become homier. They are taught to respect the men who are in their lives. With no tolerance to disrespect, one is expected to be respectful of their parents and elders. With the grandmother being the disciplinarian, they are harsh on the girls especially during this stage till they grow to be well disciplined and ready for marriage. Conclusion With the right parental guidance, an individual will be able to make the right decisions and develop a firm sense of identity. When an individual does not achieve this, they end up turning to social vices like drugs and alcohol so as to escape from their reality[Woo04]. Therefore, it is important for one to get enough support from those that are around her so as to make the right choices and choose the right peer group. References BJo10: , (B., Sudhinarest, & Blum, 2010), ECa09: , (E.Caglar, 2009), Woo04: , (Wood, Read, Mitchell, & Brand, 2004), Elk67: , (D., 1967), Read More