Environmental Factors Affecting Adolescents - Assignment Example

For girls, the symptoms of adolescence are normally the development of breasts and pubic hair. Conversely, boys develop a much deeper voice in addition to the growth of pubic hair (Bjorklund & Blasi, 2011). Although adolescence is normally referred to as the healthy stage, many youths in this age group are vulnerable due to the vast environmental factors such as crime and drug abuse that they are subjected to. These factors normally result in poor development of the youths considering that the stage is normally a transitional stage. The essay will not only relay information on environmental factors experienced by adolescents but will also describe the various ways in which these factors can be minimized.

Poverty is one environmental factor that affects most adolescents. Though not all youths live in poverty, this factor plays a critical role in the growth of adolescents. According to research conducted on several families in the United States that had children between the ages of 10-19, it was discovered that the financial status of a family played an important role in the growth of the youths (Fondren, 2013). The family should therefore intervene by making efforts to minimize the level of poverty by making efforts to raise the income level such as taking a job or launching businesses. Apart from poverty, Socioeconomic Status (SES) also plays a role in the development of adolescents, according to research, family SES was identified as a direct precursor between adolescents and their parents whereby poor parent-child relationships is directly linked to the child’s success in addition to peer group acceptance (Fondren, 2013). Therefore, as an intervention, families ought to embrace a good parent-child relationship through regular communication with the child.

Smoking and drug abuse is also the main factor that has affected many adolescents in the United States. Research states that the main contributor to smoking is usually due to pressure from individuals in the same age group. Research further states that most adolescents who smoke normally have a higher chance of contracting health-related ailments such as cancer (Gruber, 2009). This factor requires rapid intervention by both family members and the government. The government ought to introduce programs in schools that provide education to adolescents on the effects of smoking and drug abuse. Premarital sex is another form of environmental factor that is adversely affecting many youths. According to research, most youths of the 21st century are exposed to sexuality at a rather tender age. This is due to the exposure of many immoral scenes through a number of channels such as the internet or television sets, as result, they become sexually active at a young age and this normally results in a number of repercussions such as teenage pregnancy and contraction of sexually transmitted diseases such as Aids (Gruber, 2009). As an intervention measure, the government should regulate the type of content available on the internet in addition to programs aired on television sets.

The government should also introduce sex education in schools where youths are taught sex-related matters. In addition, adolescents should be educated on risks associated with premarital sex such as contracting STDs.Crime is also an environmental factor and many adolescents indulge in this act either due to a high level of poverty in the family or because of influence from peer pressure (Gruber, 2009). The government should intervene by introducing stern measures on the people who will be caught taking part in the crime. For instance, the government can announce a three-year jail term on anybody that will be caught breaking the law.

Adolescents are individuals between the age group of 10 to 19 years old, normally referred to as teenagers. Although this age group is commonly known as the healthy group, it is very vulnerable since this is normally a transitional stage from childhood to adulthood. Some of the environmental factors that affect adolescents include smoking, poor family relations, family socioeconomic status, criminal activities and premarital sex. These factors are controllable at an earlier stage through the development of a proper parent-child relationship in addition to education on the effects of drug abuse, crime, and premarital sex.



Read More