Adolescent Lifespan development (Essay Sample)

Adolescent Lifespan development Name Institution Adolescence signifies an important stage in life development when a child transits from childhood into adulthood. The stage is characterized by both positive and negative impacts. Adolescence can be divided into three stages; early adolescence, late adolescence and middle adolescence. Early adolescence manifests itself with the disruption of the stability which is experienced during late childhood. The first adolescent years are the most difficult since they involve rapid physical changes as well as emotional and cognitive development CITATION Sul \l 1033 (Sul Ross State University). Early adolescents tend to alienate themselves from family members and tend to rely more on their peers for support. Early adolescents have a greater desire for belonging and acceptance, and as a result, they are more likely to conform to norms and expectations from peers which arises from peer pressure. Adolescent years are characterized by emotional, cognitive and social development, but are also full of difficulties such as experimentation, hormonal imbalance and peer pressure which can be overcome through intervention programs, monitoring the environment and effective parenting styles. Puberty is a stage in life development which is characterized by growth, sexual maturity and physical changes. For girls, the stage is between the age of 7 and 14 years while in boys it lasts between the age of 9 and 14 years. Adolescence involves the development of secondary sexual characteristics and an increase in sexual desires. Teenage pregnancies are on the rise in the United States and across the world. However, there are other facts to consider. For instance, most teenage pregnancies occur after the age of 16 years CITATION Che \l 1033 (Chen). Teenagers who are raised in religious households with both parents under an authoritarian parenting style tend to engage less in sexual activity during their teenage years. Cognitive development occurs during teenage years. Thinking skills develop from the age of 11 years and proceeds all the way to the age of 15 years or even the age 20 in some cases CITATION Sul \l 1033 (Sul Ross State University). Thinking becomes more abstract and hypothetical. Teenagers create a realm of ideal standards and compare themselves against these standards. Despite their ability to predict consequences, they prefer not to apply these skills to themselves. Formal operational skills develop during mid-adolescent years. Teenagers begin to hypothesize, think ahead, detect inconsistencies especially in statements, and are introspective (Sul Ross State University). This is a complex developmental stage and in some instances, even adults have not fully developed their cognitive skills. Therefore, teenagers between 15 and 18 years are likely to display inconsistency in their thinking and behavior. The ability of individuals to process information increases during adolescent years CITATION Che \l 1033 (Chen). Adolescents acquire skills in arguing, analyzing and reasoning. Teenagers are able to manage both abstract and concrete concepts. Teenagers are also able to understand terms which are hypothetical. During late adolescence, thinking is more flexible and individuals are more subtle in their interpretations and understanding. Other individuals acquire more advanced cognitive developmental skill known as post formal thought. Individuals with this skill can perform dialectical thinking and are able to realize that problem solving requires drawing from past experiences during certain occasions. Dialectical thinking is the ability to argue, debate and recognize when there is no clear or right answer or solution for certain issues. Teenagers display a sense of fable personality CITATION Ste10 \l 1033 (Steinberg, 2010). Most teenagers tend to believe that they are extraordinary and bad things will not befall them. Teenagers are always trying to be at their best since they have an imaginary audience which they believe is always watching and concerned about them CITATION Sul \l 1033 (Sul Ross State University). Most teenagers suffer from a naïve idealism. They tend to believe that they can change/ save the world. Adolescent years are also associated with emotional development. Teenagers experience heightened emotions and mood swings. Teenagers can shift from anger, sadness, excitement and depression within a short duration of time. Their advancing cognitive skills assist them to identify these fluctuations in moods, but at the same, it also makes them more self-aware and vulnerable to self-criticism. During mid-adolescence, teenagers experience an increased emotional stability CITATION Sul \l 1033 (Sul Ross State University). During this stage, teenagers are less vulnerable and are less likely to be overwhelmed by their emotions. Emotionally mature teenagers have better coping skills and are less likely to act behaviorally or on impulse. Teenagers also undergo psychosocial development. They are torn between their identity and the roles that are expected of them. Teenagers are keen on social development. They are keen on friendships, and this is achieved by trying to be more like others. Teenagers spend more time talking and socializing with their peers (Chen). The time spent with their peers plays an important role for the teenager. It allows teenagers to try out different roles. Teenagers also learn to accommodate individual differences as they interact with peers with diverse values and lifestyles. Teenagers also engage in more intimate relationships as they prepare themselves for adult relationships. Teenagers want to be like others and try very hard not to be different from their peers. Relationships are common during this stage. Most of these relationships end immediately after graduation, and begin fast and end up as fast. Most of these relationships are inspired by curiosity on sex. Sexual experimentation is very rapid during this developmental stage. In late adolescence, most individuals perceive themselves as adults who have a significant contribution to the society. At this stage, individuals become less dependent on their parents CITATION Sul \l 1033 (Sul Ross State University). Although they remain attached to their family members, they see each member a...