PSY 230 Main Page

Chapter 13:

  Socioemotional Development in Adolescence

The Self and Emotional Development

•         Adolescence

–        Emotional development is characterized by

•         Increased interest in self-portrayal

•         Search for an identity

•         Emotional swings

–        Girls’ self-esteem declines due to puberty

–        Boys’ self-esteem increases

–        Identity confusion is gap between the security of childhood and autonomy of adulthood

•         Identity is a self-portrait of many parts:

–        Desired career path

–        Religious beliefs

–        Social and intimate relationships

–        Sexual and gender identity

–        Cultural or ethnic identity

–        Personality traits

–        Physical body image 

•         Identity formation occurs gradually over time, occurring before and continuing after adolescence

•         Identity formation

•         Adolescence is a time of exploration

•         Four identity statuses that involve commitment:

•         Diffusion

•         Foreclosure

•         Moratorium

•         Achievement

•         Adolescents also show a

•         Need for confidence in parental support

•         Need for a developed sense of industry

•         Gain in self-reflective view of their future

•         Adolescents’ identity development affected by

–        Individuality (self-assertion, separateness)

–        Connectedness (mutuality, open to other views)

–        Ethnic and cultural group membership

–        Gender (may be more complex for females) 

•         Male identity formation may precede intimacy stage

•         Female intimacy may precede identity formation

•         Emotional development in adolescence

•         State of “storm and stress” is not constant

•         But emotional highs and lows increase

•         From 5th to 9th grades, both sexes experience some moodiness and
decreased happiness

•         It is normal to be moody

•         Moodiness may be affected more by environmental experiences than
hormonal changes

•         Pubertal changes are associated with an increase in negative emotions

Families

•         Adolescent desires for autonomy and responsibility occur through appropriate adult reactions 

•         Heated emotional exchanges may occur as parents feel a child is slipping away from their control or discarding their advice and views 

•         Examination of gender differences show boys being given more independence than girls 

•         Cross-culturally, U.S. adolescents seek autonomy earlier than Japanese adolescents

•         Adolescent–parent attachments are moderately correlated to adolescent outcomes 

•         Many parents see the child change from compliant to oppositional and resistant to parental standards 

•         Unwise parental reactions include demanding immediate compliance or giving no supervision at all 

•         Everyday conflicts in parent–adolescent relationships may serve a positive developmental function

•         Parents are important attachment figures and support systems as adolescents explore a complex social world 

•         In most families, parent–adolescent conflict is moderate and minor disputes are normal 

•         Prolonged, intense conflict at home is associated with  a number of adolescent problems 

•         In some cultures, there is less parent–adolescent conflict than in others

Peers

•         Peer relations

–        Are very important in adolescent lives

–        Most teens prefer a smaller number of peer contacts  and more intimacy

–        Teens form cliques that shape their social lives

–        Teens seek reassurance of worth and companionship from friends

–        Teens with superficial or no friendships are lonely and depressed with lower self-esteem

•         Quality of adolescent friendships may be a predictor of self-worth in early adulthood

•         Peer pressure in adolescence

–        Conformity can be negative or positive

–        Pressure appears strongest for conforming to antisocial standards

–        Cross-culturally, there is more peer pressure in the U.S. than in Japan to resist parents

–        Cliques are based on friendship, common interests 

•         Crowds are

–        Larger groups with reputations for what they do

–        Less personal than cliques

•         Adolescents spend considerable time either dating or thinking about it 

•         Dating can function as a source of

–        Recreation

–        Status and achievement

–        Learning about close relationships

–        Mate selection

–        Strong emotional relationships 

•         Girls’ early romantic involvement is linked to lower grades, less school participation,  and more problems

•         Adolescent romantic relationships

•         Many adolescents seek attachment or sex after acquiring basic competencies to
interact romantically

•         Cyberdating is very popular among middle school children as young as 10 years of age

•         High school dating is more traditional

•         Most gay and lesbian youth do little same-sex dating due to social disapproval and other factors

•         Romantic relationships are usually described in terms of interpersonal qualities by girls and physical attraction by boys

Culture and Adolescent Development

•         Cross-culturally

–        Two-thirds of Asian Indian adolescents accept marriages arranged by their parents

–        Female adolescents in the Philippines sacrifice their futures to work and send money home

–        Street youth in Kenya survive economically by delinquency or prostitution

–        In the Middle East, many adolescents are segregated by sex, even in school

–        Russian youth are marrying earlier, while U.S. youth are marrying later than past generations

•         Rapid global change presents adolescents with more opportunities and challenges to health and well-being 

•         Globally, adolescent experiences are affected by their gender, family, schools, and peers

–        Fewer die from infectious diseases or malnutrition than in the past

–        Risky adolescent behaviors, especially illicit drug use and unprotected sex, are increasing

•         Globally

–        Female and male adolescent experiences continue to be quite different and gap is not lessening 

–        Some families remain closely knit with extensive extended kin networks, while others do not 

–        Some trends have increased family mobility and reduced family resource abilities 

–        Some cultures encourage stronger peer roles in adolescence and the need for formal education (others may not – some based on gender bias)

–        Rites of passage for adolescents

–        Vary among cultures

–        May be more influenced by social and religious groups in Western societies

–        Ethnic minorities in American society

–        Are overrepresented in the lower SES levels

–        Economic disadvantage still affects minority  youth from middle-income backgrounds

–        Japanese Americans, often seen as “model minority,” still have ethnic minority status stress

–        Ethnic minorities differ among themselves socially, historically, and economically

Adolescent Problems 

•         Juvenile delinquency

–        Is a broad concept that includes many actions from  minor infractions to murder

–        More likely to be committed by males

–        Involvement by females is increasing

–        More males than females are arrested

–        Property offenses are committed more than any other crime, by both sexes

–        Rates are disproportionately higher for minority and lower SES youth

–        Minorities are judged delinquent more than Whites

•         Explanations for causes of delinquency

–        Heredity

–        Identity problems

–        Community influences

–        Family experiences

–        Lower class culture

–        Antisocial peer groups and gangs

–        Status given for antisocial behavior

–        Male “high-status” traits nurtured

–        High crime areas have criminal role models

–        Community resources are inadequate

•         Youth crime

–        A high concern in the United States

–        Feelings of helplessness, alienation, and depression can lead to violence and suicide

–        Rates are highest in poverty-infested areas

–        Prevention efforts should include

•         Developmentally appropriate schools

•         Supportive families

•         Positive youth and community organizations

•         Depression is highest in adolescence – highest in girls

•         Adolescents and suicide:

–        Suicide is the third leading cause of death among 13- to 19-year-olds in U.S.

–        Females are more likely to attempt suicide

–        Males are more likely to commit suicide

–        Males use more lethal means than females

–        Homosexual youths may be 3 to 7 times more likely to attempt suicide than heterosexual youths

–        Suicide is affected by genetic and emotional factors