Introduction
The word adolescence comes from the Latin verb ‘adolescere’ that implies “to grow into maturity”. Therefore, adolescence can be regarded as a process of achieving the attitude and beliefs needed for effective participation in a society (Omotoso & Olukunle, 2007).
It is a unique period of the life cycle which occurs after the childhood and before the adulthood.
The World Health Organization (WHO) defines adolescence as the period range from 10yrs to 19yrs.
During this transitional period in a human life most of the biological, cognitive, psychological and social characteristics are changing according to the needs and these changes are from what is typically considered as childhood like to adult like. So the young people become
Mid-adolescence
3. Late adolescence (WHO 2009)
Late adolescence is the most important period of this transition as they build up their own identity and stepping to the future. They are more able to be selective in relationships and they feel complete almost all the time and try always to think as a separate person and maintain truly intimate relationships with others whom they believe.
Also, they are now able to think more about the future, about the possibilities and alternative ways of doing things in their lives which are different from the ways of adults and parents expect them to do. As well, they are trying to be against for the complete obedience to the parents and guardians while questioning and talking back to adults (Janaki, 2011).
So they need to increase and improve their own skills to build up the self awareness and empathy, ability to communicate effectively, ability to maintain interpersonal relationships, ability to cope with emotions and stress, ability to think critically and creatively and also they need to collect the strength on improving ability to make decisions and to solve problems throughout the life. These abilities will build the competency on the mental wellbeing of adolescents (UNICEF
According to the literature, compared with all other groups, mortality rates in adolescence are extremely low. But problems in their wellbeing and health will lead to many of the morbidities as well as mortality in later adult life. Furthermore, the mental health disorders account for a larger proportion of disease burden among adolescents as
While being a teenager, physical and mental development occur. During this time of mental development, the introduction of new emotions, habits, problems
Adolescence is a transition which has no fixed time limits. However, the changes that occur at this time are so significant that it is useful to talk about adolescence as a distinct period of human life cycle. This period ranges from biological changes to changes in behavior and social status, thus making it difficult to specify its limits exactly (Damon, 2008). Adolescence begins with puberty, i.e. a series of physiological changes that lead to full development of the sexual organs and the ability to breed and sex. The time interval that elapses begins at 11 to 12 years and extends to 18 to 20. However we cannot associate to a 13 with one 18 years. Let us talk about early adolescence between 11 to 14 years, which coincides with puberty, and after a second period of youth, or late adolescence between 15-20 years. Its extension to adulthood depends on social, cultural, environmental as well as personal adaptation.
In the critical incident described above, the main culture to take into consideration is the culture of adolescence. During the transitional period between childhood and adulthood, known as adolescence, many vital milestones must be met in order to ensure academic and personal success and wellbeing. Morbidity data allows for assessment of many conditions and non-fatal diseases that develop during adolescence. The top five causes of morbidity in adolescence between the ages of 10-14 include; unipolar depressive disorder, iron deficiency anemia, asthma, back pain, and anxiety disorders. Mortality rates of adolescence have been shown to decline in the past decade. The leading causes of death among the adolescent age group include; road injuries, suicide, lower respiratory infections, HIV, and interpersonal violence. It is estimated that 1.3 million adolescents died in 2012, and the mortality rate is 111 per 100,000. In regards to poverty, there are currently nine million adolescents who live in low-income households and there are four million adolescents who live in households that are at or below the federal poverty level (Adolescent health epidemiology, 2017).
Adolescence is an important period of life where significant physical, cognitive and social-emotional developments take place very rapidly. Changes in any developmental area affects all the other areas of development, which shapes the appearance, personality and social status of a person.
Mistrust stage occurs at infancy and at this stage, Infants learn to trust others depending on the response of their caregivers who are usually parents. The Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt occurs between the ages of 18 months and three during which time children begin to emphasize their independence. This is done by exploring the world around them. Erikson, E. H. (1993). The Initiative vs. Guilt stage generally, occurs between the age three and five and at this time children assert themselves more frequently and are particularly lively. Industry versus inferiority stage occurs between the ages of five and twelve. As children grow in independence, they become increasingly aware of themselves as individuals. Erikson, E. H. (1993). The identity vs. role confusion stage, occurs during adolescence, between the ages of 12 and 18 years. At this stage the adolescents undergo an identity crisis during which they must establish an identity, goals, and a purpose. Erikson, E. H. (1994). The Intimacy vs. Isolation stage occurs in young adulthood ages 18 to 40 years. During this time the young adult begins to share themselves more intimately with others and explores significant relationships with others especially in marriage. The seventh stage is Generativity vs. Stagnation and occurs during middle adulthood, ages 40 to 65 yrs. This is the stage of development during which most people have children and provide guidance or a legacy to the next generation and in so doing
The Genital Stage =) the transition to adolescent shake off old dependencies and they learn to handle maturely the opposite
Adulthood has often been associated with independence. It serves as a turning point in life where one has to take responsibility for oneself and no longer being dependent on his or her family. Early adulthood, usually begins from late teens or early twenties and will last until the thirties (Santrock, 2013). Early adulthood revolves around changes and exploration while middle and late adulthood are more of stability. The transition from adolescence and adulthood differs among every individual. The onset of the transition is determined by many factors such as culture, family background, and the personality of the individual. Emerging adulthood (as cited in Santrock, 2014) is the term to describe the transition period from adolescence to adulthood.
Adolescence is a period of physical and psychological development from the onset of puberty to maturity. The adolescent is no longer a child, but they haven’t yet reached adulthood. Adolescence is considered people between the ages of 13 and 21. Puberty is the physical maturing that makes an individual capable of sexual reproduction. Puberty is important to adolescence because when a child hits puberty, that’s when the child is becoming an adolescent. Puberty is a big part of an adolescent’s life.
Throughout our life, it can be marked by developmental changes in every domain of life: our physical, cognitive, social, personalities, and morals. Due to some important researchers such as Erickson, Freud, Piaget we are able to understand the development of each of these domains. Each stage of it’s life has it’s own difficulties and events that can determine a person’s life (Mogler, 2008). During the stages of adolescence, they are very vulnerable to a lot going on in their life such as fitting in, peers, family, school, activities, and society, and not to forget the ups and downs of puberty. Adolescence can be viewed as a huge part of many children’s lives where in this part of their life they try to find teenagers experience physical, cognitive,
The period of adolescence is a time of immense changes, both biologically and socially, through self-discovery and identification. During adolescence, the human body goes through a wave of hormonal changes in preparation for sexual reproduction. As the individual reaches adulthood, this process is called puberty (Arnett, 2015, p. 350). In addition to the physical changes, teens undergo many social and psychological changes as they approach adulthood, preparing them for the many responsibilities to come (Arnett, 2015, p. 350). Adolescence is constructed by changes in relation to the physical, cognitive, and emotional states of an individual. Within each of these developmental areas, teens mature in varying ways. In regards to physical changes, adolescents undergo the previously mentioned process of puberty, but they also face many issues such as eating disorders and substance abuse (Arnett, 2015, p. 357-359). For cognitive development, teens undergo
Adolescence is a period of transition between the ages of 13 – 19, after childhood but before adulthood. Adolescence can be a difficult period in a teenager's life. Many teenagers do not know how to react or how to adapt to all of the physical, social, and psychological changes that occur during this period. Some adolescents pass through this period without problem, while for others, it is a period of torture, discomfort, and anxiety. With all the biological and social pressures that occur during adolescence, many teens fail to assume their identity. Sometimes family and society does not help to make this task easier. Challenges teenagers face due to biology and society are body image, hormonal changes, social and parental pressures, family problems, school pressures, alcohol, drug abuse, homosexuality, and suicide.
Successful resolution of this psychosocial stage of development is imperative in order to acquire an enduring incorporated sense of self and to progress to the next stage of development. Society and one’s culture also contributes enormously to the commitment or prevention of dealing with the challenges faced during adolescence. Regardless of what challenges are faced during this stage of development, overcoming it is a fundamental necessity in order to progress into a strong-willed and stable individual in
Indeed, adolescent may be defined as the period within the life span when most of a person’s biological, cognitive, psychological and social characteristics are changing from what is typically considered child-like to what is considered adult-like (Learner and Spainer, 1980). This period is a dramatic challenge for any adolescent, which requires adjustment to change one’s own self, in the family, and in the peer group. Contemporary society presents adolescents with institutional changes as well. Among young adolescents, school setting is changed; involving a transition from elementary school to either junior high school or middle school; and late adolescence is accompanied by transition from high school to the worlds of work, University or childrearing. An adolescent experiences it all ranging from excitement and of anxiety, happiness and troubles, discovery and bewilderment, and breaks with the past and yet links with the future (Eya,
During this stage adolescents develop a better understanding of self and belonging or they face identity crisis and role confusion. During this stage in my life I felt that I was rebelling and doing things that were not age appropriate. I did not respect authority and thought it was ok to do what I wanted to do. Even though I was a young teenager I did not think of myself that way. I thought of myself more like an adult. Through my negative experiences in this stage I suffered identity crisis and role
Adolescence is the bridge between childhood and adulthood. It is the place in development for a transition. In this time period, adolescent’s social life and relationships develop. Social development occurs throughout a person’s whole lifetime. Social development in adolescence marks the beginning of independence, selective interactions, and conformity. This the time where family relationships can be put to the test as well as seeking independence and adult acknowledgment from parents. Due to the development of the brain in regards to plasticity, adolescences are discovering and trying out new things. They are also viewed as risk takers. Social development in adolescence is important because any decision can lead to future consequences. I decided