The Crisis of the American Teen
Premature adulthood is imposed upon teenagers in today’s society. It affects them in two different but closely related ways. One is in which a teenagers needs to find a sense of self and needs protection on trying to do so. The other is the stress that is being forced upon them.
Teenagers need to be given time , support and guidance to form from child to adult, but that must come from the parents. Many parents either feel powerless to give a child what they need in life because the child can get it else where: they may do whatever it is that they want behind a parent’s back. They could also be insecure about themselves and that they did not receive the guidance themselves when they needed in growing up. Teenagers need protection against the dangers that they may face so that they can be prepared for the future.
Teenagers now are highly stressed. There are more things for teenagers to stress about then there was years ago. Since teenagers are given so much freedom which doesn’t give them much time to focus on their future. Freedom also makes it hard for a teenager to adapt to new situations because they are already conformed to do what they want rather then for what is best in that situation.
In relation to the two different ways in which premature adulthood is forced upon today’s teenagers is that it can be hard for a teenager to form a sense of identity because they are faced with many challenges in life. Since they are given so...
Because of this new demographic, people started seeing teenagers differently than children, as they did before. They had more freedom; they would be able to go out after school, they would start doing some “adult” activities, such as working. They had more independence from their parents. Teenagers would usually want to stay alone in their rooms talking to friends over the rotary dial phone (if they had one) or they would sneak out at night to go to clubs and parties.
American teenagers are often criticized for being irresponsible and immature. Some in the older generation will also state that kids are taking too long to move out of the house. These views of young adults are pessimistic and demeaning to the current generation. While the adolescent stage has been extended, American kids are taking an ample amount of time to accept the responsibilities of becoming an adult.
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Drug and alcohol abuse has become a worldwide epidemic within today’s society. The battle against drugs and alcohol is not going to diminish. Therefore, we as a society need to work together to address these problems while incorporating successful treatment plans and services for these individuals. The addiction to these substances does not only effect oneself, but can also have profound consequences for the children and families. When children are involved in a family structure that abuses alcohol or drugs an array of dysfunction becomes evident. Children might be subjected to child maltreatment, child abuse, physical/sexual abuse, or neglect, among many other inappropriate parenting practices.
Adolescence refers to the transition period experienced by children that occur between childhood and adulthood (Shefer, 2011). Identity is first confronted in adolescence between the ages 12 – 19 years old, because of physical and hormonal changes in the body. It is also due to the introduction of formal operations in cognitive development and societal expectation that this contributes to an individual’s identity to be explored and established (McAdams, 2009). The forces within and outside (family, community) the individual that promote identity development usually create a sense of tension. The basic task is, in Erikson’s terms, “fidelity or truthfulness and consistency to one’s core self or faith in one’s ideology” (Fleming, 2004: 9), in a nutshell: "Who am I and where am I
Parent-child relationship is a key in the adolescent developmental process. As a psychologist, I would educate parents about Erikson's psychosocial theory in order to nurture and facilitate healthy development. Teens show a dramatic change in their behavior around their parents when they are transitioning from children to adolescents. This is the time when they're starting to separate from their parents and become more independent. Teens this age are increasingly aware of how their friends see them a...
Emerging adults are always in the search of their own identity while experimenting with their life, love life and career path. Constant changes in emerging adult’s life are common. From changing residential place to love life, work and education, instability often presents during emerging adulthood (Santrock, 2013). In addition, emerging adults tend to place focus on themselves where they have no commitment and responsibilities toward others. This provides them a great chance to exercise their own will and to execute their plans for the future. During emerging adulthood, many feel like as if they do not belong to either adolescents or adult. The transition ends only when they have distinct marks of an adult. According to Arnett (as cited in Santrock, 2014), “emerging adulthood is the age of possibilities” (p. 296). The age of possibilities is when an individual has the opportunity to turn things around in life, especially when they are from a poor family
“Definitions of ‘youth’ in Western societies usually refer to the life stage between childhood and adulthood, the transitional period between being dependant and becoming independent” (Kehily, 2007). The age of this transition can be best defined by the House of Commons as starting at 16 and ending at 24 years old (2013). This transition from youth to adulthood has altered considerably in recent years; the traditional norms and values that youth once followed are no longer respected or easily attained. Current youth have very different life styles and expectations, consequently; adolescents are taking longer to complete the transition into adulthood. Twenty-five years ago the traditional norms were to get a job straight after school, start courting, get married, save up enough money to set up home and eventually start a family. The fact that this is no longer the norm for the majority of youth reflects that the changes in education, employment, housing, and benefits have affected the model of transition significantly.
“Definitions of ‘youth’ in Western societies usually refer to the life stage between childhood and adulthood, the transitional period between being dependant and becoming independent” (Kehily, 2007). The age of this transition can be best defined by the House of Commons as starting at 16 and ending at 24 years old (2013). This transition from youth to adulthood has altered considerably in recent years; the traditional norms and values that youth once followed are no longer respected or easily attained. Current youth have very different life styles and expectations, consequently; adolescents are taking longer to complete the transition into adulthood. Twenty-five years ago the traditional norms we...
There is an on going debate in regards to the definition of child sexual abuse. This phrase has been used in many studies and has been discussed in a variety of disciplines including medicine, education, social work and the legal system. Amidst its widespread recognition, its definition continues to differ within these settings, making it difficult to determine what behaviors constitute the label of sexual abuse (Haugaard...
Neglecting is not like physical abuse or sexual abuse, it is inadequate care in an ongoing pattern. Child neglect is being suffer more than any other form of abuse, yet is, the less to receive significant attention from society. Neglect is an act of omission and there are many forms of child neglect; education neglect and medical neglect being only two of many. Failure to meet a child’s basic needs puts them in harm. As a child is neglected, they pay left hungry, dirty, without shelter or clothing, and without supervision. Often children that are neglected suffer from other forms of
Child sexual abuse is a substantial community health problem in the United States and across the world. In the United States one out of three females and one out of five males have been victims of sexual abuse before the age of 18 years. Regrettably, sexual abuse is considered a moderately common experience in the lives of children. Girls are at twice the risk than boys for sexual abuse during childhood and at eight times the risk during teenage years. Because significant physical, emotional, social, cognitive and behavioral problems are related to childhood trauma, the need to more effectively address the issue has become supreme. Common issues that arise after sexual abuse occurs includes the following: excessive sexual knowledge, egocentric thinking, feelings of guilt and fear, fear of reporting the incident, difficulty with sequential events, recalling details, lowered self-esteem and depression, feelings of anger, preoccupation with sex play.
Adolescence is a time of challenge and change for both teens and parents. Teens are at a stage in life where they face a multitude of pressing decisions -- including those about friends, careers, sex, smoking, drinking, drugs and parental values. At the same time, they are confronted with profound physical, social and emotional changes.