Adolescence

Question 1

Theories of Adolescene

Answer 1

• Interaction of

— Biological

— Sociological

— Psychological aspects

Question 2

Biological definition

Answer 2

• Onset of puberty through completion of bone growth
• Highly variable time span
• Body changes affect self-image and communication with others

Question 3

Sociological Definition

Answer 3

• Functional or status criteria marks the end of adolescence
• Cultural values & beliefs
• Socioeconomic class
• Laws regarding compulsory education, child labor, and legal issues
• Depends on wealth of country
• SES- middle class and upper class kids get to stay kids longer, lower class kids have to work much longer
• KY legal drop rate is now 18

Question 4

Psychological Definition

Answer 4

• Establishment of personal identity
• Cognitive growth to abstract level
• Growth in personal identity and cognition rapid during adolescence; continues at lesser rate into adulthood
• Very rapid in adolescene

Question 5

Blending the definitions

Answer 5

• Endocrinological changes exist (change our behaviors)
• Increased awareness of and interest in sexuality –> behavioral changes

—- Disagree how much behavioral changes stem from physical vs. sociological aspects

• Physiological changes create need to create a new body image- problem if kids are an early or later developer
• Process viewed as continuous or stages

— No agreement on number of stages, characteristics of stages, importance of stage psychologically

• Increased independence & autonomy
• Cognitive growth

Question 6

Larson & McKinley: Theory of Adolescence 1

Answer 6

• Biology & environment influence adolescent development
• Role of environment somewhat stronger than biology (culture mores)
• American culture varies in response to puberty (e.g., definition of maturity, work, etc.)

Question 7

Larson & McKinley: Theory of Adolescence 2

Answer 7

• Adolescence is one of several developmental periods (infancy, toddler, preschool, school age (includes adolescence)
• All developmental periods involve transition
• Adolescence comprised of

— Continuous patterns

— As well as Stage-like patterns

Question 8

Larson & McKinley: Theory of Adolescence 3

Answer 8

• Stages: early, middle & late
• Cognition level increases during adolescence, and level must be a factor in determining activities for learning & intervention
• Physical development impacts on psychosocial development
• Phys + psy-soc affect communication

Question 9

Affect of physical development

Answer 9

• Intolerance to difference as peer group
• Individual reactions to different physical development/physical disability
• Accept that some behaviors are risky, but don’t think the risk applies to them
• Elkind’s Imaginary Audience metaphor

— At a certain point in adolescence- kids feel like they are on display and they are being judged by everyone

• Stereotypes- teenage girls argue, they are dramatic
• Boys- don’t communicate
• Very intolerant of physical differences- bullying

Question 10

Brain Growth

1. Five stages

Answer 10

• 3-10 months
• 2-4 years
• 6-8 years
• 10-12 years
• 14-16 years
• Learning may occur on previously difficulty concepts during period of brain growth
• Brain almost doubles in size between infancy and toddler age
• Part of the explanation of why we try to reteach things

Question 11

Stages of Adolescence

Answer 11

• Early
• Middle
• Late
• Very broad category
• Larson says that difference Early-Late Adolescence is similar to difference Preschool-middle school
• Huge differences

Question 12

Early Adolescence: Stage I

Answer 12

• Child-like
• Ages 10-14 years (but is also gender specific)
• Greatest egocentricity
• Home & family can outweigh peer group
• AM I OK? (what is my role in peer group)
• Girls depends on menstruation
• Age of puberty keeps getting lower

Question 13

Middle: Stage II

Answer 13

• 13-16 years
• The typical stereotype of adolescence
• Physical changes are slowing, but mental change is dramatic

— More abstraction, less egocentric

• Peers biggest part of social life
• WHO AM I? How different, unique am I?

Question 14

Late: Stage III

Answer 14

• 16-20 years
• Adult adolescence
• Most of adult growth achieved (body growth), but not perceived as adults (in Western society, at least) brain myelination-25 y/o
• WHO AM I in relation to society & societal expectations of job, religion, sexuality, etc.

Question 15

Cognition & Language

Answer 15

• Theory of relationship between cognition & language impact caseload decisions
• Strong hypothesis: cognition first, drives language

— Would not treat individual when language > cognition

— Think of kids in FMD classes

• Interaction hypothesis: each impacts the other- one drives the other

Question 16

Cognition: Abstract Thinking

Answer 16

• Often typified by formal operational thought (Piaget)
• Research indicates that gender
• differences exist in formal operational thought
• Formal operational thought seems to be content and/or context specific

Question 17

Bloom’s Taxonomy, reviewed

Answer 17

• Knowledge: remember given information
• Comprehension: using given information
• Application: extending information to new situation

Question 18

Bloom’s Taxonomy, continued

Answer 18

• Analysis: separating elements of information, organizing relationships
• Synthesis: combining pieces of information; problem solving
• Evaluation: using criteria (social, academic, other) to judge value of information, solutions, etc.

Question 19

Mismatch

Answer 19

• School curricula expect formal operational thought across content areas

— Not everyone reaches formal operational thought

• All of Bloom’s levels required in middle &
  high school curricula
• How to talk so kids will listen
• How to listen so kids will talk