Adolescent Development A (very) Brief Overview

Adolescent DevelopmentA (very) Brief OverviewKaisa Lee, Licensed School CounselorKaisa.lee@mpls.k12.mn.us

Tonight we will talk about...Adolescent Physical DevelopmentAdolescent Brain/Cognitive DevelopmentAdolescent Emotional Development

Hitting Puberty...Growth Spurts: Females-begins at ages 10-12, ends around age 17-19Males-begins at ages 12-14, ends around age 20Bodies Changing:Age at which this occurs varies for both genders...Females: Breasts form around age 10 (or earlier/later)Menstruation starts around age 12-13Estrogen....Males: Testes enlarge around age 11-12Voice changes later, body hairTestosterone...

Growth Spurts: rapid bone growth, girls taller than boys in middle schoolFemales: estrogen can cause the mood swings especially around their cycle, Can be difficult, teach them about hygiene associated with menstruation, provide emotional support, share experiences that youve had (as a female)

3Puberty can be tough...Early/Late Maturation: POSSIBLE affectsEarly maturation in girls feelings of embarrassment, at higher risk for depression, risky behaviors, substance abuse, and eating disordersEarly maturation in boys risk for earlier sexual activity, delinquency problems, high risk behaviorsLate maturation in boys higher risk for depression, conflict with parents, feelings of embarrassment, school problems, risk for being bullied due to smaller sizeLooking mature (older) can lead to problems with not being mentally mature (incapable of handling certain situations)Keep in mind...Your child may look older with earlier puberty changes, but they still need supervision, curfews, etc.Your child may look younger with later puberty changes, but they still need you to give them more independence Youre treating me like a child!Johnnie can stay out late, why cant I?! (older friends, different rules)

Body imageMedia portrayals of attractiveness Comparing of peersRisk of eating disorders (both males and females)Be a good example!Healthy choices: food, exercise, habitsDont focus on only physical compliments for self-esteem*Self Reflect on what they are observing in you....Monitor what they are wearing....revealing clothing, clothes that fit wellListen to what they are saying....*Dieting can be destructive in adolescence*

Physical compliments: focus on talents, academics, the way they treat others, the way they help out...........its ok to compliment their appearance but dont allow them to focus on itDisplay acceptance of a broad range of body typesListening: Im fat redirect what they are saying, Your body is changing a ton, it may be uncomfortable but you need to love your body.Dieting: in a study by Center for Disease Control In a survey of adolescents in grades 9 through 12 (approximately ages 14-18), more than 59% of females and 29% of males were trying to lose weight. Over 18% of girls and 8% of boys had gone without food for 24 hours or more to lose weight in the last 30 days. Of the girls, 11.3% had used diet pills and 8.4% had vomited or taken laxatives to lose weight. [Centers for Disease Control, 2004]6Cognitive DevelopmentAre you frustrated with the...ImpulsivityArguingImmaturitySelf CenterednessGoing against everything you say.Forgetting to do things (ok everything)

From black/white to GrayNow more capable of:Thinking abstractly (instead of concretely) Analyzing situations logically (cause and effect, find hypothetical situations, relate experiences, etc.)Reasoning effectivelyMaking thought out decisionsProblem SolvingPlanning for the futureREMEMBER THIS IS ALL DEVELOPING!(Expecting these things all the time = adults disappointed and teens feeling misunderstood)

Building roads...By the time they reach middle school, their brains reach full sizeBy around age 12, nerve cells and connections hit a growth spurt!Actually continues until mid-late 20sTheir brains are fine tuning its network....building roads.....Adult brains are like the post interstate highway systemsAdolescent brains are like the pre interstate highway systems...Yet we expect teens to arrive at the same destination at the same time?

Prefrontal cortex (forehead part)LAST part of the brain to develop (continues into 20s or even early 30s)Developing now for your kids!Responsible for executive skills: Time managementOrganizationShort-term memoryGoal settingInitiationSelf restraint (controlling impulses)So THATS why they always forget to turn in their homework, give me a knee jerk reaction, and forget to take out the garbage!

Put your seat belts on!

Ups and downs, light switch----on and off11Those darn hormones!Males: Testosterone: producing 20x more than in elementary schoolCan cause increased aggression, decrease desire to talk and connect sociallyVasopressin:Produces this also which affects ability to read facial expressionsWhen the two hormones mix....stress hormone cortisol increases and....

Give the parent asking if they cleaned their room example (getting defensive, blowing up, and storming out of the room)12Those Darn Hormones!Females:Comes with their menstrual cycle...or rollercoasterEstrogen: think fluffy clouds and sunshineIn the beginning of their cycle, estrogen increases = confident, energeticEstrogen also releases oxytocin that increases their desire for intimate connections (loving, kind, feeling closer, etc.)Progesterone: think rain and thunderTowards the latter part of their cycle progesterone kicks inCan cause irritability, fatigue

SLEEp, sleep, sleep!When their hormones are increased this causes them to have difficulty going to bed earlier like when they were in elementaryThe adolescent jet lag when they have to wake up before 7a.m.!Important to shut off screen time before bedSet routinesNational Sleep Institute recommends at least 9 hours of sleep for adolescents....(natures way of making adolescent years even more difficult)When sleep deprived, they become irritable and their emotional connections in the brain to their prefrontal cortex arent as strong

Decisions...Help them develop decision making skills.Avoid making decisions for them all the time. Need for independence!They WANT your help still....Give multiple choicesHelp make connections between emotions and decision making Help them think about the consequences (natural) of their decisionsPart of that prefrontal cortex!

Emotional developmentCoping with stressRelating to othersManaging emotionsAll relating to their sense of identity...Sense of Identity: self-concept and self-esteemSelf-Concept beliefs about ones attributes (short, smart), roles and goals, and interests, values, and beliefsSelf-Esteem how one feels about their self-concept

Sense of identityExperimenting with alternative ways of the way they look, sound, and behave (this is normal and part of achieving their realistic sense of identity)This is a positive thing! That they feel secure enough to experiment with the unknown. (As long as it isnt putting their health or life in danger.)Ask questions without judgement!May experiment with new sexual/intimate feelings....LGBTQFoster their individuality! (even if its something you NEVER would have worn, done, or tried)Think back to when you were their age....what did you do to experiment with various areas of identity?

Low self-esteemGap between their self-concept and their self-esteem Signs may include: Feeling depressed Lacking energy Disliking ones appearance and rejecting compliments Feeling insecure or inadequate most of the time Having unrealistic expectations of oneself Having serious doubts about the future Being excessively shy and rarely expressing ones own point of view Doing what others want to make them happy and not thinking of oneself

Emotional Intelligence EQRecognizing and Managing EmotionsDeveloping EmpathyLearning to Resolve Conflict EffectivelyLearning how to Cooperate with others instead of always Competing

good bad ok......moving towards naming the emotion and working through it so it doesnt reach breaking pointUnderstanding and truly practicing empathyResolving conflict....important for life, talking through things instead of just impulsively saying things you dont mean or fighting (remember prefrontal cortex issues with impulse?)

19Social DevelopmentPeer Relationships........world goes from revolving around family, to friendsThis doesnt mean that family is less important.....IN FACT..........family connectedness is the strongest factor in not smoking, using less alcohol, waiting longer to have sex, and fewer suicide attempts in adolescenceThis increased focus on peer relationships is HEALTHY! Positive Peer Groups and Friendships = healthier self-worthAcceptance is HUGE in their world (anyones really)Having at least one mutual friendship in adolescence is linked to a more positive self-image and better performance in schoolIndependence from you as parents/guardians by spending more time with friends is healthy

Peers help them learn about the world around them outside of their familyAcceptance is very important to them

20Social worldSeveral ways they communicate and figure out where they stand in the group or the status of ones friendshipFacebookTextingInstagram/SnapchatGoogle ChatRelational Aggression is seen A LOT in middle schoolDating.....starts around age 14, comes with the hormones and emotionsTalk to them about healthy relationships!Talk to them about sex!A study found that about 50%-67% of teens have had sexual intercourse by the time they graduate from high school

Relationships with your kids...Its NORMAL for it to feel more distant from your adolescent.Its a part of them trying to find their independence from you at the same time trying to relate to you differently as they get older.May come across as distant and awkward Dont take it personally! Dont distance yourself completely----give them their space but at the same time, maintain that relationship even if its uncomfortableMinor conflicts or arguments about day-to-day things is NORMALNo you ARE NOT a bad parent/guardian!Independence!

SchoolTransition from elementary (E2) to middle school is ROUGH!Frequently grades drop, more problems in school, hard adjustmentsHelp them stay organizedRemindersRoutinesCommunication with teachers, school counselor, other staffSelf-esteem can take a hit when struggling with the transition

Behavioral developmentEngaging in risky behaviors is NORMAL in adolescence....but theres a lineIndependenceTry out their new decision-making skillsNeed to also feel the results of their experimentationHelp them make these decisions for themselves!Peer PressureSmoking (cigarettes and other substances)AlcoholDrugsSex

32% of high school students who have drank alcohol before had their first drink before the age of 1325% of high school students who have tried smoking, had their first cigarette before the age of 13

24TipsListenBe Non-JudgmentalKeep an Open Line of Communication without Prying too muchGive them responsibilities that have natural positive consequencesFor example: Cleaning their room means they can have friends over because they will be able to enjoy it more. Dont freak out! You will survive adolescence and so will they! ResourcesAmerican Psychological AssociationDeveloping Adolescents: A Reference for Professionals, 2002American School Counselor AssociationThe Adolescent Brain, Terence J. Houlihan and Eileen C. Houlihan, ASCA School Counselor Article, November 2011