UNDERSTANDING YOUTHPhysical, social, emotional and intellectual characteristics of development during the lifespan of youth

YOUTH

Youth is a term used to refer to young people.

In the health and human development study design and in this textbook, youth or adolescence is considered to be the period of the human lifespan between the ages of 12 and 18 years.

YOUTH

However, definitions of ‘youth’ vary:

the United Nations defines youth as people aged between 15 and 24 years;

when reporting on Australian youth, the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare includes data for people aged between 12 and 24 years.

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT

Many changes occur during youth

Adolescents in this stage of the lifespan are becoming more independent, developing physically, gaining social confidence, facing emotional challenges and advancing intellectually.

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT

These changes are known as the physical, social, emotional and intellectual characteristics of development, and they are influenced by behavioural factors, the physical environment in which a person lives, and the person’s social environment: their family and community.

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF DEVELOPMENT Physical development during youth is rapid.

During youth, the physical characteristics that change and develop include the size of the bones and muscles.

Different parts of the body grow at different rates, the physical changes that occur to the head x2, arms x4, trunk x3 and legs x5 from birth to adulthood.

By the end of the youth stage of the lifespan, people will have taken on adult body proportions. Changes to height and weight will be obvious and there will be other visible signs that a child has transitioned into a young adult.

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

PUBERTY: Stage in which the human body sexually matures, a necessary step in order for reproduction to take place.

PRIMARY SEXUAL CHARACTERISTICS: Growth and development of parts of the body that result in the production of ova and sperm; namely ovaries and testes (genitals)

SECONDARY SEXUAL CHARACTERISTICS: outward physical changes that occur during puberty and characterise a person’s sex, including breast development, body hair and defining body shapes

FURTHER INFORMATION

PUBERTY: Triggered by the release of hormones in the pituitary gland in the brain. Timing varies considerably among individuals and ends when the ability to reproduce is achieved.

PRIMARY SEXUAL CHARACTERISTICS: Although present at birth, these organs only develop and become fully functional during puberty

SECONDARY SEXUAL CHARACTERISTICS: Not directly related to reproduction and are not present at birth

BONES, MUSCLES & ADIPOSE TISSUE

BONES: grow and develop rapidly. Feet and hands enlarge first, followed by lengthening of calves and forearms, then thighs and upper arms, and lastly the bones in hips, chest & shoulders.

MUSCLE: rapid increase in development of muscle tissue in both sexes. Hormonal differences account for boys having greater muscular strength and motor capacity than girls. As muscles increase in strength, the body’s flexibility decreases – females more agile, better coordinated & more graceful

ADIPOSE TISSUE: in girls, this increases around the arms, legs and trunk. Due to hormonal differences, boys usually decrease arm and leg fat during puberty

RATE OF GROWTH

WHAT IS THIS GRAPH TELLING US?

TIMING OF PUBERTY

FACTORS INFLUENCING PUBERTY

Females mature at an earlier age than males

Short and stocky youth will generally mature earlier than those of a tall and lean build

Obesity or excessive thinness may delay the onset of puberty

Environmental factors such as stress levels, socioeconomics status, nutritional intake, exercise and the presence or absence of chronic illness

SEXUAL DEVELOPMENT

On average, females begin physical development approximately two and a half years before males.

It is quite normal for some of these changes to begin during childhood for females.

The peak growth spurt usually begins approximately two years later in males than in females, and males finish physical development after females.

SEXUAL DEVELOPMENT

The timing of these physical changes is influenced by a number of factors, including genes, hormonal secretion patterns, ethnic background and nutrition.

Adolescents now go through puberty at a younger age than they did a century ago.

Good nutrition, improved health and better living conditions have been some of the reasons put forward to account for puberty beginning earlier.

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SEXUAL CHARACTERISTICS

Primary sexual characteristics are the physical sexual organs

Secondary sexual characteristics distinguish males from females and indicate a level of physical maturation; however, they are not directly linked with a person’s capacity to reproduce

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SEXUAL CHARACTERISTICS

PRIMARY SEXUAL CHARACTERISTICS

SECONDARY SEXUAL CHARACTERISTICS

FEMALES • Cervix• Fallopian tubes• Ovaries• Uterus• Vagina

• Enlargement of the breasts• Growth of underarm and pubic body hair• Widening of the hips• Depositing of fat, mainly around buttocks, thighsand hips

MALES • Penis• Prostate• Testicles• Scrotum

• Growth of body hair, including underarm, chest,abdomen, facial and pubic hair• Increase in muscle mass• Deepening of the voice• Broadening of the shoulders

ONE SECONDARY SEXUAL CHARACTERISTIC IS THE GROWTH OF BODY HAIR.

THE MALE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM IS A PRIMARY SEXUAL CHARACTERISTIC IN MALES.

THE FEMALE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM IS A PRIMARY SEXUAL CHARACTERISTIC IN FEMALES.

THE FEMALE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM IS A PRIMARY SEXUAL CHARACTERISTIC IN FEMALES.

MENSTRUAL CYCLE

A significant physical change that females undergo is the commencement of their menstrual cycle, otherwise known as menarche.

This change signifies a female’s ability to bear children, and it usually occurs between the ages of 11 and 14 years; some females, however, may experience menarche as early as 8 years while others may not do so until the age of 15 or 16 years.

Overall health levels, heredity and diet are reasons menarche can begin early or be delayed

MENSTRUAL CYCLE

An average menstrual cycle lasts approximately 28 days.

This is an average, and individual menstrual cycles vary; in one month a cycle may be 28 days while the next few cycles may be shorter or longer.

The menstrual cycle is controlled by a group of hormones.

MENSTRUAL CYCLE

MENSTRUAL CYCLE

On day 1 of the cycle, which is when bleeding commences, follicle-stimulating hormone is released by the pituitary gland, which is a gland found at the base of the brain.

Follicle-stimulating hormone acts on the ovaries to cause the follicles to begin maturing.

Ovarian follicles are small sacs that contain an immature egg or ovum as it develops.

Usually only one follicle matures and the others die off.

MENSTRUAL CYCLE

As the ovarian follicles begin to mature, the hormone oestrogen is released.

While the follicles are maturing, the lining of the uterus (endometrium) begins to thicken, in preparation for a possible pregnancy.

On approximately day 14 of a 28-day cycle, an egg that has been maturing will be released from its follicle sac and launched from one of the ovaries into one of the fallopian tubes.

Luteinising hormone is responsible for this process, which is known as ovulation.

MENSTRUAL CYCLE

MENSTRUAL CYCLE

MENSTRUAL CYCLE

Following ovulation, the corpus luteum (discarded follicle) triggers the hormones oestrogen and progesterone to be released; these two hormones assist in building up the endometrium.

MENSTRUAL CYCLE

After ovulation, the egg travels along the fallopian tube, where it may or may not be fertilised by sperm.

If fertilisation does not occur, the egg will continue its journey down the fallopian tube into the uterus, and it will be discarded along with the blood and tissue of the endometrium as part of the menstrual bleed.

MENSTRUAL CYCLE

The menstrual bleed lasts, on average, between 4 and 7 days.

At the end of the menstrual cycle, hormone levels drop, and the next menstrual cycle begins on day 28.

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If the egg is fertilised, the fertilised egg travels from the fallopian tubes into the uterus.

Pregnancy occurs once the fertilised egg successfully implants in the endometrium.

EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

SELF-CONCEPT (who am I?) – evolves through interactions with others. Messages of acceptance, friendship, love and approval from significant others (family, friends, teachers) can influence development of positive self-concept

SELF-ESTEEM (do I like myself?) - gives individuals the confidence to believe in themselves and their actions. Helps motivate youth to tackle new challenges

SELF-CONSCIOUS (am I normal?) – explore strategies or consult with friends in order to deal with these emotions effectively

EMOTIONAL INDEPENDENCE – mind changes so try to solve own problems rather than consult with parents, therefore take more responsibility for actions and provide ways to accept emotions

NEW EMOTIONS – nature of relationships change: love and lust

INTELLECTUAL DEVELOPMENT

Think and reason in more complex ways

(think about more than one thing at a time)

Use elaborate memory strategies

Ignore information irrelevant to a situation

Think about ideas in the abstract

Think about the future

Think about possible consequences of actions

Expand vocabulary to 30,000 words

Speak in longer sentences

Communicate fluently with others

INDEPENDENCE

Following a certain stage of maturing, a person is considered to have developed sufficient reasoning skills to make sound decisions, accept the consequences of their actions, and be self-directed

There is a lot of trial and error – youth learn from their experiences

Require support from others