Adolescence: Characteristics and Deviations

1. Cdr Habib 1

2. Gender inequality in early adolescence must be addressed for health
and well-being throughout life.
Teenage (adolescence) is the most complicated period that parents
have to face while raising their kids. Teenagers argue, defy and are
rebellious in many cases.
Things are quite tricky in this age and parents are supposed to deal
with care. Here comes realistic parenting.
When children move into early adolescence, they begin to take on
new gender roles associated with femininity and masculinity, often
reinforcing socially and culturally conventional gender norms related
with being women or men.
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Cont..
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of time, it was the age of
wisdom, it was the age of foolishness” - Charles Dickens

3. Apprise you of adolescence in wide spectrum
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4. Phase-I
Phase-II
Phase-III
a. Meaning of Adolescence
b. Age of Adolescence
c. Development Tasks
d. Emotional Pattern in Adolescence
e. Characteristics of Intelligent Adolescent
f. Characteristics of Dull Adolescent
g. Social Behaviour
h. Adolescence Instability and Its Effects
j. Adolescence Unhappiness and Its Effects
k. Deviation During Adolescent
l. Recommendations for Healthy Development
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5. Adolescence means "to
grow" (to grow to maturity).
Defined as "a critical period of human development
manifested at the biological, psychological and social levels
of integration by marking the end of childhood and setting the
foundation for maturity or adulthood”.
5
Cont..

6. A transitional stage of physical and psychological human
development generally occurring during the period from
puberty to legal adulthood (age of majority). It is the brid-
ge between childhood and adulthood (10 to 21).
The period of tension between biological and
social dependence which created a period of
“storm and stress” - Stanley Hall
6
Extends from the physical beginning of sexual maturity to the social
achievement of independent adult status.
Thus, adolescent refers not only to biological growth but also to social,
emotional, psychological and moral growth within a cultural framework.
Decreased level of self-control as the 'storm'
and their increased sensitivity as the 'stress'.
Cont..

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They are relatively moody, critical and absent minded.
Adolescent years are now recognized as period of
great importance in the development of civilized man.
They are also creative, energetic and impassioned about the world.

8. 8
It is difficult to pinpoint the end of childhood and the beginning of
adolescence, since there are individual differences in the ages at which
sexual maturity occurs.
Adolescence spans in boys:
Pre-adolescence - 10-12 yrs
Early-adolescence - 13-16 yrs
Late-adolescence - 17-21 yrs
Adolescence spans in girls:
Pre-adolescence - 10-11 yrs
Early-adolescence - 12-15 yrs
Late-adolescence - 16-20 yrs
Adolescence spans in boys:
Pre-adolescence - 10-12 yrs
Early-adolescence - 13-16 yrs
Late-adolescence - 17-21 yrs
Adolescence spans in girls:
Pre-adolescence - 10-11 yrs
Early-adolescence - 12-15 yrs
Late-adolescence - 16-20 yrs
Adolescence frequently co-occurs with puberty,
Female
Male
A biological phenomenon defined by a constellation of events that are driven by increases in
adrenal and gonadal hormones, including the development of secondary sex characteristics and
modulations in muscle and fat.

9. 9
Puberty is the process of physical changes by which adolescents reach
sexual maturity, i.e. become capable of reproduction.
Puberty refers to the bodily changes, while adolescence is the period of
psychological and social transition between childhood and adulthood.
Puberty is the part of adolescence not synonymous with it.
Adolescence includes all phases of maturing not physical maturing only.

10. 10
Adolescence is a period of life with specific health and developmental
needs and rights.
It’s also a time to develop knowledge and skills, learn to manage
emotions and relationships, and acquire attributes and abilities that will
be important for enjoying the adolescent years and assuming adult
roles

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Psychosocial disorders are more common during adolescence than
during childhood, and many unhealthy behaviours begin during
adolescence.
Having an eating disorder, poor diet, obesity, smoking, using drugs,
and violent behavior can lead to acute health problems, chronic
disorders, or morbidity later in life.

12. 12
Cultural expectations from individuals.
Pattern of development is similar with some variability.
Every culture sets development tasks for different ages.
For better adjustment and happier life, adolescents have to –
a. Learn to get along with friends of both sexes.
b. Achieve a masculine and feminine role.
c. Accept own physical body & using it effectively.
d. Achieve emotional independence of parents & other adults.
e. Achieve assurance of economic independence.
f. Selecting & preparing for an occupation or career.
g. Develop intellectual skills & ability necessary for competence.
h. Desire & achieve socially responsible behaviour.
j. Prepare for marriage & family life.
k. Acquire a set of values & ethical system as a guide to behaviour.

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Adolescent individualized some common emotional patterns -
a. Fear:
Fear of objects (snakes, dogs, storms, strange noise, fire, water,
trains, aero plane)
b. Fear of Social Relationship:
Fear of meeting people, being with people who are clever,
important, sly, sarcastic, cruel, overbearing, naughty or
humorous. Being alone or being in crowd.
Fear of reciting in class or making a speech
Fear of being at parties with the other sex.
Fear being in group that are predominantly made up of adults.
c. Social Fear:
Embarrassment- Being teased by opposite sex. Any act makes
them funny, dress up unlike group. Parents acts make them
objects of pity, humour, or ridicule in the group, poor family status,
poor family morals, and so on
Cont..

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Adolescent individualized some common emotional patterns -
d. Social Fear:
Shyness- Come partly from awkwardness but principally from an
overdeveloped self consciousness. Shyness is often intensified by
adult joking or forcing them into situations where he must displays his
weakness.
e. Fear Relating to Self:
Includes poverty, death, serious illness of self or members of the
family. Personal inadequacy with regard to sex, getting and holding a
job, failure in school or business, popularity, exam grade, marriage,
anything that would distress or annoy parents, and moral crisis.
f. Worry:
It is a type of fear that comes more from imaginary than from real
causes. It is characterized by a repeated mental rehearsal of the
situation feared.
Cont..

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Adolescent individualized some common emotional patterns -
g. Anger:
Common causes - unfair treatment by parents, teachers, members of
the family and friends. Cruel treatment, being refused, over pampered,
unjust accusations, insulting or sarcastic comments.
h. Anger response:
Anger adolescent frequently becomes moody and refuses to speak.
Showing little or no mannerism, irritate the individual with whom he is
angry. Often they kick and throw things. Most frequent type of anger
responses is verbal. Others forms are physical injury (by slapping,
pinching, shaking and striking).
j. Jealousy:
Jealousy is aroused from a deep feeling of affection. Reaction of
Jealousy turn into sarcasm, ridicule, and talking about the individual (in
absence) in a offensive manner. Bodily attack also may take place to
him for whom he is deprived.

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Characteristics of Intelligent Adolescent -
a. Curiosity
b. Persistence
c. Interest in academic materials
d. Responsibility
e. Physical drive and vigor
f. Ability to think creatively
g. Ability to work independently
h. Ability to face failure without emotional disturbance
j. Ability to get along with others

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Characteristics of Dull Adolescent -
a. Difficulty with abstraction
b. Little interest in ideas
c. Typically a non-verbal
d. Slow in uptake
e. Fails to concentrate and perceive things
f. Develop a deep seated hostility to world
g. Low normal personal adjustment
h. Discouraged and unhappy
j. Believe to be chronic misfits
k. Feeling of inferiority, self-distrust
l. Too complex in nature

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Socialization is the process of learning to conform to group standards, mores
& traditions. The kind of social life the adolescent leads will play a strong role
in developing him into the kind of adult he will be.
To achieve good social adjustment, adolescent needs –
a. Knowledge, skills, good manners, good conversational ability, tact and
common interest
b. Favourable attitudes towards others, appreciate people, being
friendly, kindly and generous.
c. Security and independence, being self-assured and at ease in group.
d. Sense of responsibility.
e. Appreciate the values of group planning and action.
f. Adjustment to co-workers.
g. Attitude toward neighbours (friendly, considerate and helpful).
Mores: (sociology) the conventions that embody the
fundamental values of a group
Cont..

20. 20
To achieve good social adjustment, adolescent needs –
h. Attitude toward community (reflected in interest and willingness to
accept community responsibility)
j. Attitude toward world affairs (shown in interest for the betterment of
people, society and culture without prejudice)
Cont..

21. Instability and inconsistency are indications of immaturity.
"The most striking characteristic of this mysterious period in human
existence in the simultaneous presence of contradictory, mutually exclusive
trends.“ - Hacker & Geleerd
Thereby adolescent become instable in this period of time.
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Causes of Instability:
 Rapid & Uneven Development : physical & mental
 Lack of Knowledge & Experience : society makes many demands
on the adolescent but then fails to provide guideline and help
 Conflicting Demands: not old enough to do, or you’ve to take some
responsibility
 Discontinuities in Training: childhood training

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Factors that affect adolescent’s behaviour:
 Insecurity: afraid of unable to prove his all-round competence.
 Contradiction: within one minute he/she hates the next he/she loves.
 Frustration and Aggression : deprived of status in society leads to frustration
 Poor Adjustment : continuation of instability & inconsistency are the signs
of poor adjustment

23. Common causes of adolescence unhappiness:
- Social Pressures: Too much expectations. They fail to fulfill the
demands of society.
- Problem of Adjustment: Physical-sexual development. Need guidance
and continuous monitoring
- Lack of Status: Not entrusted with the responsibility (they are not
grown enough) and at the same time they are not allowed to
enjoy the freedom (they are still child).
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Cont..

24. Common causes of adolescence unhappiness:
- Idealism: They are ideal. They achieve the ideal standard but can’t comply
because of social values and reality. Often get conflicted.
- Defeats in Heterosexual Relationship: Adolescents get attracted to
opposite sex. Want to have a love, involve in affair to get happy
experiences.
- Feeling of Inadequacy: Adolescents are inexperienced in all areas of life,
they fall behind in achieving the desired goal.
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25. The unhappiness of adolescence manifests in many forms:
 Increase in recklessness of behaviour
 Lack of consideration for others
 Rudeness & gruffness of speech
 Rough language, use of slang & swearing
 Secretiveness about personal affairs
 Moodiness, brooding & intolerance
 Resist advice, less demonstrative to the elder members, scorn
sentiment of all kinds.
EFFECTS ON BEHAVIOUR
DUE TO ADOLESCENCE UNHAPPINESS
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Cont..

26. The unhappiness of adolescence manifests –
 Many become unhappy to the point of developing personality
disorders.
 They may result in potential psychiatric disturbances –
- Notoriety, dishonor reaction, trying to force themselves on the
attention of others
- Withdrawal syndrome marked by apathy, lethargy, or
dreaminess.
 It may even lead to suicidal threats.
EFFECTS ON BEHAVIOUR
DUE TO ADOLESCENCE UNHAPPINESS
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28. DEVIATION DURING ADOLESCENT
 Moral Deviation
When the adolescent realizes that his behavior has fallen below the
society’s codes /standard, he becomes angry at himself or he makes
others responsible
 Misdemeanors
The most common misdemeanors –
- Cheating
- Drinking
- Smoking in forbidden areas
- Going to restricted places
- Taking books out of the library, illegally
- Excess talking in class or in the library
- Entering dormitory of the opposite sex
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The deviations manifests -
Cont..

29. DEVIATION DURING ADOLESCENT
 Juvenile Delinquency
A term typically used for criminal behaviors under 18 years of age,
depends on laws of the particular state
 Sex Interest and Behaviour
The romantic attachments of adolescent are often so intense and so
captivating that the individuals get little time/thought for anything
else (even fails to judge right & wrong)
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Cont..

30. DEVIATION DURING ADOLESCENT
 Poor Family Relationship
This arises from the poor parenting styles. There may be four kinds of
parenting styles say, authoritarian, authoritative, neglectful and
indulgent/ nonjudgmental
 Physical Deviation
Most common reasons are -
 Early and Late Maturation
 Obesity and Bulimia (Pathologically insatiable hunger especially
when caused by brain lesions)
 Anorexia Nervosa (A psychological disorder characterized by
somatic delusions that you are too fat despite being emaciated)
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Cont..

31. DEVIATION DURING ADOLESCENT
 Cognitive Deviation:
The IQ range offered by APA. Sets norm different category of
intellectual level including Mental Retardation
 Disequilibrium
Disequilibrium occurs when there is mismatch between existing
structures and environmental situation
 Egocentrism
The assumption that one’s own view of reality is the only true
perspective. Extreme concern and interest in the self, often to the
exclusion of interest in others is termed as Egocentrism - Elkind
(1967 & 1978)
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Cont..

32. DEVIATION DURING ADOLESCENT
 Imaginary Audience
As a consequence of egocentrism the adolescent feels he is ‘on
stage’, where attention being continually focused on him. For example,
the imaginary audience leads adolescents to believe they are the
centre of everyone’s thoughts and concerns.
 Social Drawbacks
Many young adolescents are so incapable of meeting their new social
demands successfully that they keep themselves away from social
interaction and regress to earlier form of social relationship or they
developed a compensatory form of behavior to replace the normal
social behavior.
 Gangs
There are some boys and girls who are poorly adjusted to school and
who have few friends among their classmates.
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Cont..

33. Alienation Syndrome
It is a grouping of traits that make others dislike the adolescent
and reject him as a friend.
Unpopularity
The unpopular adolescent often has unfavorable relationship with
his family, thus developing unfavorable attitudes which influence
his relationship with people outside the home.
Insecurity
A period of transition from childhood to adulthood leaves its mark
on the adolescent behaviour. Because he feels unsure of himself
and insecure in his status.
Frustration-aggression
Frustration leads to aggression, which may take many forms. The
most common of which are arrogance, excitability, sensitiveness,
moodiness etc.
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DEVIATION DURING ADOLESCENT

34. DEALING WITH ANGRY TEENS
Establish boundaries, rules and consequences.
Try to understand what's behind the anger.
Be aware of anger warning signs and triggers.
Help your teen find healthy ways to relieve anger.
Give your teen space to retreat.
Take steps to manage your own anger.
Be aware of your own stress levels.
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35. RECOMMENDATIONS
Adolescent needs proper nutrition level for the physical
and mental growth.
Proper counseling and guidance should be given for their
achievements and failures.
Create scope for developing cognitive abilities.
Enhance and recognize problem solving behavior.
Establish close and intimate relationship as a parent
Provide guide line for moral slandered.
Monitor school achievement.
Provide healthy family environment.
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Cont..

36. Provide socially responsible programming through
media.
Explain opportunities for determine the occupational
choices.
Exercise religious values at home and in the society.
Provide favorable school environment.
Provide a favorable social attitude.
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RECOMMENDATIONS

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