SOCIOEMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN ADOLESCENCE 2013 The Mc GrawHill

SOCIOEMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN ADOLESCENCE © 2013 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Chapter 16

IDENTITY • A self-portrait of many pieces, a synthesis of: • • • Career and work path chosen Political, religious, relationship identities Achievement, intellectual identity Sexual, cultural/ethnic identities Interests, personality, physical identity • A lengthy, complex, lifelong process • Changing and renegotiated © 2013 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

IDENTITY • Erikson’s view • Believed to be a key aspect of adolescent development • 5 th stage: Identity vs. identity confusion • Confusion takes two forms: • Self-isolation or lost in the crowd • Identity search aided by psychosocial moratorium – transition, exploratory time © 2013 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

IDENTITY • James Marcia • Four statuses of identity inferred in Erikson’s identity • Crisis – period of exploration in identity • Commitment – personal investment © 2013 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

MARCIA’S IDENTITY STATUSES © 2013 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

IDENTITY • Emerging adulthood and beyond • Key changes likely occur in ages 18 to 25 • College students’ identity more stable in vocational choices than high school students • Not so for religious beliefs, political ideology • College creates increasing complexities • Social commitments • New experiences • Freedoms, self-discipline © 2013 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

IDENTITY • Family influences • Individuality within family (2 dimensions) • Self-assertion • Separateness • Connectedness with family (2 dimensions) • Mutuality (sensitivity, respect) • Permeability (openness to other views) • In general, enhances identity formation © 2013 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

IDENTITY • Ethnic identity • Sense of membership in ethnic group; also attitudes and feelings related to the group • Influenced by sociocultural contexts • Indicators of identity often differ among generations of immigrants • Existing environmental social factors have impact, such as crime and unemployment © 2013 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT • More extreme emotions • Emotions more changeable, fleeting • Moodiness is normal • Decrease in overall happiness • Risk of depression • Pubertal changes and environmental experiences linked to negative emotions © 2013 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

AUTONOMY AND ATTACHMENT • Push for autonomy • Conflict when adolescents push for autonomy • Parents should relinquish control gradually, as adolescent is able to make reasonable decisions • Gender and culture affect seeking and granting autonomy © 2013 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

AUTONOMY AND ATTACHMENT • Role of attachment • Quality of attachment between parents and adolescent has some impact on involvement in problem/risky behaviors • Balancing freedom and control • Parents play important role; monitor and guide, quality relationship and limitations © 2013 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

PARENT-ADOLESCENT CONFLICT • Escalated conflict due to • • • Biological changes (puberty) Cognitive changes (idealism, logic) Social changes (independence, identity) Maturational changes Violated expectations • Prolonged conflict is unhealthy • Linked to many behavioral problems © 2013 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

FRIENDSHIPS • Sullivan’s ideas stood the test of time • Dramatic increase in psychological importance and intimacy of close friends • Most motivated by popularity with peers • Peers help shape development; increased mutual dependency for many needs • Friends’ character and quality of friendship are important influences • Choice varies among individuals © 2013 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

PEER GROUPS • Peer pressure can be negative; most is positive • Recent study of ages 14 to 18 • Important to stand up for own principles • Adolescents conform more to peer standards than younger children do • Resist parental influence stronger in U. S. • Self-esteem can motivate membership © 2013 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

PEER GROUPS • Cliques • Average 5 to 6 people • Usually same sex, age • Formed from shared activities, friendship • Crowds • Larger than cliques, more informal • Usually formed based on reputation • May not spend much time together © 2013 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

DATING AND ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIPS • Spend considerable time dating, thinking about it • By 10 th grade; about 50% had relationship lasting more than 2 months • By 12 th grade: others did not have relationship lasting 2 months or more • Today, teens find comfort in numbers, hanging out in mixed-sex groups more © 2013 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

DATING AND ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIPS • Cyberdating • Alternative to traditional dating • Gay male and lesbian youth • Little research done here • Many hide their orientation • For most: same-sex experience is experiment • Go on to heterosexual orientation later © 2013 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

JUVENILE DELINQUENCY • Juvenile delinquent: adolescent who breaks laws, engages in illegal behavior • Broad concept; much higher risks for males • Great increase in female delinquency • Issues of controversy • Adolescent tried as adult; does it reduce crime rates? • States adopting ‘get tough’ policies © 2013 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

JUVENILE DELINQUENCY • Causes • Proposed: • Heredity, identity problems, community influences, family experiences • Erikson: restricted social roles, unrealistic expectations for them • More common in lower SES • Lower class culture promotes it? © 2013 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

JUVENILE DELINQUENCY • Causes • Lower cultural gangs and peers? • Antisocial gangs, counterproductivity • Neighborhoods have higher crime rates • Criminal role models • Personal, family problems • Unemployment, lack of employment skills, dysfunctional family, poor parenting, etc. © 2013 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

DEPRESSION • Females experience and express it more than males for various reasons • Family factors put some youth at risk • Peer relationships linked to depression • Romantic relationships increase risks • Onset in early adolescence linked to negative outcomes later • Most treatments include medications © 2013 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

SUICIDE • Rare in childhood, risks increase with age • Third leading cause of adolescent death; emerging adults at risk 3 times more than adolescents • Suicidal peers is influential factor • Threats should be viewed seriously • Gay males and lesbians at highest risk • Females use pills, cut wrists • Males use lethal means © 2013 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

INTERRELATION OF PROBLEMS AND SUCCESSFUL PREVENTION/INTERVENTION • 4 problems affecting adolescents most: • • Drug abuse Juvenile delinquency Sexual problems School-related problems • In the U. S. : • Estimated 10% engage in above behaviors © 2013 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.