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ASSIGNMENT SOLUTIONS GUIDE (2014-2015)

B.E.S.E.-66
Adolescence and Family Education
Disclaimer/Special Note: These are just the sample of the Answers/Solutions to some of the Questions given in the
Assignments. These Sample Answers/Solutions are prepared by Private Teacher/Tutors/Auhtors for the help and Guidance
of the student to get an idea of how he/she can answer the Questions of the Assignments. We do not claim 100% Accuracy
of these sample Answers as these are based on the knowledge and cabability of Private Teacher/Tutor. Sample answers
may be seen as the Guide/Help Book for the reference to prepare the answers of the Question given in the assignment. As
these solutions and answers are prepared by the private teacher/tutor so the chances of error or mistake cannot be denied.
Any Omission or Error is highly regretted though every care has been taken while preparing these Sample Answers/
Solutions. Please consult your own Teacher/Tutor before you prepare a Particular Answer & for uptodate and exact
information, data and solution. Student should must read and refer the official study material provided by the university.

Answer the following questions

(i) Briefly explain the some common concerns of Adolescents.
Ans. There are four basic principles that govern our understanding of psychosocial problems during adolescence.
First, a distinction must be made between experimentation and ongoing troublesome behaviour. Next, we must
acknowledge the difference between behaviour patterns that have their roots in childhood and those that appear in
adolescence. Third, it should be understood that most of the problems of adolescence are resolved by adulthood.
Fourth, serious, ongoing problems are not a typical or normal part of the adolescent experience.
Individual Issues: The issues related with the individual can be categorized in two different sections:
(a) Physical Issues: Due to rapid physiological changes taking place in an adolescent, a consciousness and
increased interest about ones own body develops. The body image can bring a sense of fun, pride, shyness or even
unhappiness. The adolescence brings a change in the habitual pattern of behaviour, attitude and personality.There
are marked changes in the adolescents social interest. Adolescents use new set of values in selection of friends and
social grouping. This is period during which significant bodily changes occur that characterize his personality. Some
of the developmental tasks of adolescents are achieving new and mature relations with mates, achieving masculine/
feminine social role, achieving emotional independence etc.
(b) Psychosocial Issues: There are three broad categories of psychosocial problems: substance abuse (misuse of
legal and illegal drugs), internalizing problems (problems turned inward that are emotional and cognitive in nature),
and externalizing problems (problems turned outward that are behavioural in nature). Following are some of the
points related with this problem:
(i) Pressure of Peer Groups: The peer group influences the attitudes, values and behaviour more than the
childs own family. Interest in world affairs, politics and government often develops during this period. Some
of the recreational interests during adolescence are sports and games, scholastic and extra-curricular activities.
There is genuine desire to help others and engaging in benevolent activities like collecting funds for a cause,
arranging charity show etc. This also helps the adolescent to learn to adjust in variety of situations.
(ii) Problem of Drug Addiction: Teen-agers receive mixed messages about alcohol and drug use. There are
also considerable misunders-tanding about the nature of adolescent substance use and abuse. These studies
indicate that the most commonly used substances among teenagers are alcohol and nicotine. Adolescents
who experiment with drugs and alcohol and those who have rational reasons for abstaining appear to be
psychologically better adjusted than young people who are frequent users of drugs and alcohol, or those who
abstain irrationally.
Socio-cultural Issues: There are number of socio-cultural issues related with problems of the adolescents:

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(i)

Juvenile Delinquency: Adolescents violate the law more frequently than children and adults. Violent crime
among youth is on the rise while property crime is remaining pretty steady. Adolescents are most likely to
violently victimize other adolescents. Violence among youth is strongly linked with poverty. Adolescent
offenders with a history of aggression or violence in childhood are more likely to become chronic violent
offenders and continue their illegal activities into adulthood. This pattern is known as life-course persistent
antisocial behaviour. Often these young people have serious psychological problems and were reared in
hostile, indifferent families.
(ii) Child Labour: Child labour is also a social evil. The main reason behind child labour is the poverty and
lack of work.
(iii) Suicide: Depression is the most common form of psychological problem for adolescents and adults. It is
important to differentiate mild, transitory forms of sadness and ongoing, debilitating depression. Only around
three per cent of the adolescent population suffers from clinical depression.
(iv) Adverse Effect of Mass Communication: We all know that technology is for the betterment of the society
and our well being, but technology has some bad effects on the life-style of the young children. They are
attracted more towards the technological aspects of the life.
(v) Rate of Sexual Disparity: This is one of the biggest social evil in our country. The men and women are not
treated equally here. Our society is man dominated society. There is lack of opportunities for the women at all
the stages of the life. There is lack of education for the women in our country.
Economic Issues: The little is known about the dynamics of financial stress and its association with alcohol
problems in adolescence and young adulthood. The study examines the potential long-term effects of family financial
stress and parent-child relationship quality in adolescence on young adult family relationships, financial stress, and
alcohol problems. The study allows for tests of alternate explanations for pathways of influence this will contribute
to several areas of basic and practical knowledge relevant to reducing financial stress and debt levels during young
adulthood.
(ii) Briefly explain useful life skills to help professionals.
Ans. This term refers to a large group of psycho-social and interpersonal skills which can help people make
informed decisions, communicate effectively, and develop coping and self-management skills that may help them
lead a healthy and productive life. Life skills may be directed toward personal actions and actions toward others, as
well as actions to change the surrounding environment to make it conducive to health. There is no any definite list of
life skills. The list includes the psychosocial and interpersonal skills generally considered important. The choice of,
and emphasis on, different skills will vary according to the topic and local conditions (e.g. decision-making may
feature strongly in HIV/Aids prevention whereas conflict management may be more prominent in a peace education
programme). Though the list suggests these categories are distinct from each other, many skills are used simultaneously
in practice.
We can divide life skills education in two categories: (a) Information, and (b) Skill Development. The term
information is related with motivating the children towards the bad social evils like drug addiction. With skills
development one can gain knowledge in living the life happily.
Following is the importance of life skills education for adolescents:
(i) Help them gaining adulthood.
(ii) Help them creating their own status and image in the society.
(iii) Help them in differentiating between right and wrong.
(iv) The development of positive attitude.
(v) To protect them from wrong misconceptions.
(vi) To help them in controlling emotions.
As in the other educational scenarios the effective educational strategy is also really essential in providing life
skills education. So it is prima facie important to create and follow different educational strategies in achieving the
goals related with life skills education. Following are some of the educational strategies helpful in life skills education:

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Role Playing: In this procedure the child has given the number of practical activities to perform. While performing
these activities child will adopt different procedures and life skills.
Group Discussion: In this pattern students get the chance to talk on the different topics. The role of teacher is to
take initiative first. This kind of procedure is really helpful in spreading the awareness on the topics like HIV/Aids.
Under this procedure teacher comes to know about the point of view of his students.
Debate: It is a self performing activity. There are two different aspects of a debate. In this procedure one can
able to express his feelings and thoughts and moreover he comes to know about the other thoughts on that particular
topic.
Case Study: This pattern is essential in concentrating on any specific topic. Under this procedure one can able
to learn about the one individual preference and choice. One can be able to learn about the ones individual problems
thoroughly. One can learn the values like empathy, self thinking and awareness under this procedure.
Question Check: This is one of the essential patterns of educational institutions. This helps the students in
developing their learning skills and to gather knowledge. It also helps in developing the motivational structure of the
students and helps them in self-belief and confidence.
(c) As a teacher, what role do you visualise the role of school in imparting family life education.
Ans. Understanding the role of school in child development is really essential. School provides a structured
education and promotes a childs mental and psychological growth. Aside from learning academics, a child will also
learn other important life skills such as teamwork, good manners, unity, sharing, and responsibility. Children are like
sponges that will absorb almost everything that is taught to them. By allowing them to learn in a school setting while
they are young, they can be moulded into good, responsible, and hardworking individuals. The role of school in child
development begins as early as pre-school and continues through a childs life.
Some consider parents to be a childs fist teacher while teachers are their second parents. When kids begin their
pre-school or kindergarten education, children are in a way handed over to trained teachers, and are ideally nourished
and bestowed with support, and good teaching by these professionals.
Role of School as Community (Society): Schools offer unparallel access to students to address both academic
and mental health needs. There are large number of children who would not receive any mental health services were
it not for their delivery in schools. Emotional and behavioural health problems represent significant barriers to
academic success and positive school climate. For example, children and adolescents with emotional disturbances
(5-9% of school aged youth) have the highest failure rates, with 50% of these students dropping out of high school.
In addition, children whose disruptive behaviour problems are not adequately treated can negatively affect the
classroom environment for all children.
Role of Teacher: The traditional teaching methods may not be effective for imparting family life education,
primarily because of the sensitive nature of its contents and its focus on influencing the affective domain of learners.
Therefore, non-conventional methods of teaching like values clarification, enquiry method, problem solving method
and other interactive modes of teaching may be adopted. Students need to be increasingly involved in cocurricular
activities focused on the critical concerns of family life education. Hence the roles of teachers are increasing day-byday. They provide social and moral values to the students.
Role of Cooperation between School and Parents: Involving parents in the care and schooling of their children
helps parents, teachers and the children themselves. Most importantly, children have better academic and social
outcomes when their parents and teachers work well together. If their children have an emotional or behavioural
problem, parents frequently turn to teachers for help. Parents feel comfortable in the school environment, which
makes them more likely to ask for help or support related to their child.
Parents who get involved are more likely to understand and support any particular approaches that are being
used with a child, and will support these strategies at home. Parents who get involved take a greater role in their
childs education and activities around schooling, which leads children, do better academically and socially.
Role of Peer Groups: Peer groups are an important influence throughout ones life, but they are more critical
during the developmental years of childhood and adolescence. There is often controversy about the influence of a

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peer group versus parental influence, particularly during adolescence. It appears that the power of the peer group
becomes more important when the family relationships are not close or supportive. For example, if the parents work
extra jobs and are largely unavailable, their children may turn to their peer group for emotional support. This also
occurs when the conflict between parents and children during adolescence, or at any time during a childs development,
becomes so great that the child feels pushed away and seeks closeness elsewhere.

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