Ruth Santos

BSID 1-2

What do you think is the most challenging stage in human

development? Why?

ADOLESCENCE: A DEVELOPMENTAL TRANSITION

In the early stage, adolescence is defined as a period of development; puberty is the

biologic process in which a child becomes an adult. These changes include
appearance of the secondary sexual characteristics, increase to adult size, and
development of reproductive capacity. Adrenal production of androgen may occur as
early as 6 yr of age, with development of underarm odor and faint genital hair. Levels
of luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone rise progressively throughout
middle childhood without dramatic effect. Rapid pubertal changes begin with
increased sensitivity of the pituitary to gonadotropin-releasing hormone; pulsatile
release of GnRH, LH, and FSH during sleep; and corresponding increases in
gonadal androgen and estrogen. The triggers for these changes are incompletely
understood, but may involve ongoing neuronal development throughout middle
childhood and adolescence. Adolescence has traditionally been described as the
time of transition from concrete operational thinking to formal logical thinking
(abstract thought), other processes include the important but distinct contributions of
reasoning (cognitive abilities) and judgment (the process of thinking through the
consequences of alternative decisions or actions). Because these processes may
develop at very different rates, young adolescents may be able to apply formal
logical thinking to schoolwork, but not to personal dilemmas. When emotional stakes
are high, adolescents may regress to more concrete operational and/or magical
thinking. This can interfere with higher-order cognition and ultimately affect the ability
to perceive long-term outcomes of current decision-making

In the middle stage, growth accelerates above the prepubertal rate of 6-7 cm per
year during middle adolescence. In the average girl, the growth spurt peaks at 11.5
years at a top velocity of 8.3 cm (3.8 in) per year and then slows to a stop at 16 yr.
In the average boy, the growth spurt starts later, peaks at 13.5 yr at 9.5 cm (4.3 in)
per year, and then slows to a stop at 18 yr. Muscle mass also increases, followed
approximately 6 months later by an increase in strength; boys show greater gains in
both. Lean body mass, approximately 80% in the average pre-pubertal child,
increases to 90% in boys and decreases to 75% in girls as subcutaneous fat
accumulates. With the transition to formal logical thinking, middle adolescents start
to question and analyze extensively. Young people now have the cognitive ability to
understand the intricacy of the world they live in, self-reflect, see beyond themselves,
and to begin to understand their own actions in a moral and legal context.

In the Last stage, the somatic changes in this period are modest by comparison to
earlier periods. Minor changes in hair distribution often continue for several years in
males, including the growth of facial and chest hair and the onset of male pattern
baldness in a few. Acne occurs in the majority of adolescents, particularly males.

Hormones set this developmental agenda together with social structures designed to
foster the transition from childhood to adulthood. Although individual variation is
substantial, in both the timing of somatic changes and the quality of the experience,
pubertal changes follow a predictable sequence. Gender and subculture profoundly
affect the developmental course, as do physical and social stressors. Due to the
hormonal imbalance, there are many cases behavioral issues of a teenager. One of
the this is smoking, the risk factors are depression and other mental health
problems, alcohol use, disconnectedness from school or family, difficulty talking with
parents, minority ethnicity, low school achievement, peer smoking. and the protective
factors are family connectedness, perceived healthiness, higher parental
expectations, low prevalence of smoking in school. Second behavior is teenage
pregnancy. The risk factors of this are deprivation or may be the city residence, low
educational expectations, lack of access to sexual health service or worst-- drug and
alcohol use. But this can be prevented through the connectedness with school and
family and religious affiliation.
As we go through this stage, we will experience many transition in many aspects of
our life. These are the times where we are making harder decisions whether we will
stay thinking like a child or like an adult (Erik Erikson). Whatever decisions we will
make in the stage will greatly affect most of the remaining years of our lives, we must
make the most of it.