Caitie Velat

Professor Fierro
HD 320
8/8/15
Week 6: Interview
The first person that I interviewed was John. He is approximately 13 or 14 years
old. He is a male, with a younger brother named Percy Fun. He is just starting high
school this year. Percy Fun is approximately twelve years old. He is also a male, with an
older brother named John.
I asked the following questions: what age did you start going through puberty?,
Did you have any challenges at all? If so, what were they? Do you like the way that you
look? Why or why not?, Do you feel like you get enough sleep? Why or why not?, Has
anyone asked you to smoke a cigarette yet? Did you accept if so? Why or why not?, How
do other people feel about you? Why do they feel this way?, Do you feel that you have
any stress in your life? Why or why not?, Have you either been bullied or done it to
someone else? Why did you do it Or why was it done to you?, Do you feel like you have
formed an identity? If so why?, How do you feel about spirituality and religion? Why is
this?, How do you feel about the way that you are growing? Why is this?, Do you feel
like you are underweight for your height at all? Why do you feel this way?,
Do you feel like you are too tall or too short for your age and height? Why do you
feel this way?, How do you feel about your self-image? Positive or Negative. Why do
you feel this way?, Has anyone ever offered you either drugs or alcohol? What was your
response?, How do you feel about your anger/aggression, on a scale of 1-10 with 10
being high? Why do you feel this way?, and also Did you go through early puberty or
was it normal? What makes you feel this way?

When I asked the following question: what age did you start going through
puberty? John had replied that he had gone through it around the age of eleven or twelve.
While, Percy Fun had said that he went through it around the age of twelve years of age.
When I asked the question: do you feel like you get enough sleep? John had said that yes,
because he goes to bed at a regular hour, but sometimes when he is off schedule or has a
lot of activities he is still tired. While Percy had said that he thinks so, because he usually
starts off the morning good. According to the book The Teen Years Explained, Too little
sleep can result in uncontrolled napping (either in class or, more dangerously, behind the
wheel), irritability to do tasks that are not exciting or of a competitive nature, and
dependence on caffeine drinks to stay alert. (McNeely, Clea MA DRPH and Blanchard,
Jayne, The Teen Years Explained, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health,
pg.28, 2005) To me what this is trying to say is that if a teenager does not get to bed at a
regular time or does not even get enough sleep, then they will have to drink more caffeine
soda to stay awake, or risk falling asleep in class or wherever they are. Both John and
Percy get enough sleep or at least they both feel like they do.
According to The Teen Years Explained, the following can cause stress school
pressure and career decisions, after-school or summer jobs, dating and friendships,
pressure to wear certain types of clothing, jewelry, or hairstyles, pressure to experiment
with drugs, alcohol, or sex, pressure to be a particular size or body shape. With girls, the
focus is often weight. With boys, it is usually a certain muscular or athletic physique,
dealing with the physical and cognitive changes of puberty, family and peer conflicts,
being bullied or exposed to violence or sexual harassment, and also crammed schedules,
juggling school, sports, after-school activities, social life, and family obligations.

(McNeely, Clea MA, DrPh and Blanchard, Jayne, The Teen Years Explained, Johns
Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, pg.38, 2005) To me what this is saying is
that if a teenager is exposed to too many activities or even feels like they are being
bullied or harassed in some way then they could be under an even a larger amount of
stress than the average teenager would be.
Although starting a brand new school could also bring some stress upon the
teenager, as I found out with John because he is starting a brand new school this year. He
is going from a middle school where he was comfortable and had friends to a brand new
school with having to start over again in making friends. Although John will make friends
it will definitely take some time until he is used to his new school. He is one to get good
grades too.
When I asked the following question: do you feel like you have any stress in your
life? Why or why not? John had said that he had a little bit of stress in his life at this time;
because, he was changing schools right now. He was going from middle school to high
school also. Whereas, Percy had said that he did not have any stress in his life at this
time.
According to The Teen Years Explained, Bullying can make teens feel stressed,
anxious, and afraid. Adolescent victims of bullying may not be able to concentrate in
school, a problem that can lead to avoiding classes, sports, and social situations. If the
bullying continues for long periods of time, feelings of self-worth suffer. Bullied teens
can become isolated and withdrawn, (McNeely, Clea MA, DrPh and Blanchard, Jayne,
The Teen Years Explained, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, pg. 41
2005)

To me what this is saying is that if a teen bullies another teen then the teen that
has been the victim if it goes on long enough, could suffer from low self-esteem, could
even withdraw, and isolate themselves from everyone, for fear of constant bullying from
the person(s) that have been doing it to him or her. The person may even want to avoid
going to school in order to avoid seeing the person. They may think that out of sight out
of mind is better. Although that only temporarily solves the problem and not permanently.
When I asked the following question have you either been bullied or done it to
someone else? Why did you do it? Or why was it done to you? John had said that he had
been bullied in the fourth grade but that it had gotten resolved though. Although, now he
and his friends just tell jokes with each other. Whereas, Percy had said that there is a girl
that bugs him so the two of them will get into verbal fights, but never a physical
confrontation though.
According to The Teen Years Explained, During the second decade of life young
people are figuring out their self-concept and self-esteem, in part, through five
developmental tasks: becoming independent, achieving mastery or a sense of
competence, establishing social status, experiencing intimacy, and determining sexual
identity. (McNeely, Clea, MA, DrPH. and Blanchard, Jayne. The Teen Years Explained,
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, pg.46 2005)
To me what this is saying is that teenagers are going through five different
developmental areas in order to achieve a sense of identity. Once they have figured out
just what kind of identity they are they will then most likely keep those same identities
unless they make a drastic change in college when they are in college or out of high
school.

When asked do you feel like you have formed an identity. If so, why? John had
said that he had formed an identity back in middle school because he knew what he
wanted to do, but now he does not know and he is not completely sure of himself but he
has an idea though. Whereas, Percy had said that he did not really have an identity of
himself yet.
According to Teen Years Explained Typically children in early adolescence do
not yet have a sufficiently developed sense of reason upon which to construct
independent views about religion and spirituality. They are still guided by their parents or
other adults as well as influenced by peers. (McNeely, Clea MA DrPH and Blanchard,
Jayne, The Teen Years Explained, John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, pg.
72, 2005) to me what this is saying is that the older teens are more likely to have formed
their own opinion about spirituality and religion, whereas the younger teens are not as
likely.
When asked the following question: How do you feel about spirituality and
religion? Why? John had said that he sees it as a more of a scientific kind of view but,
does not have anything against the other religions though. Whereas, Percy had said that
he does not have any strong belief in any religion. When asked the following question: do
you feel you are underweight for your height at all? Why do you feel this way? John had
said that he is about normal for a kid his age; and, Percy said that he feels he is just right
for someone his height.
When asked the following question: do you feel like you are too tall or too short
for your age and height? Why do you feel this way? John said no he is not too tall or too
short, he likes being tall but not super tall for his height either. Percy said no that he is not

too tall or too short, he feels like he is just normal. When asked the question: how do you
feel about your anger/aggression on a scale of 1-10 with 10 being high? Why do you feel
this way? John had said that his anger/aggression is usually at about a four or a five. He
feels like this is because he can get frustrated more quickly that at other times. While
Percy had said that if someone annoys him than his anger/aggression is usually around an
eight or nine. otherwise it is around a five usually.
According to The Impact on Aggression/Delinquency: Adolescence to Young
Adulthood, Puberty is a potentially sensitive period during which the adolescent
demonstrates rapid changes in aggressive/delinquent behavior. Early onset of puberty has
been implicated, not only in the earlier occurrence or aggressive/delinquent behavior, but
potentially a continuing higher level of aggression/delinquency.(Najman, Jake M.,
Hayatbakhsh,Mohammad R., McGee, Tara R., Bor, William, OCallaghan, Michael, J.,
and Williams, Gail M., The Impact of Puberty on Aggression/Delinquency: Adolescence
to Young Adulthood, Australian & New Zealand Journal of Criminology The University
of Queensland, Australia, pg.369, December 2009, vol.42 number 3) What this is saying
to me is that the earlier one starts their puberty then the more likely they are to have
aggression/delinquency problems, although there could always be exceptions though,. As
I found out with John.
When asked the following question: how do you feel about your self-image?
Positive or Negative. Why do you feel this way? John had said that he has a positive selfimage of himself. The reason for this is because he has friends, he does well in school,
and he is not super overweight. Whereas, Percy had said that he is fine with the way that
he looks, even though his teeth are a little crooked.

When asked the following question: did you go through early puberty or was it
normal? What makes you feel this way? John had said that he went through early puberty
because a normal puberty for a boy is usually around the age of twelve or thirteen; he
also noticed his body changing. Percy had said that he went through a normal period, he
was starting to get pimples, extra hair, and also have body odor.