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Socioemotional Development in Adolescents
Personal fable experiences and feelings are unique and no one has ever felt as they do Illusion of invulnerability misfortune only happens to others
Self-Esteem in Adolescence
Varies across domains & settings i.e. academic, behavioral, & social domains Differences between boys and girls Parental discipline plays a role. set rules but willing to discuss rules = high self-esteem School experiences affect self-esteem
Romantic Relationships
About 50% of 15-year-olds and 70% of 18-year-olds had romantic relationships in the past 1 years Relationships may provide companionships, sexual exploration, or support Early dating with many partners is associated with problems in adolescence may be related to less satisfying romantic relationships in adulthood
Dating
First step toward romantic relationships activities involving mixed groups of boys and girls Next, several pairs of boys and several girls go out together as a group
Sexual Behavior
Adolescents less likely to engage in sex close relationships with parents parents discourage sex and monitor activities Adolescents are more likely to have sex when their peers approve believe their friends are having sex Most adolescents have experienced sex by age 19, but with only one partner
Sexual Behavior
Boys more likely to describe their first partner as a casual date more positive feelings about their first experience
Girls report stronger feelings of love for first partners more likely to experience feelings of guilt and fear
Sexual Orientation
About 15% of teens go through a period of emotional and sexual attraction to same-sex friends Around 5% of teens identify themselves as gay or lesbian
Sexual Orientation
False beliefs: Sons become gay when raised by a domineering mother and a weak father Girls become lesbians when their father is their primary role model Children raised by gay or lesbian parents adopt their parents orientation Gay and lesbian adults were seduced by an older person of their sex
Sexual Orientation
Boys with older brothers are more often gay Possible biochemical effect of producing male children Possible that hormones affect temperament, which may in turn affect behavior and feelings of being different
Career Development
Crystallization (13-14) - adolescents consider talents & interests to start limiting their thinking about careers Specification (approx 18) learning more about certain lines of work and possibly begin training Implementation enter the workforce and learn firsthand
Personality-Type Treatment
Holland - people find work that fits personality The Strong Interest Inventory (SII) Compares scores to successful people in many occupations
Part-Time Employment
15+ hours of work weekly associated with lower grades more likely to result in anxiety, depression, and lower self-esteem Part-time work does not usually teach the value of a dollar Teens who work most often do not save, and spend most of their money on themselves
Part-Time Employment
Number of hours kept lower positive benefits are more likely
Self-esteem may be enhanced When jobs teach or take advantage of the childs skills
Parent-child relationships usually improve When teens use money for clothes, school expenses, and savings
Drug Use
Teenage Drinking Why do adolescents drink? Experimentation, relaxation, escape Feelings of exhilaration Teenage Smoking Teens usually begin between 6th and 7th grade More likely to smoke if their parents smoke More likely to smoke if their friends smoke
Depression
Late adolescence, 10% of boys and 25% of girls learned helplessness feel at the mercy of external events Reduced levels of norepinephrine & serotonin may result in inability to experience pleasure