Chapter 13 : Problems in adolescence and emerging adulthood - adolescent psychology

The biopsychosocial approach

the biological, psychological, and social factors interact to produce problems

examples of biological factors

heredity and brain processes

examples of psychological factors

low conscientiousness and low self-control

examples of social factors

relationships difficulties with parents and peers

What do scientists who adopt a biological approach focus on

factors such as genes, puberty, hormones, and the brain as causes of adolescents and emerging adult problems

what problems is early maturation in girls linked to

drug abuse, depression and delinquency

what are the psychological factors that have been proposed as important influences on problems

identity, personality traits, decision making, and self-control

what are adolescents who lack self control more likely to do?

develop substance abuse problems and engage in delinquent acts

what are the social factors that have been especially highlighted as contributors to problems

family, peers, schools, SES, poverty and neighborhoods

which family processes can contribute to the development of problems

high level of parent-adolescent conflict, inadequate parental monitoring, and insecure attachment.

what types of adolescents are prone to problems

rejected adolescents

which types of adolescents are more likely to drop out of school

adolescents who are not adequately engaged with school and may develop other problems such as substance abuse and delinquency

Developmental psychopathology approach

focuses on describing and exploring the developmental pathways of problems

• many researchers in this field seek to establish links between early precursors of a problem (such as risk factors and early experiences)

what type of study does the developmental psychopathology approach use and why?

uses longitudinal studies to track the unfolding of problems over time

what does low self-regulation at a young age predict?

worse decision making in risky situations in adolescence

what does high self-regulation at a young age predict ?

better decision-making in risky situations in adolescence

developmental cascades

involve connections across domains over time that influence developmental pathways and outcomes

what connections does developmental cascades encompass?

a wide range of biological, cognitive, and social processes, including many social contexts such as families, peers, schools, and culture

what did high levels of coercive (forceful) parenting and low levels of positive parenting lead to?

the development of antisocial behavior in children and adolescents

Internalizing problems

occurs when individuals turn their problems inward (e.g., anxiety and depression)

externalizing problems

occurs when individuals turn their problems outwards (e.g., juvenile delinquency)

what does internalizing problems at age 7 predict?

a lower level of academic competence at a later age

what is linked to the earlier externalizing of problems?

increased alcohol use in adolescence

what is at elevated risk during the presence of an externalizing pattern in childhood

antisocial behavior at age 21

common risk factors of problems

• poverty

• mental disorders in parents

• insecure attachment

• low levels of positive parenting

• lack of warmth, nurturance

• family conflict

• parental divorce

• peer rejection

• lack of self-regulation

• delinquent friends

Developmental assets/protective factors of problems

• secure attachment; love, nurturance

• support

• parental monitoring and involvement

• positive discipline strategies

• positive peer influence

• constructive use of time

• commitment to learning/academic engagement

• positive values

• social competencies

• positive identity

stress

the process of appraising and responding to a stressor

stressors

circumstances and events that threaten individuals and tax (strain) their coping abilities

• can be acute (short term) or chronic (long lasting)

what are some of the outcomes for children and adolescents who experience disasters

acute stress reactions, depression, panic disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder

What does the likelihood that childrens and adolescents will effectively cope with the stress of a disaster depend on?

protective factors such as a positive relationship with parents, emotion-regulation skills, and the type of support available

what are the effects of experiencing several stressors simultaneously?

the effects may be compounded

what reduced the negative effects of stressful life events?

a higher-quality parent and peer relationship

What were main source of daily uplifts for college students

having fun, going to movies, getting along well with friends and completing a task

gender and stress

females are less likely to respond to stressful and threatening situations with a fight-or-flight response than males are

how do females often respond to stressful situations

to tend and befriend ( protect themselves and forming alliances

Acculturative stress

the negative consequences that result from contact between two different cultural groups

what is known as the single most important social problem facing young people in the United States - Bruce Compas

poverty

coping

involves managing taxing circumstances, expending effort to solve life’s problems and seeking to master or reduce stress

what has been linked to success in coping

a sense of personal control, positive emotions, and personal resources.

what does success in coping depend on

the strategies used and the context

Problem-focused coping

the strategy of squarely facing one’s troubles and trying to solve them (e.g., if you’re having trouble with a class, you might go to the study-skills center and enroll in a training program to learn how to study more effectively)

what is problem-focused coping associated with

positive change following trauma and adversity

emotion-focused coping

responding to stress in an emotional manner especially by using defense mechanisms. Includes avoiding a problem, rationalizing what has happened, denying it is occurring, laughing it off, or calling on religious faith for support. (e.g., avoiding gong to a class that you find difficult) (not good!!!)

Avoidant coping

involves ignoring a problem and hoping it will just go away.

• causes an increase in anxiety symptoms and disordered eating.

why are thinking positvely and avoiding negative thoughts good strategies for coping with stress

a positive mood improves our ability to process information efficiently and enhances self-esteem

Optimistic attitude

gives us a sense that we are controlling our environment

resilience

good outcomes despite serious threats to adaptation and development

characteristics that are often seen in childrens and adolescents who show resilience

good intellectual functioning, effective parenting, appealing, sociable, self-confidence and high self-esteem.

Drug Use trends in the U.S

has been declining since the 1990s

the U.S. and drug use rates

the US has one of the highest rates of adolescent drug use of any industrialized nation

Alcohol use trends in adolescents

declines in adolescent alcohol use since the 1980s/90s

effects of heavy drinking on college students

missed classes, physical injuries, trouble with police, and unprotected sex

when is the peak of substance use?

in emerging adulthood

Marijuana use trends

marijuana use by U.S. adolescents has increased in recent years

reasons for the increase of marijuana use

decreased perceptions of danger associated with its use and increased ease of access, particularly in states where marijuana use is legal for adults

cigarette smoking trends

cigarette use has declined significantly in recent years but now many are vaping nicotine

what is the main effect of nicotine use

addiction

peer group and smoking

the risk of current smoking was linked with peer networks in which at least half of the members smoked, or one or two best friends smoked, and smoking was common in school

strategies for interrupting behavioral patterns that lead to smoking

recruiting high schoolers to help middle schoolers resist peer pressure to smoke

Risk factors in drug abuse

• genetic predisposition

• a high risk family (poor, single, or teenage mother)

• friends’ use of substances

• delinquent peers

• peer rejection

• older siblings’ substance use

protective factors in drug abuse

• high levels of parental monitoring, support, and involvement

• positive relationships with parents

• authoritative parenting

• educational achievement

acts of deliquency

violations of the law committed by juveniles

index offenses

criminal acts regardless of whether they are committed by juveniles or adults

status offenses

such as running away from home, truancy (being absent from school), underage drinking, sexual promiscuity, and uncontrollability are less serious acts

Conduct disorder

the psychiatric diagnostic category used when multiple behaviors occur over a six-month period (includes, torturing animals, running away from home)

when can conduct disorder be diagnosed

before the age fo 15

Childhood onset (beginning) conduct disorder

higher rates of cognitive impairment, psychiatric symptoms, and serious violent offenses

some possible causes of conduct disorder

genetic inheritance of a difficult temperament, ineffective parenting, and high-crime neighborhood

what is the risk in children diagnosed with conduct disorder

to develop antisocial personality disorder ( after 18 yrs old, psychopath)

The antecedents of juvenile delinquency

• callous-unemotional personality traits

• low school achievement

• low support, low monitoring, and ineffective discipline from parents

• delinquent friends

• low SES and high crime neighborhood

prevention and intervention programs

home visiting programs that provide services to pregnant adolescents and their at-risk infants

What do prevention and intervention programs focus on?

improving the family context and providing skills to caregivers

pre school and prevention and intervention programs

quality preschool education that involves home visits and working with parents

ineffective prevention and intervention programs

those that focus on punishment or attempt to scare youth

Depression percentages

about 15-20% of adolescents have ever experienced major depressive disorder

what gender is more likely to be depressed

females

why are females more likely to be depressed

• negative body image; pubertal changes ( wider hips more body fat)

• rumination ( stuck thinking about something bad)

• more stress from interpersonal conflicts

what are some causes of depression

• experiencing a high level of stress and/or loss

• emotional unavailability of parents, low support

• high family conflict

• mother-daughter co-rumination or co-rumination with friends

• less contact with friends, more experiences of rejection

depression protective factorss

positive parenting, emotional support, education support

supportive friendships

depression treatment

cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) and family therapy

possibly combined with antidepressant medications

When do suicide attempts often occur

when the symptoms of depression appear to be subsiding ( depressions doesn’t allow sufficient energy to follow through, so when depression gets better, the energy is sufficient to follow through)

is the suicide rate higher in adolescents or emerging adults?

emerging adults

what gender is more likely to attempt suicide

females

what gender is more likely to die by suicide

males ( tend to attempt more lethal means)

causes of suicide

• feelings of hopelessness, low self-esteem, high self-blame

• experienced abuse, maltreatment, or neglect

• bullying, peer victimization, peer conflict

• lack of supportive friendships

family life causes of suicide

unstable, unhappy, chaotic, high in conflict, low in warmth, little emotional nurturance, and pressure for achievement.

• may make them less abe to deal with life stressors

U.S. children obese rates

children are more likely to be overweight than their counterparts in most other countries

who are more likely to be overweight, emerging adults or adolescents

emerging adults

identical twins and weight

even if raised apart, identical twins have similar weight

lifestyle factors of obesity

declining physical activity, use of energy-saving devices, fast food consumption, sleep deprivation

recommendations for obesity

• give kids choices

• engage in physical activities as a family

• eath healthy family meals together regularly

• be a good role model

• reduce screen time

anorexia nervosa

a clinically significant level of being underweight

• intense fear of gaining weight

• cognitive distortion ( of body shape/size)whe

bulimia nervosa

binge eating followed by purging (self-induced vomiting or laxatives)

when does anorexia nervosa often begin

early to middle adolescence

when does bulima nervosa often begin

often begins late adolescence or early adulthood

Binge Eating Disorder

frequent binge eating (but without purging)

in what gender are eating disorders more common

females

characteristics of most individuals with anorexia

white adolescent or young adult females from well-educated, middle- and upper-income families; competitive and high-achieving

associated factors in eating disorders

• intensely concerned about how others perceive them

• genetic susceptibility to mental illness

• the problem in family functioning

• cultural influences