Adolescent Development week 8

Secondary schooling

Became a normative part of adolescence in the 20th century, expanding rapidly due to compulsory education laws and economic shifts.

Schooling functions

Include not only academic instruction but also identity formation, socialisation, and preparation for adult roles and employment.

What Makes Schooling Effective?

1. Positive School Climate

2. School Size

3. Student Engagement

School climate

Refers to the quality of relationships and learning environment in a school, with supportive, structured settings linked to higher student engagement.

School size

Influences student experiences, with smaller schools often promoting stronger connections, leadership opportunities, and involvement.

School disengagement

Tends to increase during adolescence, with many students reporting boredom and a lack of psychological investment in learning.

Understanding Academic Achievement

• Socioeconomic status

• Parenting style

• Peer influence

• Gender Differences

Socioeconomic status (SES)

A strong predictor of academic achievement, affecting access to resources and the transmission of cultural and cognitive capital.

Parenting style

Impacts academic outcomes, with authoritative parenting linked to higher achievement due to a combination of warmth and high expectations.

Peer influence

Significantly affects academic attitudes and behaviours, especially when adolescents are surrounded by high-achieving or academically motivated friends.

Gender Differences

Across Western countries:

• Girls consistently outperform boys in most subjects

• Girls are more likely to:

  • Complete high school

  • Be engaged in class

  • Have stronger teacher relationships

  • Show higher intrinsic motivation

However, it is crucial to avoid overgeneralising—there is substantial variability within each gender.

Cultural and socioeconomic context

Influences adolescent work, with some families encouraging paid work for financial contribution and others prioritising academic achievement.

Potential Benefits (under 15–20 hours/week during school terms)

• Improved time-management, confidence, financial literacy, and autonomy

• Opportunities for early career exploration and vocational identity development

• Common motivators include:

  • Earning money

  • Gaining experience

  • Contributing to family savings or future goals 

Potential Risks (over 20 hours/week)

• Increased stress, fatigue, and reduced academic performance

• Lower engagement in extracurricular and family life

• Poor sleep hygiene and declining motivation

• Elevated risks in unsupervised, repetitive, or unsafe work environments

Work quality

Plays a key role in outcomes, with supportive and skill-building environments fostering confidence, while exploitative or unsafe conditions can be harmful.

Role Strain and Balance

Balancing school, work, family, and social life can lead to stress arising from competing demands. Outcomes depend on:

• Hours worked

• Job quality

• Individual resilience

• Support from families, schools, and employers

Vocational identity

Begins to form through work experiences during adolescence, helping individuals explore and clarify future career interests and values.

Legal protections

for adolescent workers in Australia regulate hours and conditions, but enforcement is uneven, making work safety education critical for supporting positive employment experiences.

Holland’s vocational personality types

Categorise individuals into six career-related profiles—realistic, investigative, social, conventional, enterprising, and artistic—to help match personality with suitable work environments.

Donald Super’s Career Development Theory

1. Growth (birth–14)

2. Exploration (15–24)

3. Establishment (25–44)

4. Maintenance (45–64)

5. Disengagement (65+)

Adolescence is primarily situated in the Exploration stage, where individuals:

• Investigate career options

• Align education and experiences with emerging values and interests

Non-linear career paths

Are increasingly common, with most young Australians expected to change careers multiple times, requiring adaptability and a focus on transferable skills.

The “Forgotten Half”

Not all students pursue higher education. Those who enter the workforce directly:

• Often face precarious employment, lower wages, and limited support

• Are overrepresented in casual or underemployment

This has prompted policy focus on equitable vocational preparation.

(Apprenticeships and Traineeships; Career Education in Schools)

Influencer careers

Have become increasingly popular among adolescents, driven by desires for flexibility, visibility, and creative expression, though these roles also carry hidden demands.

Identity-based work

A growing career aspiration among adolescents, characterised by seeking roles aligned with personal passions and values rather than traditional measures of stability or prestige.