Adolescence

 Adolescence (9-18) 

Physical changes  

• Moving from a child to an adult is a controlled by hormone changes and puberty development  

• Self-image  

• Relationships  

• Social image  

• Puberty  

• Personal experiences  

• Hormones can cause mood changes and contribute to child or young adult challenges facing parents and their teen, teens and their parents/carers  

• Puberty, a key stage of adolescent, is the period when a child's body changes, leading to sexual maturity and fertility.  

• These changes are driven by hormones and include both physical and emotional development.  

• Puberty typically begins between the ages of 8 and 14 and can last up to 4 years. 

• Hormones  

• During adolescence, the hormones primarily control the development of sexual characteristics are testosterone and oestrogen. 

• Hormones are secreted into the blood stream and travel to targeted areas 

Primary sexual changes  

• Primary sexual characteristics are organs and cells that are present at birth but don’t develop until puberty. 

• These characteristics becomes functional and mature due to hormonal changes during puberty. 

Secondary sexual changes 

• Secondary sexual characteristics are changes that develop during puberty making a transition from a child to an adult. 

Puberty health problems  

• Undescended testicle 

• Severe period pain  

• Polycystic ovaries  

• In growing hairs  

• Acne 

Growth spurt chart, shows that in the first 2 years of life the child is growing fast, but after that it evens out and children grow the same rate every year until girls are around 11 and boys are around 13. For 3 to 4 years the child keeps growing; girls usually stop growing at 15-16 while boys at 19-21. 

Stress impact  

Causes of stress  

• Starting work 

• Worrying about relationships  

• Pressures of exams 

• Driving tests 

• Arguments with parents  

• Starting sixth form  

Physical effects of stress 

• Headaches  

• Muscle tension  

• Lack of sleep 

• High blood pressure fatigue  

• Digestive issues 

• Rapid weight change  

Intellectual  

• Language  

• Memory 

• Problem solving 

• Creative thinking  

• Morals  

Abstract ideas 

Abstract thinking is a key milestone in cognitive development 

• Creating things 

• Solve problems that are not physically present  

• Understand concepts  

• Form theories  

• Put things in perspective  

• Hypothesise about what might happen 

• Reason 

• Social and moral reasoning 

• Developing own moral compass 

• Develop understanding of justice and fairness 

• Considering multiple perspectives 

• Appreciate other viewpoints 

• Enhanced cognitive control  

• Decision making is closely linked to risk taking which adolescents should be supported to do. Healthy risk taking is a huge part of growing up 

Education  

Most will be in formal education, studying for GCSE, A Levels/BTEC. Language skills will continue to develop; larger vocabulary, greater understanding, complex knowledge and get your viewpoint across easily. 

Formal education allows for; 

• Problem solving skills  

• Logical processes to find solutions  

Mental health  

• Adolescents need to be taught to identify early signs of ill mental health 

• Emotional resilience – overcoming challenges  

• Understanding of emotional well-being – manage own emotions  

• Positive relationships – healthy connections  

• Well-being strategies – manage stress, relaxation techniques 

Emotional  

• Self-identity  

• A strong sense of identity is associated with positive self-esteem, confidence and well-being 

• Self-concept is the broader framework – what they know about themself 

• Influences – social interactions, family, media, personal experiences, peers, and achievements 

• Self-esteem – how much you value and like yourself. Positives would feel good about themselves and happy to face challenges. Negatives would feel as if they were inadequate and undervalued. 

• Abilities  

• Qualities as a person 

• Self-image  

• Refers to how they perceive themselves and how they think others see them 

• Factors the commonly influence self-concept in adolescence  

Own identity  

Developing one's own identity in adolescence means establishing a sense of who they are, including their values, beliefs, affiliations, and goals. 

• Gender identity  

• Sexual preference 

• Vocational aspirations  

• Forming an understanding of your place in society  

• Personal values and beliefs 

• Religion/culture 

• Diet  

It is a journey of self-exploration. 

Social media  

• On average adolescents spend 4.8 hours on social media 

• Social media can negatively impact on self-concept 

Negatives of social media 

• Comparing yourself to others 

• Low self-esteem 

• Inadequate 

• Poor/distorted self-image 

• Constantly seeking validation 

• Anxiety/depression/stress 

• Can lead to envy and jealousy 

• Social media portrays unrealistic role models (edited/filtered images) which is impossible to live up to 

Drug experimentation – drug usage can lead to emotional problems such as; 

• Depression  

• Psychosis 

• Paranoia  

• Schizophrenia  

• Anxiety  

Intimate relationships involve more than just physical attraction, but a trusting bond, acceptance, belonging, and acceptance.  

• Feel close to somebody  

• First love is intense  

• When relationships breakdown teenagers can feel devastated  

Social 

• Bullying  

• Sibling rivalry  

• Peer pressure  

• Conflict resolution  

Bullying is repetitive, persistent, unwanted attention and actions. It makes others feel hurt and fear, either physically or emotionally.  

Common reasons why bullying happens; 

• Religion/culture/ beliefs or colour of skin  

• Sexual preference or transgender 

• Physical appearance  

• Clothing  

• Intellectual ability  

• Postcode or street area 

• Family name of background  

Effects of bullying; 

• Isolation  

• Withdrawal 

• No confidence  

• Low self-esteem 

• Fear 

• Embarrassed  

• Depression  

• Suicide  

• Self-harm  

Long term emotional scarring and damage.  

Missing schools can lead to poorer qualifications; this could mean missed opportunities.  

Sibling rivalry  

Parents sometimes compare children. This creates sibling rivalry. Leading to conflict in the home. Children who are exposed to conflict are more likely to behave aggressively and display traits of bullying towards other children.  

Peer pressure is common in adolescence due to; 

• Desire to fit in 

• Need to be accepted 

• Wanting to belong 

Peer pressure can be negative or positive 

Conflict resolution  

Adolescence now has the skills to navigate disagreements. 

• Active listening  

• Understanding emotions  

• Emotional regulation  

• Know when to walk away 

• This can strengthen relationships 

C2.1 Vaccines  

Three vaccines are routinely offered to young people as part of a long-standing programme to protect them from serious preventable diseases:  

• The HPV vaccine to protect against some cancers  

• MenACWY vaccine to prevent meningitis and septicaemia  

• 3 in 1 booster, tetanus, diphtheria and polio 

• Schools' immunisation programme allows large proportion of adolescence to be vaccines easily 

Risk to health  

• Smoking/vaping  

• Alcohol  

• Drugs 

• Sexually transmitted diseases  

Smoking  

Smoking significantly harms the lungs 

• Leads to inflammation  

• Damage to airways and air sacs 

• Increased risk of various lung diseases and conditions, such as COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) and lung cancer 

The scale  

Smoking is the leading cause of preventable illness and premature death in England. Half of all lifelong smokers dying prematurely, losing on average around 10 years of life. In 2016, there were around 78,000 deaths attributable to smoking, representing 16% of all deaths across the UK. 

How do cigarettes affect the body? 

• Affects teeth (tooth decay) 

• Effects the nose (sense of smell) 

• Damages the cilia  

• Nicotine affects dna  

• Weaken bones 

The cost  

• Tabacco product the average pack of 20 cigarettes cost £16.45 

• £13.71 after VAT and 6.69 duty tax = pack of 20 £7.02 

Cigarette packaging requirements  

• Not visible in shops  

• Increase age to 18  

Support to quit  

NHS stop smoking services: providing free, tailored support for smokers who want to quit, including behavioural support and medication (varenicline and bupropion). They give one-to-one support to an advisor.  

Smoking cessation aids: offering nicotine replacement therapy, prescription medications like varenicline and e-cigarettes. 

Quit smoking apps: providing a digital resource to help smokers quit. 

Local stop smoking groups: offering support through local health and community settings.  

Vaping  

• Nicotine is contained in e-liquid 

• Increases HR and BP 

• Highly addictive  

• Contains cancer causing agents  

• Popcorn lungs  

• Target market (teens) 

Short-term side effects 

• Cough  

• Shortness of breath 

• Eye irritation  

Long-term 

• Lung disease  

• Heart disease 

Cannabis  

Smoking marijuana can lead to various health problems, including lung damage and mental health issues like anxiety or depression.  

Impaired cognitive functions and affect motor skills. 

Can reduce sperm count in men and suppress ovulation in women. 

15–24-year-olds are the biggest users of cannabis (17.3%). 

One is three 17-year-olds have tried cannabis. One in ten have tried harder drugs (cocaine, ecstasy, ketamine). 

Alcohol  

Short-term risks  

• Alcohol poisoning 

• Accidents 

• Digestive issues 

Long-term 

• Heart disease 

• Liver disease 

• Cancers 

• Memory and ability to learn 

• Decision making  

• 4x more likely to become addicted 

The UK chief medical officers recommend that to keep health risks from alcohol to a low level, both men and women should not regularly drink mor than 14 units per week. It is advised to spread this consumption over three or more days and include several alcohol-free days. 

Binge drinking dangers 

• Sick  

• Unpredictable behaviours  

• Judgement is impaired  

• Suffering from headaches  

• Dehydrated  

• Higher incidence in adolescence  

Education  

Organisations who aim to educate people about the health risks of drinking alcohol excessively.  

• Alcohol Change UK 

• DrinkAware 

• Alcohol Health Alliance UK 

• Alcoholics Anonymous 

• Drinkline 

Drugs  

Why might an adolescent take drugs? 

• Mental health  

• Peer pressure 

• Curiosity  

• Role models take drugs 

• Offered it 

Consequences of drugs 

• Weight loss and malnutrition  

• Sleep problems 

• Lung disease 

• Cardiovascular disease  

• Cancer or a stroke 

Males statistically more likely to become dependent on drugs and alcohol. Higher levels of testosterone link to increased risk of risker behaviour.  

Sexual health  

Adolescent sexual health encompasses the physical, mental and social well-being related to sexuality and sexual relationships in adolescence.  

• Sexual activity  

• Understanding relationships 

• Safe sex practices  

• Managing infections  

• Respecting boundaries  

Relationships  

Understanding relationships: this includes understanding consent, healthy relationships, and recognising signs of unhealthy or abusive relationships.  

Personal wellbeing: understanding one’s body, sexual orientation and gender identity and how these relate to overall health and happiness. 

Sexual activity  

Unsafe or ill-informed sexual practices can carry risk  

• Pregnancy (unwanted pregnancy)  

• STDs/STIs 

STI 

Any infection that can be spread through sexual contact.  

Sexual contact  

• Intercourse penetration 

• Physical contact  

• Sexual arousal pleasure causing a fluid exchange  

• Fluids on a sex toy 

Chlamydia  

What is it? 

A common bacterial sexually transmitted infection caused by Chlamydia trachomatis.  

Symptoms  

Most people don’t have symptoms, but if they do, they may appear as; 

• Pain or burning when peeing  

• Unusual vaginal or penile discharge  

• Pain during sex 

Treatment  

• Easily treated with antibiotics  

• Partners should also be treated 

• Avoid sex until treatment is complete 

Long-term consequences  

• Pelvic inflammatory disease  

• Infertility  

• Chronic pelvic pain  

HPV  

What is it? 

Some cause genital warts, others can cause cancer  

Symptoms  

Usually, no symptoms but depends on the type; 

• Genital warts 

• Abnormal pap smear results 

• No visible signs at all 

Treatment  

• No cure for the virus  

• The body often clears HPV on its own 

• HPV vaccine helps prevent the most dangerous types 

Long-term consequences  

• Cervical cancer  

• Anal cancer 

• Throat cancer 

• Penile or vulvar cancer 

Safe sex  

Safe sex will minimise risks of STIs and unplanned pregnancies. It involves using barrier methods like condom during vaginal, anal and oral sex or practicing abstinence. Reduce sexual partners and get regular testing.  

1 Mark Questions

1. Identify one hormone responsible for male puberty. (1 mark)

2. State one physical effect of stress in adolescence. (1 mark)

2 Mark Questions

3. Describe two secondary sexual characteristics that develop in females during puberty. (2 marks)

4. Give two possible effects of bullying on an adolescent’s development. (2 marks)

3 Mark Question

5. Explain three reasons why peer pressure can influence behaviour during adolescence. (3 marks)

4 Mark Question

6. Explain how social media can affect an adolescent’s self-esteem. (4 marks)

5 Mark Question

7. Describe how cognitive development changes during adolescence. (5 marks)

6 Mark Question

8. Explain the short-term and long-term effects of alcohol misuse on adolescents. (6 marks)

8 Mark Extended Answer Question

9. Discuss how puberty can affect an adolescent’s physical, emotional and social development. (8 marks)

8 Mark Applied Scenario Question

10. Jamie is 15 years old and has recently started secondary school. He feels pressured by friends to vape and drink alcohol. He has become withdrawn at home and argues more with his parents.

Discuss the possible impacts of peer pressure on Jamie’s physical, emotional and social development. Suggest ways that support could help him. (8 marks)