Kail_8e_Ch09_PPT

Chapter Nine: Moving into the Adult Social World: Socioemotional Development in Adolescence

© 2019 Cengage. All rights reserved.

9.1 Identity & Self-Esteem: Learning Objectives

• Understand how adolescents achieve identity

• Identify stages and results of acquiring ethnic identity

• Analyze changes in self-esteem during adolescence

The Search for Identity

• Erikson's theory on identity achievement vs. identity (role) confusion

  • Adolescents must balance between selecting a single self and trying out many possible selves

  • Develops via formal operational thought involving various roles

    • Strong focus on career roles, romantic interests, friendships, religion, and gender orientation

  • Shift towards self-oriented thought in adolescence

Marcia’s Four Identity Statuses

Characteristics of Adolescents’ Thinking

Ethnic Identity

• Ethnic identity is particularly significant for ethnic minority groups.

  • Involves belonging, understanding customs, and cultural heritage.

• Three phases to achieving ethnic identity:

  • Disinterest

  • Exploration

  • Identity achievement

Self-Esteem in Adolescence

• Typically, self-esteem declines in early elementary years.

  • Gradually increases and stabilizes during adolescence.

• Adolescents develop a nuanced view of self-esteem, distinguishing between social spheres (e.g., family vs. romantic relationships).

• Self-worth can vary with ethnicity and age.

Influences on Adolescents’ Self-Esteem

• Higher self-esteem linked to:

  • Mastery in valued skills

  • Positive parental perceptions and involvement

  • Reasonable expectations and clear communication from parents

  • Positive peer perceptions

Romantic Relationships

• Romantic relationships evolve and become more common during adolescence.

  • Younger adolescents focus on companionship and exploration.

  • Older adolescents seek intimacy, trust, and support in relationships.

• Cultural differences: Latino American and Asian American adolescents tend to date less frequently and at an older age.

Sexual Behavior

• About two-thirds of adolescents engage in sexual activity, influenced by:

  • Sexually permissive attitudes from parents or peers

  • Lack of parental monitoring

  • Peer approval and beliefs about peers' sexual activities

Sexual Behavior in Girls and Boys

• Girls typically view their first sexual partner through a romantic lens, experiencing mixed emotions.

• Boys often describe their first partner casually and hold more positive feelings about sexual activities.

Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs)

• Various STDs categorized by causes:

  • Bacterial (e.g., chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis)

  • Viral (e.g., genital herpes, HPV, hepatitis B, HIV)

• HIV can lead to AIDS, which often results in death due to infections.

• One-third of new AIDS cases occur among teens and young adults often due to risky sexual behaviors.

Teenage Pregnancy and Contraception

• Approximately 1 in 8 U.S. teenagers becomes pregnant.

• Nearly 250,000 babies are born to teen mothers each year.

• Key factors include:

  • Illusions of invulnerability

  • Desire to become pregnant

• Strategies to reduce teen pregnancy include parental involvement and effective sex education.

Sexual Minority Youth

• Experiences of attraction to same-sex individuals vary by gender:

  • Males often feel different early, develop interests in non-conforming activities, and are attracted to males.

  • Females often experience such attractions later, growing from emotional connections.

• Transgender youth transition from treatments to normalization of their identities.

• Assess challenges faced by gay and lesbian youth, including social stigma and mental health issues.

Dating Violence

• 20% of girls and 10% of boys report experiencing dating violence.

• Risk factors for perpetrators include:

  • Harsh parental discipline

  • Poor communication with parents

  • Parental tolerance of violent behaviors

  • Antisocial behaviors and substance abuse tendencies

Harmful Consequences of Dating Violence

• Victims may experience:

  • Depression

  • Antisocial behavior

  • Substance abuse

• Prevention programs can include community workshops and educational workshops on dating abuse.

Career Development

• Crystallization: Shaping career prospects based on talents (ages 13–14).

• Specification: Further narrowing career options through exploration (~age 18).

• Implementation: Entering the workforce and gaining practical job experiences (late adolescence to early 20s).

Personality-Type Theory

• Work satisfaction correlates with fitting one's personality type.

• Holland's six personality prototypes:

  • Realistic

  • Investigative

  • Social

  • Conventional

  • Enterprising

  • Artistic

Personality Types in Holland’s Theory

| Personality Type | Description | Careers ||----------------|- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -|----------------------------------------------------|| Realistic | Enjoy physical labor and solving concrete problems. | Mechanic, construction worker || Investigative | Task-oriented, enjoys abstract thinking. | Scientist, technical writer || Social | Skilled in verbal and interpersonal problem-solving. | Teacher, counselor || Conventional | Likes structured tasks applying verbal and quantitative skills. | Bank teller, traffic manager || Enterprising | Enjoys leadership roles using verbal skills. | Business executive, television producer || Artistic | Prefers self-expression through unstructured tasks. | Poet, musician |

Part-Time Employment

• Majority of American adolescents have part-time jobs.

• Work beyond 15–20 hours/week can lead to negative academic and psychological outcomes.

• Part-time jobs of 5 to 10 hours a week can enhance self-esteem and build skills.

• Summer employment that doesn’t conflict with school demands is beneficial.

Drug Use

• Most adolescents avoid drug use.

• 50% of teenagers consume alcohol, often influenced by their parents and peers.

• Preventative measures are essential to stop habitual drinking.

• Smoking begins predominantly between the sixth and ninth grades; school and community programs can help mitigate this.

Depression

• Adolescent depression can manifest as persistent sadness, irritability, and poor social interactions.

• Causes may include heredity, negative experiences, or feelings of lack of control.

• Affects 5-10% of adolescents and is notably more common among girls.

Depression Risk Factors

• Key risk factors include:

  • Poor emotion regulation

  • Negative self-beliefs

  • Uninvolved or emotionally distant parenting

  • Punitive parental discipline

  • Socioeconomic status (poverty)

  • Neurochemical imbalances (serotonin/norepinephrine)

Treating Depression: Two Approaches

• Antidepressant medications can correct neurotransmitter imbalances but increase suicide risk.

• Therapeutic focus should be on enhancing social interactions.

• Unaddressed depression can impair relationships and academics, increasing future depressive episodes in adults.

Preventing Teen Suicides

• Suicide is less common in girls but more prevalent among older adolescent boys.

• Highest rates found in Native American populations, lowest among Asian and African Americans.

• Warning signs include expressing self-harm intent and discussions of death; immediate intervention is critical.

Delinquency

• Adolescents may exhibit antisocial behavior, often categorized as either adolescent-limited or persistent.

• Life-course persistent behaviors typically emerge early and continue into adulthood.

• Only a small percentage of youth display lifelong antisocial patterns.

Causes of Delinquency: Biology and Cognition

• Influential factors include heredity, temperament, cognitive processing, and family dynamics.

Treatment and Prevention

• Intervention programs should be comprehensive and multifaceted to be effective.

• Strategies to address aggressive behavior include teaching social and academic skills and effective parenting.