Dr. D. VIJAYA RANI Associate Professor of Home Science V.V.Vanniaperumal College for Women

1. ADOLESCENTS
Dr. D. VIJAYA RANI
Associate Professor of Home Science
V.V.Vanniaperumal College for Women
Virudhunagar - 626 001

2. INTRODUCTION - ADOLESCENCE
 Adolescence comes from a Latin word which
means, ‘to grow to maturity’. Maturity not only
involves physical growth but also mental growth.
 On the physical side, it means the attainment of
mature stature, the acquisition of physical
features, characteristics of a mature individual and
the development of the sex apparatus to make
procreation possible.
 Mentally a mature individual is one whose
intelligence has reached its maximum growth.

3. INTRODUCTION - ADOLESCENCE
 Adolescence is the period of transition between
childhood and adulthood. It is a period when rapid
physiological changes take place and demands for
new social roles.
 The adolescents, due to these changes often face a
number of crises and dilemmas.
 Adolescent has traditionally been viewed as
beginning with the onset of puberty, a rapid spurt
in physical growth accompanied by sexual
maturation and as ending when individuals
assume the responsibilities associated with adult
life-marriage, entry into workforce and so on.

4. AGE OF ADOLESCENCE
 The period of adolescence begins from the onset
of puberty and ends by about 20 years when he
becomes an adult. This period is also called as
teenage. A teenager is a person between the ages
of 13 and 19.
 Adolescence begins with the onset of
physiologically normal puberty, and ends when an
adult identity and behaviour are accepted.
 This period of development corresponds roughly
to the period between the ages of 10 and 19 years,
which is consistent with the World Health
Organization’s definition of adolescence.

5. AGE OF ADOLESCENCE
 The stage of adolescence may be categorised into
early adolescence and late adolescence. Early
adolescence period extends from the time of
puberty to the age of sixteen.
 The importance of this period is that physical
changes of adolescence begins and get completed.
 The period of late adolescence extends from the
age of sixteen to twenty. During this period the
adolescent prepares himself to become an adult.

6. CHARACTERISTICS OF ADOLESCENT
i) A transitional period
During this period, the status of the
individual is vague and he is confused about
the roles he is expected to play. He is neither a
child nor an adult.
ii) A period of change
The rate of change in attitudes and behaviour
during adolescence parallels the rate of
physical change.

7. CHARACTERISTICS OF ADOLESCENT
iii) A dreaded age
Acceptance of the teenager as a sloppy, unreliable,
irresponsible individual who is inclined toward
destructiveness and antisocial behaviour.
It leads adults to guide and supervise him and be
unsympathetic in their attitude toward him.
iv) A time of unrealism
The unrealistically high aspirations, the young
adolescent has for himself, for his family and for his
friends are in part responsible for some of the
heightened emotionality of early adolescence.

8. CHARACTERISTICS OF ADOLESCENT
v) The threshold of adulthood
As he approaches maturity, he is anxious to create the
impression that he is no longer a teenager but rather is on the
threshold of adulthood.
vi) It is an ambiguous status
There is confusion about the roles the individual is expected to
play.
vii) It is a problem age
Adolescent problems have been largely attributed to physical,
psychical, emotional states arising from conditions within the
organisms.
viii) Search for identity
Adolescents begin to crave for identity and status

9. CHARACTERISTICS OF ADOLESCENT
ix) Increased social relationships and contacts
The social circle of an adolescent is very wide contrary
to childhood, becomes interested in opposite sex.
Believes in making intimate friendship and attaches
himself closely to a group.
x) Phase of unstability
Unstable in emotions, behaviour and attitudes.
xi) Stage of self consciousness
Adolescents have feelings of uneasiness with regard to
how he appears to others. It occurs whenever he is the
centre of attention. They are anxious about their physical
changes, and abilities.

10. CHARACTERISTICS OF ADOLESCENT
xii) Stage with eminent growth spurts
Healthier period than either childhood or adulthood.
xiii) Period of demanding adjustments
It is a period demanding significant adjustments to the
physical and social changes which distinguish childhood
from adult behaviour.
xiv) Urge for risk taking behaviour / glandular changes
The physiological and bodily changes that occur at this
time are due to increased output of the gonadotropic
hormones of the anterior pituitary gland. This gland,
located in the brain, governs and controls the hormone
balance of the body.

11. PROBLEMSDURING ADOLESCENCE
 The physical and psychological
characteristics of adolescents and the nature of
developmental tasks which they are expected to
perform often pose certain challenges and
problems for adjustment. Basically adolescents
face problems related to their home, school and
society.

12. Common problems during adolescence
Self related
 Body image, Pimples,
 Complexion
 ,Eating disorders, Body changes
 Moodiness, Touchiness, Anger
 Hypersensitivity
 Feeling of rebel
 Crushes
 Infatuation
 Day dreams
 personality

13. Common problems during adolescence
Home related
 Authoritative parenting
 Poor rapport with parents
 Lack of communication
 Low socio-economic background
 Non-conducive atmosphere
 Space constraint
 Comparison with others

14. Common problems during adolescence
School related
 Strict teachers
 Partial treatment
 Closed school atmosphere
 Not acceptable classmates
 Poor marks
 Too much of homework
 No co-curricular participation
 Long school hours

15. Common problems during adolescence
Society related
 Gender bias, caste
 related problem
 Generation gap
 Orthodox practices
 Repressive atmosphere
 Over expectations
 Lack of friends

16. BIOLOGICAL TRANSITIONS
 This is a period of rapid physical development.
 Adolescents grow both in height and weight, with the
increase in height occurring first.
 During the whole period of adolescence the height increases
by 25 percent and weight increases by 50 percent.
 In girls the adolescent growth spurt or rapid physical
development begins between the ages of 8and 11 and reaches
a peak at an average of 22 years.
 The growth spurt in boys generally begins later than it does in
girls and lasts for a longer time.
 It begins between the ages of eleven and fourteen and reaches
a peak at about age fifteen.

17. BIOLOGICAL TRANSITIONS
 A growth hormone released by the pituitary
gland is responsible for the rapid growth at
the beginning of adolescence.
 The gonads-the ovaries in the female and the
testes in the male are stimulated by
hormones secreted by the adrenal gland and
the pituitary.
 The primary sexual characteristics and
secondary sexual characteristics result from
the action of growth hormones.

18. Primary sex characteristics
 In males the testes grow rapidly during the first
year or two of puberty. Shortly after that testis
begins to develop, the penis starts to grow in
length and the seminal ducts and prostate gland
enlarge.
 The female uterus fallopian tube and vagina
grow rapidly through puberty. The ovaries
produce ova and secrete the hormones needed
for pregnancy, menstruation and the
development of secondary sex characteristics.

19. Secondary sex characteristics
 The secondary sex characteristics - breasts, body hair, voice
change, etc. appear in puberty,
 pubic hair and under arm hair appear in both boys and girls.
 In boys, hair also appears on face, arms, legs and shoulders
and later on chest.
 The skin becomes coarser and thicker during puberty and
pores enlarge.
 The sebaceous or fatty glands in the skin become active and
produce an oily secretion.
 In boys deepening of the voice is noticed.
 In girls changes in the shape and size of hip is observed,
which grows wider and rounded soon after her breasts begin
to grow.

20. Motor Development
 Motor performances reach its peak during
adolescence in girls at about 15 years and in
boys at about 18 years.
 Sex differences in motor activities become
apparent during early adolescent years.
 These differences between the sexes is not
because of difference in learning capabilities,
but because of anatomical difference,
different socialization and related interests
and motivation.

21. SOCIAL TRANSITIONS
 Relationship with peers
 Adolescents are very much influenced
by peer group. Their behaviour and
attitude are affected by peers.
 The style of clothing, musical tastes,
the language, vocabulary etc. are to a
great extent influenced by peers.
 Peer group provides the standard
against which he compares his
behaviour and develop a behavioural
pattern.

22. THANK YOU