Preadolescence spans ages 7 to 12 and is marked by slower physical growth and development of sophisticated logic and reasoning abilities. School and peers become highly influential. The key developmental tasks are industry versus inferiority. Adolescence begins at puberty around ages 11 to 13 and is characterized by physical maturity, identity development, and reliance on peers. Cognitively, formal operations emerge. Key tasks include developing identity versus role confusion. Risk-taking can occur if identity is weak. Health concerns include nutrition, safety, and risky sexual behaviors. Transition to adulthood gradually separates youth from parental dependence.

1. Pre-Adolescence and
Adolescence
Lesson 5 HG and D

2. Learning targets
• Identify and describe developmental tasks of
these preadolescence and adolescence.
• Establish knowledge of health concerns in
each age group.

3. Preadolescence

4. An In-Between Stage
• Pre-Adolescence may also be called latency or
middle childhood.
– The rapid period of change from early childhood
and infancy slows significantly.
– This is roughly from age 7 to 12 (later grade school
and middle school aged kids)

5. Key Points
• School and Same Gender Peers are the biggest
social influences.
• Praise of success from both parents, role
models and peers is important for
socioemotional development.
• Logic, Morals and Reasoning become much
more sophisticated.

6. Changes in Physical Development
• Physically, growth slows from earlier in
childhood.
– Growth averages about 5 to 7 lbs. per year, and 2-
3 inches in height.
• Slower growth allows for more sophisticated
physical coordination.
– Children in this age group have well established
motor skills. May be able to ride bikes, play team
sports, etc.
– Fine motor skills continue to refine, faster in girls.

7. Cognitive Development: Piaget’s
Stages
• Concrete Operational:
– Children in this stage of reasoning can easily
understand and analyze events and concepts that are
represented physically or in their reality.
– Can apply some abstract concepts, but not fully
understand or integrate (ex: time).
– Tend to solve problems in a one dimensional manner.
– Have awareness of other’s points of view.
– Can engage in inductive reasoning and reversibility.

8. Socioemotional Development:
Erikson’s Task
• Industry VS Inferiority
– Major event in life is school or other peer group
association such as church, sports, etc.
– Children in this age group are driven to “fit in”, to be
accepted and praised for meeting expectations.
– If children do not meet this task, they may struggle
with relationships and challenges in the future due to
fear of rejection.
• Primary focus is on approval from same gender
peers.
– Play continues to be a social learning tool, and group
play is common.

9. Socioemotional Development: Kohlberg’s
Moral Development
• Continue to be in the stage of Preconventional
Moral Reasoning:
– Most moral reasoning based on consequences of
actions rather than social expectations or abstract
ideas of morality.
– Begin to see the “grey scale” of morality as it
exists in the world.
• Recognize multiple authorities on different levels and
identify that “rules” are not always the same in every
setting.

10. Shift to Adolescence
• Occurs at the beginning or puberty (earlier in
girls than boys) usually around ages 11 to 13.
– Become more interested in opposite sex
relationships
– Begin to seek self “identity”
– Shift further away from caregivers to peer group
for social exploration, approval and acceptance.

11. Adolescence

12. Key Points:
• Puberty Happens.
– Sexual maturity develops during this time.
• Can lead to emotional issues about body image, etc. (Not
just girls)
• Struggle with identity socially/emotionally
– Straddling the line between child and adult is difficult
and often leads to conflict with caregivers.
• Interest in romantic relationships occurs
– Also seeks deeper friendships with peers
– Relies on peers for emotional support

13. Physical Development
• The hormonal changes that occur at the onset
of puberty have several consequences:
– Rapid growth: will reach adult size by age 20
(earlier in women)
– Sexual Maturity: onset of menses in women,
changes in physical appearance (secondary sex
characteristics) in both
– Clumsiness or Awkwardness: result of rapid
growth and brain’s failure to adjust to changes in
body.

14. Puberty
Women
• On set of ovulation and
menstrual cycle
• Development of wider hips,
breasts
• Changes in body fat
distribution that changes
body shape
• Growth of body hair
Men
• Maturation of sexual organs
and begin production of
sperm.
• Body changes to have more
muscle mass, broader
shoulders.
• Voice deepens, body and
facial hair

15. Cognitive Development: Piaget’s
Stages
• Formal Operation Stage:
– Begins early in adolescence and matures
throughout early adulthood
– Marked by a grasp of abstract concepts, higher-
order logical reasoning.
– Can problem solve in several dimensions, and/or
without physical representations.
– Can make predictions and inferences based on
new knowledge and past experience.

16. Socioemotional Development: Erikson's
Task
• Identity Vs. Role Confusion
– Uses peer group to explore sense of self
– May feel need to assert that they are different from
parents, etc.
– Seek approval of peers
– Self expression is important to establish identity.
– Those who do not successfully establish and settle
into self identity may have issues making confident
decisions about the future, relationships, etc. due to
lack of confidence.
– This all builds on tasks from earlier in childhood.

17. Socioemotional Development: Kohlberg’s
Stages
• By mid to late adolescence, will reach the
stage of Conventional Moral Reasoning:
– At this point, the person has internalized some of
societies and caregivers expectations of behavior
– Recognize the failure to act morally leads to
difficulty socially.
– Begin to understand how greater social structure
and function relies on law and order.

18. Socioemotional Development: Peer
Relationships and Sexuality
• Mixed gender peer interaction becomes more
common throughout adolescence.
– Seek approval from peers, both same and
opposite gender.
• Biology (puberty) creates a natural
development of sexual attraction.
– Orientation usually becomes evident at this point.

19. Speed Bumps in Adolescence
• Body Image Issues:
– Rapid changes and need for
peer approval often creates
self consciousness with
appearance that can lead to
problems.
– May feel shame/confusion
related to new sexual
feelings.
• Independence/Dependence
Balance:
– Conflict with caregivers over
boundaries, self expression
are common. Must find
medium between parental
control and independence
• High Risk Behavior:
– Especially in people with poor
self image or week identity,
tend to engage in riskier
activity.
– Made worse by adolescences'
inability to accurately assess
risk.

20. Health Concerns
• Nutrition and Healthy Lifestyle
are still important.
– Modeled at home.
– Eating disorders are most
common in young women with
poor self esteem.
• Safety: high risk behavior is
common, especially with cars
and recreational activities.
– Studies show that teens are not
able to accurately assess risk
until early twenties.
– Teens have a high rate of
depression and suicide (closely
related to social setting and self
esteem).
• Social and Sexual Behavior:
– Also related to high risk
behavior.
– Teens are likely to
experiment with
substances, high risk
sexual behavior
(unprotected) without
considering consequences.
– Studies show adequate
adult/role model guidance
and support will reduce
pressure felt to conform to
these behaviors. Also
those with low self esteem
are more likely to engage.

21. Transition to Young Adulthood
• Prolonged in our culture:
– Adult children often remain financially dependent on
parents well into twenties.
– May not move out of parents home until marriage.
• Transition is gradual:
– Small steps such as getting a job, moving in with a
room mate, graduating from college, getting married,
etc. are ways that we slow loosen our connection with
childhood “home” and build our own “home.”