A. Biophysical
a. Adolescents generally experience rapid physical growth, such as a significant increase in height and body weight.
b. Show changes in the physical appearance, such as the development of breast and changes in body shapes, which are most noticeable in females (Papathanasiou & Lahana, n.d).
c. Change in voice
d. Growth of body and facial hair (Stand & Story, 2005)
e. Improved muscle strength
B. Psychological
a. Strong desire to become part of a group
b. They want to develop their own identity (McNeely & Blanchard, 2009)
c. Adolescents always want to look good
d. They feel the pressure in adjusting to this growing up period (Cohen,n.d).
e. The feeling of awkwardness and insecurity, such that they often tend to check and compare themselves to others (Ruffin, 2009)
C. Social
a. Adolescents seek for more independence
b. They communicate in a rather different way
c. They start to explore romantic relationships (American Psychological Association, 2002).
d. They tend to be easily influenced by their peers, especially when it comes to their outfit, manner of speaking and behavior
e. Adolescents are always looking for adventure, by going out with friends
A. Biophysical
The adolescent period is a time of rapid physical growth and development such that their bodies are subjected to different changes. In fact, the rapid increase in height and weight is one among the most notable changes among teenagers. Based on the observation of adolescents, age 11 to 21, it was found that young people within this group manifest rapid physical growth, though, these changes are exhibited in different time periods. There are those who experienced immediate growth when they were only 12, while there are adolescents who achieve the same at a later age. In the same way, adolescents who were subjected to the observation showed changes in their physical appearance, that is, girls tend to develop curves, and boys develop a deeper voice.
Further, in my observation, the boys tend to grow facial hair, however, this was not always the case with all of them. It was interesting to note that the physical changes that happen among the subject of my observation occurred at a varying time in their lives, which indicates that each adolescent attain physical maturity at different times.
The period from 11 to 21 years of age is also a time where the youngsters develop their muscle strengths. This is true among the adolescents who were the subject of my observation, they engage in sports that involve intense physical exertion. While their physique have not yet fully attain its full frame, they showed signs of enormous energy in the majority of their physical activities. This is especially so among the males, who were fond of playing strenuous sports such as basketball. On the other hand, while the females also showed an improved physique, only a few wanted to be involved in vigorous activities, though they demonstrate an energetic body by being more active in other undertakings such as going out with friends and being an active member of different groups.
B. Psychological
As part of their overall development, adolescents also manifest many psychological changes in the process. They manifest strong yearning to belong to a group, they need to develop and be their own person, always wanting to look good, yet they feel the pressures and anxiety associated with growing up. In many instances, they manifest certain feelings of awkwardness which prompts them to keep checking and comparing themselves to other youngsters.
Based on my observation, adolescents do have a strong desire to belong, particularly to groups of their own age. In many cases, they spend considerable time hanging out with their peers, more than the time spent with family members. A closer look reveals that teenage boys and girls tend to choose their friends who share the same interests, and hobbies. In addition to that, adolescents in this particular observation wanted to be known for something that they are good at, be it through their participation is sports and other organizational activities. This can be attributed to their want to develop their own identity, which gives them the confidence in dealing with others. This confidence is also associated with their want to always look good; as noted, adolescents have the tendency to compare themselves to others, and it is observed that a positive self image often reduces the anxiety associated with the growing up period.
When comparing the milestones to the noted characteristics of adolescents, it was found that the majority have feelings of insecurity in them. While it was not readily manifested, some of those who were observed showed some signs of insecurity. For instance, they were always anxious about what they wear and how people perceive them, thus they want to make sure that they belong to a certain group to avoid being considered as an outcast.
C. Social
Adolescents also have to go through social changes along the way. Some of these changes are a) their want for more independence (Caskey & Anfara, 2014), b) adoption of different form or way of communicating, c) the initiation of engaging in romantic relationships (Scherf et al, 2011), d) the manifestation of an attitude or thinking that is easily influenced by their peers, and e) a personality that is always looking for an adventure. These social manifestations are considered as a sign of growing up, and an indication of learning to be independent as an adult.
In my observation, teenagers often demonstrate a sign of wanting to be independent from their parents, especially in the presence of their friends. Further, they also communicate in a rather different ways, such as in using a different language when having a conversation within their age group. They also start to engage in romantic relationships, and this includes showing interest towards the opposite sex. The group of adolescents in my observation also showed that they are largely influenced by their friends, and that they share the same set of values and beliefs with them.
References
American Psychological Association. (2002). A reference for professionals developing adolescents. Washington, DC.
Caskey, M., & Anfara, V. (2014). Developmental characteristics of young adolescents. Retrieved from http://www.amle.org/BrowsebyTopic/WhatsNew/WNDet/TabId/270/ArtMID/888/ArticleID/455/Developmental-Characteristics-of-Young-Adolescents.aspx
Cohen, M. (n.d.). Adolescence: 11-21 years. Albert Einstein College of Medicine.
McNeely, C., & Blanchard, J. (2009). The teen years explained: A guide to healthy adolescent development. John Hopkins.
Papathanasiou, I., & Lahana, E. (n.d.). Adolescence, sexuality and sexual education. Health Science Journal.
Ruffin, N. (2009). Adolescent growth and development. Communications and Marketing, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University,.
Scherf, S., Behrmann, M., & Dahl, R. (2011). Facing changes and changing faces in adolescence: A new model for investigating adolescent-specific interactions between pubertal, brain and behavioral development. Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience.
Stang, J., & Story, M. (2005). Adolescent growth and development.Guidelines for Adolescent Nutrition Services.
