When you go through adolescence you change in many ways; most common is the biological or physical change that your body endures known as ‘puberty’. Girls normally reach the start of puberty first at around the age of 10 during which stage they may experience their first menstruation, whereas, boys tend to develop later, by about 14 years of age, by which time will have encountered their first ejaculation. Additionally, these biological changes are also linked to the physical transformation of the child, for instance, the upsurge of height, breasts maturing, increase in body hair and the final expansion of internal organs. Child Psychologist, Jean Piaget emphasised on the process of maturation and believed that by the ‘formal operational stage’, between 11 – 15 years of age, or during puberty stage, children can only then have the ability to think theoretically. Furthermore, Elkind classified the concept of the ‘imaginary audience’ which adolescents envisaged. This suggested that children became very self-conscience and got the impression that everyone everywhere was watching them.
Two main theories have been illustrated in an attempt to understand and describe ‘adolescence’ – psychoanalysis, developed by Freud who concluded that adolescence was a time of sexual desires and regression back to childhood. The sociological theory suggests that the confusion and experiences of adolescents are linked to society and the inconsistent diverse social influences, values and norms.
As pre-adolescents begin the rapid physical, emotional and social changes, they begin to question the need for parental guidance and find it reassuring to turn to their friends or peers who not only understand or sympathize with them but could also be going through the same situation of change. During adolescence, peers can play a large part in a teenager’s life and typically replace family. Although, some parents perceive peer relationships to be harmful, this can be seen as a source of support to the teenager. During this stage, the 2 primary developmental tasks of adolescence is trying to find their own identity or ‘who they are’ and discovering that they can be independent from their parents.
Rutter et al (1976) surveyed the entire population of the Isle of Wight and found that although ‘adolescent turmoil’ was 3 times as much higher in teenagers with deviant scores, he showed that the average adolescent is not in major conflict with their parents even though there appears to be some form of turmoil. Rutter concluded “adolescent turmoil is a fact, not a fiction, but its psychiatric importance has probably been over-estimated in the past”, cited in ‘Understanding Children’s Development’, Smith, Cowie & Blades.
Margaret Mead (1928) studied the ‘Manu’ adolescent girls in relation to American girls in Western Samoa and concluded in her book ‘Coming of Age in Samoa’ that culture influenced personality or inner turmoil during adolescence rather than genetics or biology. However, Mead’s work has been widely critisicised especially by Derek Freeman who believed that Mead’s research was false, as her friends had confessed to hoaxing Mead during her study.
“Adolescence is the period of experiencing and resolving the turbulence which is set into action by the biological process of puberty”. Cited in ‘Problems of Adolescence’ by A.H.Williams.
