ADOLESCENCE

• Ø  THE NATURE OF DEVELOPMENT

  -          Influenced by biological and environmental factors.
• • Ø  PUBERTY is not same is not the same as adolescence. For most of us, puberty ends long before adolescence does, although puberty is the most important marker of the beginning of adolescence.
• Ø  MALE:

  -          Increase in penis and testicle size

   

  -          Appearance of straight pubic hair

   

  -          Minor voice change, first ejaculation

   

  -          Appearance of kinky pubic hair

   

  -          Onset of maximum growth in height and weight

   

  -           Growth of hair in armpits

   

  -           More detectable voice changes

   

  -          And, finally, growth of facial hair.
• -          TESTOSTERONE is a hormone associated in boys with genital development, increased height, and deepening of the voice.
• Ø  BODY IMAGE - Adolescents are preoccupied with their bodies and develop images of what their bodies are like.
• Ø  GENDER DIFFERENCES - characterize adolescents’ perceptions of their bodies. girls are less happy with their bodies and have more negative body images than boys throughout puberty.
• ·         AMYGDALA – the limbic system structure that is especially involved in emotion.

   
• Ø  DEVELOPING A SEXUAL IDENTITY - They involve learning to manage sexual feelings (such as sexual arousal and attraction), developing new forms of intimacy, and learning how to regulate sexual behavior to avoid undesirable consequences.
• Ø  RISK FACTORS IN ADOLESCENT SEXUAL BEHAVIOR

  -          Many adolescents are not emotionally prepared to handle sexual experiences, especially in early adolescence.
• -          Early sexual activity is linked with risky behaviors such as drug use, delinquency, and school-related problems.