INTRODUCTION
During adolescence, the teen shows manifestations of growth as he/she begins to have friends in school
attends parties, goes to doors and koups animate friends with the same on with the opposite ses. These
extmal manifestations et signs of socio-emotional growth which usher in self-knowledge, self-identity,
social relationships, and what scholars see as an intensification of stereotypical gender roles (males tend
to be different from females).
LEARNING OUTCOMES
At the end of this Module, you should be able to:
• identify the socio-smotional changes in the adolescent.
• describe how self-image develops among teens.
• determine the wholesome attitudes and values in teenage friend-ship.
• discern the causes of moral reasoning and feeling, while under-standing religiously-imposed morality.
• recognize the need of the adolescent for freedom and privacy, also known as adolescent
emancipation.
ACTIVITY
Student-teachers share real-life experiences on their personal development as adolescents. The class
may be divided with groups of 5 or 6 to draw up group findings on socio-emotional issues, such as:
(1) Developing self-esteem in the family
(2) Developing self-esteem in school
(3) Friendships during adolescence
(4) Joining eliques (barkadas) and consequences
(5) Intimate same-sex friends
(6) Intimate opposite sex friends
ABSTRACTION
Adolescence, as expressed in the book "The Tale of Two Cities" can be the best of times... the worst of
times. While it is a time of excitement, discovery and joy, it can also open undesirable experiences
related to adolescent anxiety, concerns and troubles Hanging out, frequenting parties, and feeling first
loves are typical to adolescents, but are atypical to other age groups. Meanwhile, juvenile violence and
drug use frequently occur during teenage years. Fortunately, most adolescents go through happy times
and are able to get themselves together to be able to go through the next stage of development in
adulthood through college education.
Self-Understanding
Self-Understanding
Physical and cognitive developments do not come in solation, but are accompanied by growth in self-
image and maturation of feelings among adolescents. The formation of a self-concept is of paramount
significance since this relates to enduring traits that make the person fully human. Inhumanity, as sadly
demonstrated by the egotistic, the cruel and the despotic (think of Herod, Hitler, Stalin, etc.) have
caused much suffering and sadness to mankind in human history.
In early adolescence (10-13 years), the teen begins to acquire a reflective idea of one's self, not only in
terms of the immediate present which younger children also see, but in terms of their past and their
future. During adolescent years, the teen also begins to see his/her role and importance to society. This
development requires self-thought or introspective thinking along generalized ideas, such as in thinking
that one is bright, flexible, intelligent, etc.
From self-image, there is the all important value known as self-esteem. This is an appreciation of who
one is, regardless of possible limitations or deficiencies in bodily and mental qualities. In the end, it
becomes useless and unhealthy to seriously compare ourselves with others in self-pity (e.g. not being as
good looking or not having high class grades as the other fellow). One can only think of unlimited
number of personages who are incomparable in physical traits (such as the beautiful people of the
celebrity world) and in intellectual acumen (Aristotle, Einstein, Bill Gates, etc.). Since the growing youth
ordinarily cannot be these people, making comparisons of self with others is really a futile exercise.
As girls begin to separate themselves form the matrix of emotional connection with their mother (7-11
years), they gain strength and self-confidence, trusting their own feelings and knowledge. They also
begin to engage more freely in sports and the arts with more courage, compe-tence and energy. But at
age 14 (middle adolescence), the danger surfaces for girls to lose their assertiveness, as their personality
becomes more self-conscious and deferential. It appears that at this stage of development, girls tend to
lose their flexibility, optimism and spirit of adventure.
While the results of these U. S. studies may not be applicable to youths of other countries and cultures,
these are useful ideas that can serve as safeguards to ensure the proper directions for reorienting
youths during their adolescent growth. It does appear, however, that the effects of adolescent
transitions and acquisition of self-esteem are mixed, More important to note are some established facts,
namely:
Self-esteem means appreciation of one's self or self-love. regardless of genetic potential endowments
(physical, mental, emotional).
Potential endowments can be developed to a great extent through family formation, school education,
and social influence.
The personal attitude-and-will to grow depends on the individual, although motivational influences can
help progressive growth (coming from parents, siblings, friends, teachers, etc.).
Popularity and external appearance (such as body physique, comely looks), admiration by others, social
position and prestige, are among the many external factors that contribute to self-esteem but these are
passing or vanishing contributions to growth. They may last for many years, but in the end, self-esteem
has to grow from internal appreciation of oneself, regardless of external circumstances in life.
Self-appreciation, self-reliance, autonomy, energy, courage, and other internal positive motivators are
more permanent factors which can lead the adolescent to the progressive self-concept he/she needs in
adult life.
Friendship and intimacy
Teenage friendship is a social system which can be wholesome in terms of sharing of thoughts and
feelings, caring for one another, and responding to one another's deeper psychological needs.
Adolescents tend to spend more time with friends (up to 16% of their time, studies show), comprising an
emotional investment they can benefit from.
Stereotypes in gender differences Scholars make reference to gender differences, as studies in
countries like the U.S. show that boys have higher self-esteem in achievement and leadership, while girls
see themselves better in terms of congeniality and sociability (Hattie & Marsh, 1996). These studies also
show that boys are more self-sufficient, while girls are help-seeking. Other studies show that girls have a
higher self-esteem in relation to competence in spelling, penmanship, neatness, reading and music
(Elcless, et al., 1993). Meanwhile, boys feel more competent in math subjects, while girls prefer social
and verbal skills (Marsh, 1989). In terms of general abilities and self-confidence, however, no significant
differences were observed.
Meanwhile, another U.S. study shows that Hispanic American girls view themselves stereotyped as more
"feminine," therefore more submis-sive and dependent, than their European American counterparts. On
the other hand, European American girls tend to see themselves as stronger and more active, nurturing
and expressive compared with their Hispanic counterparts (Varquez-Nuttal, et al., 1987).
Within the family domain, there are also stereotyping concepts of adolescent American boys and girls.
Boys tend to prefer activity and autonomy of children, while girls prefer family relationship, connection,
and openness. On feelings, girls experience more anxiety, self-doubt in making choices,
isolation/individualism in the family, compared with boys. Generally, girls are a more emotional lot
compared with boys (Olver et al., 1990).
In adult life, studies show that men see themselves as separate and distinct persons, while women tend
to see themselves through others, for example as a daughter, wife, or mother. Consequently, women
tend to give way to the wishes of others, even saofificing their own interests. On the other hand, men
more easily know their own needs and their genuine desires in life (Izard &Ackerman, 996).
If these research findings apply also in Philippine setting? Find out.
Developing self-esteem
Some scholars see the roots of self esteem in the mother-child relationship. Thus, boys develop a
masculine trait in self esteem since there is more distancing between mother and son, compared with
the closer emotional connection between mother and daughter. The high involvement and intrusion by
mothers in the lives of their daughter are observed to cause delay in the development of self-
individuation among girls.
The peer groups or cliques with which early adolescents (age 10-13) identify may enlarge. Belonging in
larger groupings is especially true in the case of middle adolescents (age 14-17), particularly among
those with leadership qualities. From cliques of 4-6 persons with similar interests providing
companionship and security to each other, the larger peer group or crowd can be comprised by 10-20
members sharing com mon interests in social activities Sexually, some-sex cliques can enlarge into
heterosexual cliques and interact with others in large crowd activities such as athletic meets and social
gatherings. The middle adolescent may separate from identifying with a crowd as he she enters into
serious boy-girl heterosexual intimate relationships
Several types of friendship can be distinguished:
(a) acquaintances who meet periodically:
(b) companions who share common interest through regular contacts, and
(c) intimates or best friends with depth of self-disclosure/foelings/caring, romantic partners in intimate
beterosexual relationship.
Intimate friendships are viewed to be especially important during carly adolescence. Compared with
those who have not been involved in intimate friendship, adolescents who have friendships
characterized by compassion, openness and satisfaction tend to be more sociable and more competent,
while being less anxious, depressed and hostile. The intimate parent-child relationship appear to also
wane as adolescents develop intimate friendship with a romantic partner.
The world of friends can be equally important, if not more important than the family world. Talking with
friends and sharing things with them can be rewarding in the sense that friends see both sides of the
story, unlike parents who normally impose their side of an issue. As to the sexes, girls are viewed to be
more capable than boys in forming intimate friendships, benefiting more from social support they can
get from close friends. Evidence further shows that friendship among boys is less intimate, as they put
less trust in friendship and care less about being listened to and being understood.
Identity issues
The active search which adolescents engage in to try to gain a new understanding of self along sexual,
occupational, religious, political self-image is referred to as identity issues. This process ushers in a sense
of confusion as adolescents bring together all the things they have learned as sons/daughters, students
and friends, and try to make sense of their self-image.
The major task in developing self-identity is the formation of inner sameness and continuity in
personality. Only when adolescents see themselves in a definite and reasonably unique self can they
всер themselves and the physical/social world they are in. Self-identity, however, is not a stagnant end-
point, but rather a continuous change and evolvement of oneself throughout life's course. This process
of change, however, maybe disrupted by a traumatic experience that can smate havoc to a person's
personality, shattering the self-image he has gained in the previous stages of life.
It is important to view the development of self-identity to be gradual and cumulative throughout life.
One finds self mors and more. accumulating or losing values and standards acquired since childhood
During early adolescence, there is often the case of over-identification that leads to conformity with
peers, resulting in a stereotypical or carbon copy teenager. Here, there is the case of a youth culture
which provides a ready-made identity, setting the adolescent apart from his former identity as a child in
the world of family.
Identifying with the crowd, the adolescent may reach the stage of distinguishing self from the crowd, in
a process of exploration. The seen ager may also try out a variety of attitudes, persuasions,
commitments, involvements revolving around the inner search for "Who I really am" "What do I want
for life," "How can I achieve my ideals?
Phases of identity status
John Marcia expanded on Erikson's theory on identity hy density ing four phases in the attainment of an
identity status. Commitmen and crisis are two dimensions that combine to define these stages:
1. Identity foreclosure. This is the case of an adolescent who is a follower, finding security in others not
in his/her self.
The adolescent makes a commitment before asking about alternatives. This commitment arises from
values or expectations of other people (such as a parent, relative or friends, which may be premature as
foreclosure is rooted in commitment to obey. follow a strong leader, respect authority-a most
vulnerabile kind of self-esteem develops
2. Moratorium. This is the case of an adolescent searcher.
The adolescent enters a crisis by becoming aware of alternative roles, valves and beliefs. Thus, he
explores and experiments becoming a prober and critic without any permanent commitment to follow
authority or be part of a vystem. The moratorium status is viewed as a most sophisticated mode of
identity search and achievement.
3. Identity achiever. This is the point where adolescence fully finds himself/herself.
An optimal sense of identity is experienced. One feels at home with one's body, with one's knowledge
and awareness of where one is and where he/she is going in addition to the possible recognition for
deeds done, Identity seekers have looked at alternatives and have made their choice with an optimal
feeling of themselves.
4. Identity diffusion. This is the case of the adolescent failing find himself/herself
There is hardly a knowledge of who one is, uncertainty running through episodes in life. Identity-diffused
persons lack goal orientation, direction and commitment. While they may have expressed interest in a
future career, they are vague about it and are unaware even of the advantage and disadvantages of the
work they want to do. Setting goals, they frequently change them as they have no commitment to any
given aim in life. As a result, adolescence is prolonged, unable to reach maturity due to a diffused or
fragmented personality. Inability to explore alternatives and make choices may be due to psychosocial
factors, springing from a complexity of reasons, such as disdain or hostility to playing a role in the family
or community. Told by parents to do well in school so that he can enter a presti-gious college, the
person may out of spite do poorly, even quit school deliberately.
Promoting a sense of identity
It is clear that successful identity achievement is crucial to developing an integrated personality. The
highest self esteem is achieved by identity achievers, followed by those in the muratorium, foreclosure
and identity diffusion status.
Overall, the ingredients that make up an optimal sense of personal identity are:
1. inner confidence about self competence and ability to leam and master new task;
2. ample opportunity to try out new roles either in one's fantasy or in actual practice, and;
3. support from parents and adults.
Clearly, parental relationship plays an important role in self-identity development. In fact, parental
indifference and rejection create inner sension among children affecting their individuation. Meanstols,
the democratic style of parental discipline makes tasks for childeem to he more easily fulfilling,
encouraging adolescents to espres dhemselves openly, seek guidance and advice from parents, even
identifying with their parents' values and rules. The protection of home, which someys love and
emotional security, can be a safe haven for adolescents, even if they may later on seek to be
independent as a free spirit.
Stereotypical gender roles
Several studies on gender stereotypes show:
On emotional response, girls in early adolescence are mors self-conscious, excelling in verbal skills, while
they invest more time in forming intimate friendships. Meanwhile, boys show independener and are less
emotional, insolving themselves in sports (Galambos, et al., 1990).
In a cross cultural studies, the female is ussociated with nurturance, deference and abasement, while
the male is associated with dominance, autonomy, aggression, exhibition and achievement in general,
the female is described to be less active and weaker than the male stereotype (Segal et al., 1999)
In a study on gender-role in ideology, adolescents in European countries (the Netherlands, Germany,
Finland, England) were most "modern" as they believed in androgynous (equality of sexes) ways of
behaving. Meanwhile, adolescents in African and Asian countries were most "traditional," while those in
the US. were midway, as girls show preference for femininity and boys for masculinity. In comparing
adolescents in the US. and those in Sweden, Swedish youths show their being ambitious, hard-working,
willing to take a stand, also self-reliant and independent. Meanwhile, girls demonstrate a sense of being
more "liberated". In the U.S. girls responded to show more expressive ways of being compassionate,
caring, eager to assuage hurt feelings.
In general, preparation for adult roles and socialization appear to be major factors in gender
stereotyping differences.
Antisocial behaviors among adolescents
Gerald Patterson formulated a developmental progression for anti-social behavior which takes into
account (a) the importance of parental monitoring and discipline on the child in early childhood (b)
involvement with peer and school work in middle childhond, and (c) commitmen peer group in late
childhood and adolescence.
In early childhood (ages 10-13), the child is normally subordinated to conventional authority in the
family and majority of children including teens generally show a reasonable degree of adherence to
moral prin ciples, able to succumb to the temptation to engage in unethical and unlawful behavior.
In legal terms, the juvenile delinquent is a young person under the age of 18, who has been
apprehended and convicted for transgres sion of established laws.
Juvenile delinquency is an occurrence with 1.4 million juveniles in the US. arrested each year for crimes
such as vandalism, drug abuse, running away, and (almost 900.000 each year) for larceny-theft, robbery
and forcible rape. Offenses by male adolescents under the age of 18 account for 17 percent (or almost
one-fourth) of all crimes committed The particular crimes of burglary, auto theft, aggravated assault,
and other aggressive behaviors are committed by males. Girls, more generally, have committed
infractions related to running away from home or deviantillicit sexual behavior.
Commonly cited are a complexity of reasons to explain the incidence of juvenile delinquency. These are:
(1) family factors, (2) poor parental supervision, (3) poor parental behavior, (4) feelings of alienation
(sense of separation) by children. (5) external factors affecting the family (economic and social
pressures), and (6) child rejection/abuse neglect.
Peer factors. Lack of recognition, even outright rejection, by peers in early and middle elementary
school grades may result in making the child unfriendly, troublesome and aggressive. Constant exposure
to peers with those who are poor academically and socially may also affect the teenager. In school those
treated as educationally retarded, such that they repeat the grades, are prone to misbehave in class,
become truants and hate school altogether.
Teenage suicides in the U.S. is comparable to those in Australia, Belgium, Great Britain (Orbach, 1997).
However, the incidence of suicides is lower in Canada, Italy, Norway, the Netherlands, New Zealand and
Ireland (Drummond), but substantially higher in Austria, enmark, Hungary, Japan and Switzerland.
The dramatic rise of teenage suicides in different countries beginning the 1970s has aroused worldwide
attention. Suicide rates have begun to double, even triple especially in the U.S. with those age 15-24
years of age constituting one-fifth of the victims. The astonishing suicide rates are equivalent to 13
incidences a day or 5,000 a year occur-rences. Completed suicides are higher for boys, although three
times as many girls attempt suicide (D'Anilicet al, 1992). The we of fimumei lethal to boys, while
poisoning through overdoses by adolescent girle is serious, but often not lethal. Does this picture hold
true to the Philip pines? Find out.
Identified as common reasons for suisides are physical or sexual abuse by adults, sexual victimization,
and association with a suicida friend. There are, however, warming signs that should be attended to
danger signals, foremost of which is depression.
Depression arises from feelings of being low, sad and weary Is can be minor depression when the
negative mood is mild and easily passes away, but a major one if it stays and deepens into feelings of
despair, pessimism and misery. In its serious form, depression can influence a person through a
pervasive loss of interest or pleasure and persistent anxiety which can lead to committing suicide.
Pre-suicidal adolescents may change mood in a matter of weeks from being calm and happy to showing
manifestations that show the risks of suicidal action, such as giving away prized possessions, writing a
will, making empty threats to end one's life. Parent, teacher or any concerned adult should be able to
recognize the suicidal cues and do the appropriate such as provide professional counselling and health
assistarice.
Moral development
In his study of Ethics and topics that have interested moral scien tists through the ages. Lawrence
Kholberg laid down three stages of moral reasoning among adolescent:
1. Conventional level
At this stage, the adolescent is able to understand and conform to social conventions, consider the
motives of peers and adults, engage in proper behavior to please others, and follow the rules of society.
The focus of thinking of the teen is towards mutual expес-tations, relationships and conformity with
others. Instead of stealing an object, he/she may think of other options to acquire that object, such as
by asking or saving money to buy the thing Doing good and being good spring from a desire to be a good
person by keeping rules and respecting authority, summed up in following the Golden Rule (do unto
others what you want others to do unto you).
2. Post-conventional level
At this stage, the adolescent wishes to conform to:
(a) law and under (don't steal because it is agaims the law)
(b) the social contract (rights such as life and liberty must be upheld to ophold the welfare of the
shajority in society, and
(c) universal ethical principles (the universal principles of justice, equality of human rights, freedom of
comscience, etc.)
Do males and females differ in moral reasoning? Some studies show that women are more focused on
issues related to caring and connecting with people, while males tend to resolve moral concems by
invoking principles of fairness, equality, and justice.
A more recent comensus among scholars, however, is the theory that differences in moral tendencies
between male and female are not absolute, but relative to their individual orientations.
Development of guilt
Guilt is a sense of feeling responsible for one's actions, particularly when harm has been done to oneself
or others.
On the negative side, guilt can threaten self-image, such that if one is unable to thresh out guilt feelings,
there can be serious problems in adjusting to normal living. Guilt that causes anxiety and fear can usher
in a complexity of illnesses, ranging from chronic fatigue to escap ism (e.g. use of drugs to forget the
guilty feeling).
On the positive side, guilt makes us aware of possible wrongdoing, serving as a regulator for individuals
to be more responsible in uphold-ing esteemed social values.
As to stages in developing guilt, the first rudimentary feelings of guilt begin when children think they
have caused some kind of harm to others. Inaction to change behavior adds to the initial guilt feelings.
Anticipatory Guilt is felt when the child sees consequences that are detrimental to oneself or others (e.g.
stealing an item may cause others to grieve losing a prized possession).
Meanwhile, Survivor Guilt is experienced when one feels blamewor-thy regardless of involvement. (e.g.
lingering feeling of baseless guilt).
Influences in moral behavior
Peers can encourage positive behaviors (e.g. example of good study habits), although they can also
encourage misconduct or inappro-priate behaviors (e.g. use of illegal drugs). Peer influence should not
be underestimated.
Compared with the influence of peers, the influence of parents is more pervasive. The quality of parent-
child relationship is most positive when parents show competence, non-oppressive level parental
control appropriate support and direction.
On the other hand, parent/adult and peer values cart occur when parents fail in providing the
appropriate levels of support and nurturance Thus, parents who do not care about the whereabouts of
their children may lose them to being dependent on pears.
In the end, the inubility of parents to provide quality presence and time can cause frustration and anger,
endangering the teen's emotional behavior.
As the adolescent goes through a stage of emotional autonomy casting off infantile ties to family, it is
important the he/she develops a sense of individuation, taking personal responsibility for himself and
not leave responsibility with parents. It is important to note, however, that the process of individuation
starts from infancy but sharpens when the teen develops a keen sense of separateness and
competence. Studies show that East Asians, including Filipinos, and Latin Americans show more
children-parents cohesion and closeness.
Always, it is helpful for parents to respect the self-determination rights of their growing children, such as
their choosing friends, getting space for privacy (eg. writing diaries), making small and big choices (e.g.
choosing a college course).
Identified by scholars in the process of individuation are: (a) the practicing phase, as parents continue to
make behavior conformance demands while the adolescent begins to feel the need for psychological
freedom (b) rapprochement, as adolescents re-establish bonds with parents, induced by parents
recognizing their psychological need for freedom to grow.
Thus, it is important for parents to be aware of the life satisfac-tion and psychological well-being of their
children. Life satisfaction consists of the child's perception of the quality of his/her life. Psychologi-cal
well-being consists of a complex multiple dimension of the child's self-esteem, feeling of control,
sociability (as opposed to anxiety and loneliness).
In the end, a proper balance between parent-child connectedness and separation is best, allowing for
cross-cultural/ethnic differences (e.g Christian/Islamic/Asian/Western cultures).