Chapter 13:

Socioemotional Development in

Adolescence

McGraw-Hill © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

The Self and

Emotional Development

• Adolescence– Emotional development is characterized by

• Increased interest in self-protrayal

• Search for an identity

• Emotional swings

– Girls’ self-esteem declines due to puberty

– Boys’ self-esteem increases

– Identity confusion is gap between the security of childhood and autonomy of adulthood

Gender Comparisons of Adolescents’ Self-Images

Vocational/educational aspirations

Morals

Familial self

Adjustment

Psychological problems

Social relationships

Body image

Impulse control

Sexual self

Mastery of the world

Educational tone

Category of self-esteem

+.4+.20-.4 -.2Statistical score

BoysGirls

• Identity is a self-portrait of many parts:– Desired career path

– Religious beliefs

– Social and intimate relationships

– Sexual and gender identity

– Cultural or ethnic identity

– Personality traits

– Physical body image

• Identity formation occurs gradually over time, occurring before and continuing after adolescence

• Identity formation– Adolescence is a time of exploration

– Four identity statuses that involve commitment:

• Diffusion

• Foreclosure

• Moratorium

• Achievement

– Adolescents also show a

• Need for confidence in parental support

• Need for a developed sense of industry

• Gain in self-reflective view of their future

Fig. 13.1

Position on occupation and ideology

Identity statusIdentity diffusion

Identity foreclosure

Identity moratorium

Identity achievement

Crisis Absent Absent Present Present

Commitment Absent Present Absent Present

Marcia’s Four Statuses of Identity

• Adolescents’ identity development affected by

– Individuality (self-assertion, separateness)

– Connectedness (mutuality, open to other views)

– Ethnic and cultural group membership

– Gender (may be more complex for females)

• Male identity formation may precede

intimacy stage

• Female intimacy may precede

identity formation

• Emotional development in adolescence – State of “storm and stress” is not constant

– But emotional highs and lows increase

– From 5th to 9th grades, both sexes experience some moodiness and decreased happiness

• It is normal to be moody

• Moodiness may be affected more by environmental experiences than hormonal changes

– Pubertal changes are associated with an increase in negative emotions

Fig. 13.2

Self-Reported Extremes of Emotion by Adolescents, Mothers, and Fathers Using the Experience-Sampling Method

15

5

20

25

30

10

Very happy

Very unhappy

Mothers

Adolescents

Fathers

Percentage of self-reports

Families

• Adolescent desires for autonomy and responsibility occur through appropriate adult reactions

• Heated emotional exchanges may occur as parents feel a child is slipping away from their control or discarding their advice and views

• Examination of gender differences show boys being given more independence than girls

• Cross-culturally, U.S. adolescents seek autonomy earlier than Japanese adolescents

• Adolescent–parent attachments are moderately correlated to adolescent outcomes

• Many parents see the child change from compliant to oppositional and resistant to parental standards

• Unwise parental reactions include demanding immediate compliance or giving no supervision at all

• Everyday conflicts in parent–adolescent relationships may serve a positive developmental function

• Parents are important attachment figures and support systems as adolescents explore a complex social world

• In most families, parent–adolescent conflict is moderate and minor disputes are normal

• Prolonged, intense conflict at home is associated with a number of adolescent problems

• In some cultures, there is less parent–adolescent conflict than in others

Peers

• Peer relations – Are very important in adolescent lives

– Most teens prefer a smaller number of peer contacts and more intimacy

– Teens form cliques that shape their social lives

– Teens seek reassurance of worth and companionship from friends

– Teens with superficial or no friendships are lonely and depressed with lower self-esteem

• Quality of adolescent friendships may be a predictor of self-worth in early adulthood

Fig. 13.4

College2nd 5th 7th 10th

3

1

4

2

Self-disclosure in conversation score

Grade

Parent

Friend

Developmental Changes in Self-Disclosing Conversations

• Peer pressure in adolescence

– Conformity can be negative or positive

– Pressure appears strongest for conforming

to antisocial standards

– Cross-culturally, there is more peer pressure

in the U.S. than in Japan to resist parents

– Cliques are based on friendship, common interests

• Crowds are

– Larger groups with reputations for what they do

– Less personal than cliques

• Adolescents spend considerable time either dating or thinking about it

• Dating can function as a source of– Recreation– Status and achievement– Learning about close relationships– Mate selection– Strong emotional relationships

• Girls’ early romantic involvement is linked to lower grades, less school participation, and more problems

Fig. 13.5

Age at Onset of Romantic Activity

100

60

40

20

0

80

5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th 11th 12th4th

Grade

Had an exclusive relationship for more than 2 mo.

Planned an engagement or a marriage

Went out with same person 3 or more times

Announced “I like someone”

Percentage of students

• Adolescent romantic relationships – Many adolescents seek attachment or sex

after acquiring basic competencies to interact romantically

– Cyberdating is very popular among middle school children as young as 10 years of age

– High school dating is more traditional

– Most gay and lesbian youth do little same-sex dating due to social disapproval and other factors

– Romantic relationships are usually described in terms of interpersonal qualities by girls and physical attraction by boys

Culture and

Adolescent Development

• Cross-culturally– Two-thirds of Asian Indian adolescents accept

marriages arranged by their parents

– Female adolescents in the Philippines sacrifice their futures to work and send money home

– Street youth in Kenya survive economically by delinquency or prostitution

– In the Middle East, many adolescents are segregated by sex, even in school

– Russian youth are marrying earlier, while U.S. youth are marrying later than past generations

• Rapid global change presents adolescents with more opportunities and challenges to health and well-being

• Globally, adolescent experiences are affected

by their gender, family, schools, and peers

– Fewer die from infectious diseases or

malnutrition than in the past

– Risky adolescent behaviors, especially illicit drug

use and unprotected sex, are increasing

• Globally– Female and male adolescent experiences continue

to be quite different and gap is not lessening

– Some families remain closely knit with extensive extended kin networks, while others do not

– Some trends have increased family mobility and reduced family resource abilities

– Some cultures encourage stronger peer roles in adolescence and the need for formal education (others may not – some based on gender bias)

• Rites of passage for adolescents – Vary among cultures

– May be more influenced by social and religious groups in Western societies

• Ethnic minorities in American society– Are overrepresented in the lower SES levels

– Economic disadvantage still affects minority youth from middle-income backgrounds

– Japanese Americans, often seen as “model minority,” still have ethnic minority status stress

– Ethnic minorities differ among themselves socially, historically, and economically

Adolescent Problems

• Juvenile delinquency

– Is a broad concept that includes many actions from

minor infractions to murder

– More likely to be committed by males

– Involvement by females is increasing

– More males than females are arrested

– Property offenses are committed more than any

other crime, by both sexes

– Rates are disproportionately higher for minority

and lower SES youth

– Minorities are judged delinquent more than Whites

• Explanations for causes of delinquency– Heredity

– Identity problems

– Community influences

– Family experiences

– Lower class culture

– Antisocial peer groups and gangs

– Status given for antisocial behavior

– Male “high-status” traits nurtured

– High crime areas have criminal role models

– Community resources are inadequate

• Youth crime – A high concern in the United States

– Feelings of helplessness, alienation, and depression can lead to violence and suicide

– Rates are highest in poverty-infested areas

– Prevention efforts should include

• Developmentally appropriate schools

• Supportive families

• Positive youth and community organizations

• Depression is highest in adolescence – highest in girls

• Adolescents and suicide:

– Suicide is the third leading cause of death among

13- to 19-year-olds in U.S.

– Females are more likely to attempt suicide

– Males are more likely to commit suicide

– Males use more lethal means than females

– Homosexual youths may be 3 to 7 times more likely to

attempt suicide than heterosexual youths

– Suicide is affected by genetic and emotional factors

The End