FEM 3101
PSIKOLOGI
PERKEMBANGAN
KANAK-KANAK & REMAJA
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TOPIC 8:
Adolescence
Physical Development
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ADOLESCENT?
WHO?
A young person going through enormous
changes in life:
Body & Appearances (size, proportion & shape)
Intellectual abilities
Adaptation to public expectation about his behavior
Adolescence is a time of transition from
childhood to adulthood
Aged 11 -19 years old
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Western perspectives towards
adolescent development based on:
Chronological
Physiological
Social Responsibilities
Mental/Intellectual abilities
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Chronological Aspect
3 stages of adolescent development:
Early Adolescent (11-14 years old)
Middle Adolescent (15-17 years old)
Late Adolescent (18-19 years old)
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Physiological
Focus on :
Growth & changes (breast, body hair, voice, etc)
Body composition (body fat, bigger body, chest/
buttock widen, slimmer waist, etc.)
Respiratory system
Development of sexual functioning  maturity,
reproductive organ & functioning
Growth Spurt
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Social Responsibilities
Focused on
Intellectual abilities parallel to parents and
community expectation.
Adolescent must be aware of his/her:
Responsibilities as a member of his/her
community (community have specific
expectation on them)
How to behave
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Mental/Intellectual abilities
Focus on:
Adolescent thinking skills
Must be parallel to their cognitive development
Differs from children
Abstract and more complex thinking skill
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What physical changes do adolescents
experience?
Adolescence is a time of considerable
physical and psychological growth
and change!
ADOLESCENCE is the developmental stage
between childhood and adulthood.
The age at which adolescence begins
and ends is imprecise, partly because
society is unclear about the roles of
people in this stage (no longer children,
not yet adults)
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The Rapid Pace of Growth During Adolescence
Extreme changes in height and weight are common
Termed “the adolescent growth spurt”—a period
of rapid growth changes in height and weight
The rate of growth matches the high growth rate
of infancy
On average, boys grow 4.1 inches in height each
year, girls 3.5 inches
Girls begin their growth spurts earlier (aprox. 2
years) and complete them earlier
By age 13, boys are taller on average
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Puberty: The Start of Sexual
Maturation
PUBERTY is the period when sexual
organs mature, beginning earlier for
girls than for boys.
Girls begin puberty about 11 or 12;
boys begin at 13 or 14.
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Sexual Maturation
The changes in sexual maturation that occur for males
and females during early adulthood.
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What triggers puberty?
Environmental & cultural factors play a role in age of
puberty.
MENARCHE, the onset of menstruation, varies in
different parts of the world and even with affluence
levels.
More affluent, better nourished, healthier girls start
menstruation earlier.
Menarche age in the US has declined since 19th
century.
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Body Image: Reactions to Physical Changes in
Adolescence
Body Image involves an adolescent's own reactions to these
physical changes.
Western society's views of menarche have become more
positive than they used to be so girls tend to have higher selfesteem and self-awareness when they begin menstruating.
Boys‘ first ejaculation is roughly equivalent to girls‘ menarche,
but it is rarely discussed (and less anxiety provoking than
menarche).
The development of PRIMARY SEX CHARACTERISTICS
involves organs and structures of the body related to
reproduction.
SECONDARY SEX CHARACTERISTICS involve the
visible signs of sexual maturity that do not involve sex
organs directly
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Stages in adolescent development:
Early Adolescent (11-14 years old)
Rapid body changes
Weight changes
Breast development
Eventual onset of menses
Onset of puberty  boys will display boys’ characteristics and
girls’ will show girls’ characteristics/attributes.
Girls reach puberty faster than boys.
Sign of puberty
menstruation in girls (menarch) [12-14]
First ejaculation in boys  12-13 years old (semenarch)
Rapid Psychomotor development  physical changes,
appetite increases.
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Stages in adolescent development:
Early Adolescent (11-14 years old)
Girls
Earlier physical changes/
development than boys 
bigger & taller (9-10)
Breast & hip bigger
Start menstruation
Reproductive organ
Ovary functioning
Fats deposited – hip &
breast
Boys
2 or 3 years later than girls
(11-12)
Muscles hard/tougher
Shoulder & chest widen
Skin coarser, active sweat
glands & acne tendency.
Moustache, beard
Voice change- coarse/deep)
Hair in armpit/pubic
Reproductive organ bigger
& functioning
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Stages in adolescent development:
Middle Adolescent (15-17 years old)
According to Stanley Hall adolescent stage is the
stage of “Storm & Stress”  i.e. the stage of
challengers & turmoil
Hormonal & physical change  affect psychosocial
development (life styles)
Feeling unsure & restless
Emotional
Moody
Physical dev leave various impact on adolescent.
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Stages in adolescent development:
Middle Adolescent (15-17 years old)
Girls
Body structure  women
Height  slower rate
Voice  sweeter
Acne & weight problem
Body hair (pubic, armpit)
Sexual potency increases
Boys
Body structure  men
Height  faster rate than
girls of same age.
Voice  coarser
Acne & weight problem
Body hair (pubic, armpit)
First ejaculation 
without force/assistance
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Stages in adolescent development:
Late Adolescent (18-19 years old)
Time of resolution of body image
More confident in personal identity
Appearance Boys & Girls  almost like adult  a lot
different from child.
Teenage girls may become overly sensitive about their
weight
(A small percentage of adolescent girls (1-3%) become so
obsessed with their weight that they develop severe eating
disorders such as anorexia nervosa or bulimia)
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Stages in adolescent development:
Late Adolescent (18-19 years old)
Girls
Height  stops growing
at 18
Nearing adult world 
almost complete
Regular menstruation
cycle
Blood pressure & heart
beat  equivalent to an
adult.
Red blood cell 
increases/normal
Boys
Height  stops growing
at 21
Nearing adult world 
almost complete
Sexual potential increases
gradually
Blood pressure & heart
beat  equivalent to an
adult.
Red blood cell 
increases/normal
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The Timing of Puberty
The timing of puberty is a key factor for how adolescents
react to it.
Early maturation is often difficult for girls.
Early maturing girls tend to be more popular but they may
not be ready to deal with dating situations.
Reactions depend on cultural norms (country and
community).
For boys  Early maturation is generally positive.
Early maturing boys tend to be better at athletics, be more
popular, have more positive self-esteem, and grow up to
be more cooperative and responsible.
On the other hand, these boys also are more likely to have
school difficulties and become more involved.
Late maturation is difficult for boys  often lead to
declines in self-concept which can extend into adulthood
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The Timing of Puberty, continued
For late maturing girls the picture is
complicated.
Late maturing girls can be overlooked
and have low social status at first.
However, when they catch up their
self-esteem is high
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HEALTH RISK BEHAVIOR
&
PROBLEMS AMONG
ADOLESCENTS
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COMMON ADOLESCENT PROBLEMS
Hormonal change
Emotional turmoil  storm & stress (Hall)
Conflict of interest with parents
Change of body structure
Worried about physical changes
Confuse about the changes
Embarrassed
Dietary
Weight problem (obesity)
Anorexia Nervosa & Bulimia
Psychosexual development
Higher sexual drive  stressful & confuse
Psychological change
Aware of gender differences
Girls often felt afraid/embarrassed/ worried
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Nutrition, Food & Eating Disorders During
Adolescence
Food & eating disorders become a focus during adolescence.
The adolescent growth spurt requires an increase in food
(especially key nutrients such as calcium and iron).
Several key nutrients are essential during this period,
especially calcium and iron
The major nutritional issue for many teens eating a balance
of appropriate foods  Obesity is a common concern during
adolescence.
The psychological consequences of adolescent obesity are
severe since while body image is a key focus.
Potential health consequences of obesity are also of concern
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Nutrition, Food & Eating Disorders During Adolescence
ANOREXIA NERVOSA is a severe eating disorder
in which individuals refuse to eat, while denying
that their behavior and appearance, which may
become skeletal, are out of the ordinary.
BULIMIA is an eating disorder characterized by
binges on large quantities of food, followed by
purges of the food through vomiting or the use of
laxatives.
A chemical imbalance results from constant vomiting or
diarrhea.
This can have serious effects, including heart failure
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Nutrition, Food & Eating Disorders During Adolescence
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Eating disorders are products of both biological and
environmental causes so treatment involves multiple
approaches.
Psychotherapy
Cognitive-behavioral techniques
Dietary modifications
Stress management
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Adolescent Health Issues
Teen deaths (>80%) ages 15-24 years
Main cause - violence
Accidents
Suicides
Homicides
4 out of 5 are males
Female morbidity
Pregnancy
STD
Running away
Suicide
Risk Behaviors
Substance abuse (drugs abuse/alcohol etc)
Early sexual experimentation with multiple partners
Depression
School/learning problems
Family problems
Abuse
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Some theories of why adolescents
try illegal drugs exist
Perceived pleasurable experience
Escape from daily pressures
The thrill of doing something illegal
A number of role-models use drugs
Peer pressure.
ADDICTIVE DRUGS produce a biological or
psychological dependence in users, leading to
increasingly powerful cravings for them.
A major danger of drugs as escapism is that
adolescent never learns to confront original
problem so never learns the problem-solving.
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Alcohol use gets beyond control for a
substantial number of teenagers!
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ALCOHOLICS are persons with alcohol problems
who have learned to depend on alcohol and are
unable to stop their drinking.
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Stress may trigger drinking and alcoholism for some teens
Alcoholism tends to run in families—nature vs. nurture
debate (genetic predisposition or environmental stress
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Tobacco – Why Smoke?
Smoking is considered hip and sexy.
Nicotine can produce biological and psychological
dependency.
Smoking produces a pleasant emotional state that
smokers seek to maintain.
Exposure to parents‘ smoking and peer smoking
increases the chances that an adolescent will take
up the habit.
Smoking is sometimes seen as an adolescent rite of
passage, being seen as a sign of growing up.
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Sexually Transmitted Diseases
AIDS (ACQUIRED IMMUNODEFICIENCY SYNDROME) a
sexually transmitted disease, produced by the HIV virus and
has no cure and ultimately causes death  transmitted
through the exchange of bodily fluids (usually sexual contact).
AIDS is one of the leading causes of death among young
people!
Other sexually transmitted diseases commonly transmitted
include:
ChlamydiA is the most common sexually transmitted disease, caused by
a parasite.
Genital Herpes is a common sexually transmitted disease in which is a
virus, and not unlike cold sores that sometimes appear around the mouth.
Trichomoniasis, is an infection caused by a parasite.
Gonorrhea and syphilis used to be deadly but can now be treated with
antibiotics
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