= Lesson 1: Developmental Tasks of Middle and Late Adolescents | As you get older, the challenges become more complex and more difficult. Some individuals are able to deal with the new experiences thrown their way better than others. Some are prepared for what lies ahead and some are at a loss on what to do. Some young people thrive in adulthood and some live in failure and regret. And so one would wonder, what foundations are needed to become a successful adult?ME Learn about It! One ordinary day, you decide to take a good look at yourself in the mirror. For some time now, you've been noticing some changes in your body. Hair is growing on some parts of your body, your shoulders are broadening, and your hips are widening. But more than the physical aspects of yourself, you also realize that your preferences have changed and how you feel about certain things are no longer the same. Before, your life is an open book when your parents ask about how you are. But now, you like to keep more things to yourself or would rather share it to your friends. It dawns on you that although you are the same person, many things are now different.Adolescence Welcome to the adolescent years! Adolescence is known as a period of change for young people. Changes experienced in this period are rapid and sudden compared to other stages of a person's development is a transition from childhood to adulthood accompanied by Physical, cognitive, and socioemotional development that is brought about by hereditary means and environmental influences. Adolescence is divided into three stages: Early approximately 10 to 13 years old Adolescence aa ue Boe Middle Se approximately 14 to 16 years old Late approximately 17 to 19 years old AdolescenceEach developmental stage in adolescence is characterized by different milestones in the physical, cognitive and socioemotional domain. Physical development would refer to changes in the size, appearance, functions and physical capacities of an individual, Cognitive development pertains to different intellectual abilities and thought processes. Socioemotional development talks about regulation and management of emotions and feelings, interpersonal skills and different aspects of behavior,It is important to note, however, that in looking at the development of an individual, all these domains overlap and integrate with one another. One cannot simply isolate one from the other. All the experiences brought about by changes in each domain come together to form a person. For the purposes of this chapter, this unit will focus only on middle and late adolescence. Continuous height and Physical weight gain from early adolescence Still has continu ous growthCognitive Questions and analyzes more extensively Develops abstract thinking (can imagine possibilities they have not seen or experienced yet) Understands cause and effect better Discerns about the practicality of actions for their future Organizes thoughts and ideas Has more defined work habitsSocio- emotional Develops high expectations for him/herself and worries too much about failing Highly conscious on one’s appearance Withdrawal from parents seeing them as interference from their independence Builds social circle Peers may influence on Establishes career and future decisions more firmly which comes with having a firm grasp of their identity Becomes more self- reliant and less influenced by his/her peers Risk-taking behavior lessens. Considers parentalPrinciples of Development aa 4 aA Part of understanding how the adolescent grows, thinks and behaves is knowing that his development follows certain principles that help define who he is.There are different principles of development: 1. Sequential - This principle of development happens in a fixed sequence. One good example of this is the development of a fetus. Inside the mother's womb, the fetus will first develop organs before being able to have limbs. A person cannot skip stages and milestones in his life to fast forward and reach the end. . Individualized - This principle of development puts emphasis to one's development being influenced by his/her genes and environment. Therefore, a person will not likely to develop in exactly the same way as someone else will. Although there are a lot of similarities across different adolescents, one must keep an open mind that there will always be differences and exceptions to the rule.3. Gradual - The idea of development, like the development of a tree, does not happen instantly. It does not happen overnight but instead, it occurs in a gradual manner. Just think about your hair after you had your new and trendy haircut, it will slowly grow back after a few weeks. . Holistic - In this principle of development, the person must be looked at as a whole person - physically, cognitively and socioemotionally - to be able to understand one's development. For example, a change in a person's physical look, such as the appearance of pimples on the face, can trigger feelings of insecurity and isolation from others.Consequences of Change As emphasized, these years as an adolescent bring about many biological and psychological changes that greatly affect his relationship with himself and with others. ‘ i ‘ qr Principles of Development: $-equential, |-ndividualized. G - radual. H- olistic.Identity vs. Identity Confusion Erik Erikson is known for his Psychosocial Stages, wherein he stresses that at each stage of development, there are certain conflicts that individuals face and must overcome to successfully achieve the transition towards the next period of his life. In the adolescent stage, the conflict that they face is Identity vs. Identity Confusion which is described as the stage where the adolescent attempts to answer the question “Who am I?” and “What is my place in society?” Erikson believes that if he is able to choose his own values and path, it will lead him to have a strong identity. But if not, the adolescent will have difficulty with assuming adult roles in the future.Imaginary Audience and Personal Fable According to David Elkind, because you are now able to think about different possibilities, including the perspective of others, the concept of an imaginary audience develops. You think that you are on stage and that everyone's attention is on you and your performance. Therefore, you feel sensitive to the criticism of other people and their judgments are taken personally. And because you think that you are constantly being watched, you develop a strong sense of self-importance from which you think highly of yourself. In your mind, you are special and invincible - which then leads to risk-taking behavior and this is known as personal fable.e EXAMPLE Personal fable: “| will not grow up to be a failure like my Dad. | am different and better than him. | will be successful when | grow up.” Risk-taking behavior due to high regard for self: |can smoke in campus without being caught. They won't catch me.”Developmental Tasks In Relation to the SELF 4. Accept, care and protect one’s physical body. Physical development is one of the domains that undergoes significant changes during adolescence. This is brought about by what we call puberty, which the term given for the rapid changes — physically and sexually - due to the maturation of a person's hormones during this time. In the middle and late stages of adolescence, you are expected to gain more confidence and become content with your body. You must be healthy, and must gain correct knowledge on how to take care of your changing bodies.2, Manage one’s sexuality and the roles that go with it. At present, this may prove to be a challenge because there is no more cookie- Cutter type of roles for each gender. There are now various options for different individuals and so it is up to you to learn to incorporate your personal attitudes and values about what being male and female means to you, This will affect your ideas and beliefs on dating, lifestyles, careers, and others.3. Select and prepare for a job or career. You must be able to assess your skills so that you may be able to determine what path you wish to pursue in terms of your career. Upon evaluating yourself, you can identify what job fits you and how you will be able to achieve these professional goals in the future. This will allow you to earn a living for yourself as an adult later on.4, Adopt a personal set of values to guide behavior. To be able to help you in later stages of life, you must establish your set of morals and principles at this stage. You must know what is right and wrong for you, what is acceptable and unacceptable, what is important and what is Not. These priorities will be a guiding compass for you in making crucial decisions later on in life.