C o g nitive D evelo p ment

D uring this sta g e, inte llig enc e is e x hib ited thro ug h lo g ic a l

a n d a b stra c t c o nc e p ts (H uitt & H umme ll, 2 0 0 3 ).
A d o le sc e nts d isp la y a d isto rted ima g e o f the rela tio nship
b e tw ee n th emselv es a n d o the rs in c lud in g th e ima g ina ry
a ud ien c e a n d p e rso na l fa b le (Be rk, 2 0 1 3 ).

L a ng ua g e D evelo p me nt
In th is sta g e , sa rc a sm is d e tec ted , a s n o te d b y a
d isc re p a nc y b e twe en a sta te me nt a nd its c o n tex t (Berk,
2 0 1 3 ).
V o c a b ula ry e x p a nd s to inc lud e a va rie ty o f mo re a b stra c t
w o rd s (Be rk, 2 0 1 3 ).

A d o lesc ent
D evelo p ment

Phy sic a l D evelo p me nt

D uring this sta g e, a d o le sc ents g ro w a n a ve ra g e
o f 1 0 -1 1 inc h es in h eig h t a n d g a in 5 0 -7 5 lb s in
w eig ht (Berk, 2 0 1 3 ).
A d o le sc e nt b o d ies d eve lo p into the ir a d ult siz e
a n d rep ro d uc tive o rg a ns ma ture a nd b ec o me
func tio na l d uring p ub e rty (Be rk, 2 0 1 3 ).

S o c ia l-E mo tio na l D eve lo p ment

D uring this p e rio d , a d o lesc en ts b eg in to unify tra its in to mo re a b stra c t d e sc rip to rs (Berk, 2 0 1 3 ).
Pe rsp e c tive ta king a d va nc e s, a llo wing inc rea se d a b ility to e mp a thiz e w ith o thers g en era l life
c o nd itio ns (Berk, 2 0 1 3 ).

M o ra l D evelo p ment
A d o le sc e nts b e g in to und e rsta nd id e a l re c ip ro c ity a nd a re a b le to think e mp a the tic a lly p rio r to
mo ra l d e c isio n-ma king .
D uring this p e rio d , te en s b ec o me in c re a sin g ly a wa re o f th e o v erla p a mo ng mo ra l imp e ra tiv es,
so c ia l c o nve ntio n s, a n d p erso n a l c ho ic e (Berk, 2 0 1 3 ).

F a c to rs Influenc ing D evelo p ment

S o c ia l- D uring a d o le sc enc e, muc h fo c us is p la c ed o n th e p e rc ep tio n tha t o the rs mig h t ha ve , re sulting
in a ttemp ts to b eh a v e in a w a y th a t g a in the hig h est a p p ro va l fro m p ee rs.
C ultura l- V a rio us c ultures h a ve d iffe ring id e a s a n d tra d itio n s a b o ut w he n a y o uth b e c o me s a n a d ult,
in so me c ulture s a g e is the p rima ry fa c to r fo r w hic h a d o le sc e nts a re e x p e c ted to ta ke o n mo re
re sp o nsib ilitie s.

S tra teg ie s fo r F a milies

E nc o ura g e c hild re n to c o ntinue to ma ke he a lthy
c h o ic e s in b o th d ie t a n d e x erc ise. Pro mo te a he a lthy
lifesty le b y mo d eling id e a l b eh a v io rs a n d o ffering
he a lthy me a l c ho ic es.
O ffe r a n a p p ro a c h a b le a ttitud e; e nc o ura g ing the
a d o le sc ent to d isc uss ma tte rs with y o u, e ve n th e
d iffic ult o ne s, w ith o ut p a ssing jud g ment.

S ig ns o f A ty p ic a l D evelo p ment
S o c ia l w ithd ra w , d ep ressio n, a nx iety , c h a n g es in d ie t, he a d a c he s, etc . c o uld b e sig ns o f a h o rmo na l
imb a la nc e re la ted to p ub e rty .
S o c ia l w ithd ra w , a ng er/a g g ressio n , d ep ressio n , a nx iety , e tc . c o uld a lso b e sig ns o f p sy c h o lo g ic a l
d iso rd ers re sulting fro m b ully in g o r d rug use .
Referenc es
Berk, L. E . (2013).C hild development. (9th ed.). U pper S addle River, N J: Pearson.
H uitt, W ., & H ummel, J. (2003). Piagets theory of c ognitive development. Educ ational Psyc hology Interac tive. Retrieved
from: http://www.edpsyc interac tive.org/topic s/c ognition/piaget.html