PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

MODULE 3: Developmental Stages in Middle and Late Adolescence

Topic 7: Understanding Development Process, Stages and Tasks

DEVELOPMENTAL STAGES

Human Development focuses on human growth and changes across the lifespan, including
physical, cognitive, social, intellectual, perceptual, personality and emotional growth.

The study of human development is essential to understanding how humans learn, mature and
adapt. Throughout their lives, humans go through various stages of development.

The human being is either in a state of growth or decline, but either condition imparts change.
Some aspects of our life change very little over time, are consistent. Other aspects change
dramatically. By understanding these changes, we can better respond and plan ahead effectively.
Erick Eriekson Psyhosocial Development
 TRUST VS MISTRUST
 AUTONOMY VS SHAME AND DOUBT
 INIATIVE VS GUILT
 INDUSTRY VS INFERIORITY
 IDENTITY VS CONFUSION
 INTIMACY VS ISOLATION
 GENERATIVITY VS STAGNATION
 INTEGRITY VS DESPAIR

HAVIGHURST`S DEVELOPMENTAL TASKS DURING THE LIFE SPAN

Robert J. Havighurst elaborated the Developmental Tasks Theory in the most systematic and
extensive manner. His main assertion is that development is continuous throughout the entire
lifespan, occurring in stages, where the individual moves from one stage to the next by means of
successful resolution of problems or performance of developmental tasks.
 Topic 8: Evaluating One’s Own Development

LIVING MINDFULLY
Living mindfully is like being an artist:
you need the right tools to practice your craft, and you need to constantly refine your technique
to achieve your creative potential.
In the same way, using the present moment tools below will help you to hone a consistent
mindfulness practice that will in time lead to a more aware, compassionate and fulfilling way of
life.

THINK
T-TRUE
H-HELPFUL
I-INSPIRING
N-NOW
K-KIND
 10 Tools in Living Mindfully
1. Breathe Mindfully 6. Express Gratitude
2. Listen Deeply 7. Nurture Mutual Respect
3. Cultivate Insight 8. Build Integrity
4. Practice Compassion 9. Foster Leadership
5. Limit Reactivity 10. Be Peace

 Tool 1: Breathe Mindfully.

Use your breath as an anchor to still your mind and bring your focus back to the present moment.
 Tool 2: Listen Deeply.
Listen with intention; let others fully express themselves and focus on understanding how they
think and feel.
 Tool 3: Cultivate Insight.
See life as it is, allowing each experience to be an opportunity for learning.
 Tool 4: Practice Compassion.
Consider the thoughts and feelings of others and let tenderness, kindness and empathy be your
guides.
 Tool 5: Limit Reactivity.
Observe rather than be controlled by your emotions. Pause, breathe, and choose a skillful
response based on thoughtful speech and nonviolence under every condition.
 Tool 6: Express Gratitude.
Practice gratitude daily and expand it outward, appreciating everyone and everything you
encounter.
 Tool 7: Nurture Mutual Respect.
Appreciate our common humanity and value different perspectives as well as your own.
 Tool 8: Build Integrity.
Cultivate constructive values and consistently act from respect, honesty and kindness.
 Tool 9: Foster Leadership.
Engage fully in life and in community. Share your unique talents and generosity so that others
can also be inspired.
 Tool 10: Be Peace.
Cultivate your own inner peace, becoming an agent for compassionate action and social good

Topic 9: Challenges During Adolescence

THE PASSAGE TO ADULTHOOD: CHALLENGES OF LATE ADOLESCENCE

Physical Development
 Most girls have completed the physical changes related to puberty by age 15.
 Boys are still maturing and gaining strength, muscle mass, and height and are completing
the development of sexual traits.
Emotional Development
 May stress over school and test scores.
 Is self-involved (may have high expectations and low self-concept).
 Seeks privacy and time alone.
 Is concerned about physical and sexual attractiveness.
 May complain that parents prevent him or her from doing things independently.
 Starts to want both physical and emotional intimacy in relationships.
 Experiences of intimate relationships
Social Development
 Shifts in relationship with parents from dependency and subordination to one that reflects
the adolescent’s increasing maturity and responsibilities in the family and the community,
 Is more and more aware of social behaviors of friends.
 Seeks friends that share the same beliefs, values, and interests.
 Friends become more important.
 Starts to have more intellectual interests.
 Explores romantic and sexual behaviors with others.
 May be influenced by peers to try risky behaviors (alcohol, tobacco, sex).
Mental Development
  Becomes better able to set goals and think in terms of the future.
 Has a better understanding of complex problems and issues.
 Starts to develop moral ideals and to select role models.
ENCOURAGEMENT 101: THE COURAGE TO BE IMPERFECT
Encouragement is the key ingredient for improving your relationships with others. It is the
single most important skill necessary for getting along with others – so important that the lack of
it could be considered the primary cause of conflict and misbehavior.
Encouragement develops a person’s psychological hardiness and social interest. Encouragement
is the lifeblood of a relationship. And yet this simple concept is often very hard to put into
practice.
Encouragement is not a new idea. Its spiritual connotation dates back to the Bible in Hebrews
3:11 which states, “Encourage one another daily.” Encouragement, as a psychological idea, was
developed by psychiatrist Alfred Adler in the early 20th century and continued to evolve through
the work of Adler’s follower Rudolph Dreikurs.
However, even today, relatively few educators, parents, psychologists, leaders or couples have
utilized this valuable concept. Most of the time, people mistakenly use a technique like praise in
an effort to “encourage” others.
Half the job of encouragement lies in avoiding discouraging words and actions. When
children or adults misbehave, it is usually because they are discouraged. Instead of building them
up, we tear them down; instead of recognizing their efforts and improvements, we point out
mistakes; instead of allowing them to belong through shared decision-making and meaningful
contributions, we isolate and label them.
Most of us are skilled discouragers. We have learned how to bribe, reward and, when that fails,
to punish, criticize, nag, threaten, interrogate and emotionally withdraw. We do this as an
attempt to control those we love, bolstered by the mistaken belief that we are responsible for the
behavior of everyone around us, especially our spouses and children. These attempts to control
behavior create atmospheres of tension and conflict in many houses.

Most commonly, we discourage in five general ways:

 We set standards that are too high for others to meet because we are overly ambitious.
 We focus on mistakes as a way to motivate change or improved behavior.
 We make constant comparisons (self to others, siblings to one another).
 We automatically give a negative spin to the actions of others.
  We dominate others by being overly helpful, implying that they are unable to do it as
well.

Encouragement enhances a feeling of belonging which leads to greater social interest.

Social interest is the tendency for people to unite themselves with other human beings and to
accomplish their tasks in cooperation with others. The Junior League mission of “developing the
potential of women and improving communities through the effective action and leadership of
trained volunteers” is rooted in the idea of social interest.