PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

MODULE 1

The Self, in contemporary literature and even common sense, is commonly defined by the following
characteristics: “separate, self-contained, independent, consistent, unitary, and private” (Stevens,
1996).

“Separate” means it is distinct, different, and unique from others. It has its own uniqueness that
defines him/her from others. It has an identity of its own, even twins, may it be fraternal, are very much
distinct from each other.

“Self-contained” we describe its existence as having its own independence. It may exist with or without
others; it is self-containing of its own thoughts, characteristics, and volition. For example, we make our
profile pictures on social media, carefully choosing a picture that expresses more of our thoughts, that
tells us what we are, that tells us what we are in real life.

The “self” is very much consistent and persisting. Every “self” has its own personality that is enduring,
that lasts during late adolescence. Its uniqueness and its consistency allow it to be studied, described
and even measured (also means that a particular self’s traits, characteristics, tendencies and
potentialities) are very evident and distinguishable from other “selves.”

The Self is unitary in that it is the center of all experiences and thoughts that run a particular person.

The self is private. A person may sort out information, feelings and emotions, and thought processes
within the self. The whole process is never accessible to anyone but the self. This suggests that the self is
isolated from the external world. It lives within its own world.

1. The ideal self pertains to the image or aspirations of what you want to become. This may be similar
in hoping characteristics that you do not possess as of the moment, but may one day be part of who you
are, just like what Filipinos tend to watch in various talent shows.

2. The actual self as the term implies “actual”, is your present self that you see on the daily basis. It is
the self that is constantly keeping in touch in your everyday experiences. It has the potential to improve
or develop as deemed by every individual. This may also pertain to the gifts that you possess that is
innate in you when you were born.

→ Combining these two categories of the self, it established the distinction of the Self-Concept. This is
a collection of beliefs about one’s basic nature, unique qualities, and typical behavior.

YOUR OWN OBSERVATIONS

In the process of self-introspection, that may help you re-evaluate your motivations and, in real-time,
observing what you do at this moment is one of the significant information about your interest or dislike.

We even compare our observed selves from others. In social comparison theory, people need to
compare themselves with others in order to gain insight into their own behavior.
FEEDBACK FROM OTHERS

Positive and negative criticisms also create an impact on self-concept. People talk about us or how they
discriminate us give an important aspect in shaping the self-concept. The amount of criticism, feedback
we sometimes freely give, helps shape the current self-concept of what we choose to be or not.

CULTURAL VALUES/ CULTURAL GUIDELINES

Self-concept is also indirectly influenced by cultural values. In the study of Cultural Psychology, in this
age of technology and social media, we accept our differences, especially on how we accept the
culture and beliefs of others. These cultural values influence how we interpret our behavior. In the
Philippines, our cultural values were shaped by historical colonization, which is evident in our present
society, particularly our strong family ties. Another is cultural hospitality that is deemed acceptable as
our nature. Even the dismal corruption that has been the perennial problem of the country also shaped
the tolerance of Filipinos as a way of answering societal problems.

Having Self-knowledge stems from the actual – self. It derives from our social interactions of society
that provide insight into how others react to us. It is the same as gaining feedback from others. The
reaction of other people is an essential aspect of gaining actual-self or our self-image. Even our social
roles are adjusted, on how we view ourselves today, and how ideally (ideal self) what we would like to be
in the future.

Module 3

Physical changes during Adolescence

- At a glance 11 For girls, you might start to see early physical changes from about 10 or 11 years, but
they might start as early as 8 years or as old as 13 years.

These physical changes during puberty include:

• development of breast

• changes in body shape and height

• growth of pubic and body hair

• onset of menstruation or monthly period

For boys, physical changes usually start at around 11 or 12 years, but they might start as young as 9
years or as old as 14 years. These physical changes include:

o growth of the penis and testes (testicles)

o changes in body shape and height

o erections with ejaculation

o growth of body and facial hair

o voice changes.
BODY IMAGE CONCERNS

It is within the context described above that children and adolescents begin to form their perception of
their own bodies – their body image. In body image research, a person’s body image is often described
in terms of the level of body-esteem (referring to self-esteem in relation to body and appearance) or
body dissatisfaction (referring to negative feelings and thoughts about one’s body and appearance)
which a person may be experiencing.

NUTRITION, HEALTH, AND HYGIENE

Adolescence is a period of rapid physical growth, with a corresponding increase in nutritional

requirements to support the increase in body mass and to build up stores of nutrients. The daily intake
of nutritional requirements increases according to the following factors:

Age: at the beginning of puberty, with the increase of height and at the last stage of adolescence;

Gender: adolescent girls require 10% more nutrients, iron and iodine in particular than boys;

Pregnancy: during the second half in particular, as well as during the first six months of breastfeeding, it
is advised that the first pregnancy after marriage be postponed at least until the girl is over 18 years old
because it might not be possible to meet added nutritional requirements, especially among middle
income and poor families; and

Activities and sports: heavy physical sports in particular such as swimming, running, and ball games.

MAJOR HEALTH CONCERNS OF ADOLESCENTS

Obesity: Obesity is a grave nutritional problem for adolescents. It simply means that the energy intake
exceeds the amount of energy consumed, and the residual difference accumulates in the body to
cause fat.

Anemia: Anemia is the most prevalent nutritional deficiency in the world, affecting no less than two
billion people. Primarily caused by iron deficiency, its acute symptoms manifest particularly among
adolescent girls.

Iodine deficiency: Iodine is a basic life element for humans. Iodine deficiency leads to goiter, abortion
and mental retardation. Deficiency means a severe lack of nutrition needed that might have a
pathological effect. The need for iodine increases during adolescence.

Depression: The term “depression” is often used in daily conversation to refer to bouts of sadness,
moodiness or disappointment that last for a few days.

Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs): The lifestyles adopted by adolescents and youth will largely
decide their risks of having sexually transmitted diseases and HIV infection. It must be understood that
these age groups are vulnerable to such infections.

Adolescence is a time to build on these basics.

Good hygiene habits in childhood are a great foundation for good hygiene in the teenage years.

Why good personal hygiene matters? Keeping your body clean is an important part of staying healthy.
HELPING ADOLESCENT CHILD WITH THE BASICS OF PERSONAL HYGIENE:

Body odor: When children reach puberty, a sweat gland in their armpit and genital area develops.
Regular changing of underwear and other clothes worn next to the skin is especially important.

Smelly feet: Smelly feet and shoes can also be a problem, whether you are sporty or not. One can avoid
this by giving your feet extra attention while taking a shower, and making sure they are completely dry
before putting your socks and shoes on.

Dental hygiene: Brushing teeth twice a day, flossing and going to the dentist regularly are vital to avoid
bad breath, gum problems and tooth decay.

Girls: Although all teenagers have the same basic hygiene issues, girls will be needing help to manage
their monthly periods. Adolescent girls should be told to change their pads more often as well as to
dispose these used pads hygienically.

Boys: Boys will need advice about shaving (how to do it and when to start), looking after their genitals,
and about bodily fluids.

Special Needs: Young people with special needs are likely be needing extra support with their personal
hygiene. When you are thinking about how to discuss 14 hygiene to a child with special needs, his/her
learning ability and style might be a factor. You may consider breaking the hygiene tasks (such as
showering, shaving, using deodorant and cleaning teeth) into small steps. This way, they might be easier
for adolescent to learn.

Start early - before puberty: If you keep reinforcing messages about personal hygiene, most adolescent
will get there in the end.

MODULE 4

Just like our physical health, mental health is essential in our lives. However, it is different when one has
a mental illness because this includes emotional, psychological, and social health. It can influence one's
feelings, thoughts, social and emotional well-being.

Magpantay and Danao (2016), from the 1999 Surgeon General's Report on Mental Health, defined
mental health as "successful performance of the mental function, resulting in productive activities,
fulfilling relationships with other people, and the ability to change and to cope with adversity." Mental
illness refers to diagnosable mental disorders characterized by alterations in thinking, mood, or
behavior (or a combination thereof) associated with distress and impaired functioning.
However, ongoing mental health problems can affect many areas of your life, such as relationships with
others, sleep appetite, energy levels, even the ability to think clearly or make decisions, and inability to
perform daily tasks.

Mental health and wellness matter in as much as positive mental health allows people to grasp their full
potential, work productively, and make significant contributions to society.

According to Merriam-Webster, stress as a noun is a state of mental tension and worry caused by
problems in one's life, work, and many others that causes intense feelings of worry or anxiety. As
stated by Ferret in his book Peak Performance, stress is simply the body’s response to external events
(e.g., taking an exam or giving a speech) or internal events (e.g., fear, worry, or unresolved anger).
Everything one experiences stimulate the body to react and respond.

Magpantay and Danao (2016) stated two categories of stress: eustress and distress.

Eustress is positive stress for it is helpful—it motivates the individual to keep on working and reach for
the goal.

Distress, on the other hand, is negative stress because it could give harmful implications to the
individual, such as anxiety and depression; discourages the individual from becoming productive; and
could cause emotional, physical, and psychological problems.

The situations and pressures that cause stress are known as stressors. We usually think of stressors as
being negative, such as an exhausting work schedule or a rocky relationship.

KINDS OF STRESSORS

1. CATACLYSMIC EVENTS are strong stresses that suddenly occur and may simultaneously affect many
people (Feldman, 2010). Natural disasters like typhoons, coding, global warming effects, and
earthquakes are examples of this kind of stressors—likewise, man-made troubles such as terrorist
attacks, ship or plane crash, and bombings.

2. PERSONAL STRESSORS refer to conditions, events, situations, or anything that causes stress to an
individual. It could be positive or negative stressors such as marrying, death of a loved one, getting a new
job or job loss, starting and ending class, 15 transferring to new schools, leaving old friends, and many
others. Moreover, stress occurs when the individual is experiencing frustration, pressure, or conflict.

3. BACKGROUND STRESSORS OR DAILY HASSLES (Feldman, 2010) are also referred to as displeasures
that could be encountered every day, such as standing in the long line while waiting for the train, stuck in
heavy traffic, noise, and pollution of the environment.