Adolescence

(The High
School Learner)
Adolescences
‘Adolescence is the
conjugator of Childhood
and adulthood’
–Loiuse J. Kaplan
Adolescences
 In Philippine High Schools, crisis situations
can occur by way of the destructive
culture of illegal drugs and youth gang
violence, and the less recognized
problems of dropping out due to social
problems, such as poverty, and more
personal problems, such as low aspirations
and delinquency.
Defining Adolescence

 Adolescence is a period of transition in

terms of physical, cognitive and socio-
emotional changes, physical transition
being particularly couples with sexual
transformation.
Pubertal Changes
 Manifested by change in Physical
appearance, a more rapid rate of
development (Next to the speed of
growth of the fetus in the uterus) known as
Growth spurts.
 The phenomenon commonly results in a
feeling of awkwardness and unfamiliarity
with bodily changes.
The Growth spurts

 Hormone flooding occurs during

adolescence causing an acceleration
known as the growth spurt.
 Body changes include change in body
dimensions (leg length, shoulder width,
trunk length).
Girls
 The growth spurt generally begins at age
10 reaching its peak at age 11 and a half,
and decreasing at age 13, while slow
continual occurs for several more years.
 At age 16 and 1/4 girls reach 98 percent
of their adult height
Boys
 Begintheir growth spurt later than girls at
around age 12, reaching a peak at 14
and declining at age 15 and a half.
 At age 17 and ¼ boys reached 98
percent of their height.
Pubertal Changes
 Briefly,
all the muscular and skeletal
dimensions appear to take part in the
growth during adolescence.
 The muscle also grow in terms of size and
strength, while a similar spurt occurs for
weight, muscle, head and face
maturation, and especially the
development of the reproductive organs.
Sexual Maturity
 The series of hormonal changes
accompanying puberty is complex.
 Hormones are recognized to be powerful
and highly specialized chemical
substances that interact with bodily cells.
Sexual Maturity
 The triggering by hormones of the
hypothalamus of the hypothalamus gland on
hormones of the pituitary glands signals the
entire process of sexual maturation.
 During the process Gonadotrophic hormones
are secreted by the anterior pituitary, which
lies beneath the base of the brain and are
situated approximately at the geometric
center of the human head.
Sexual Maturity
 Gonads, which are the ovaries in the female and
the testis in the male, are then stimulated by the
gonadotrophic hormones, in turn stimulating their
own hormones, testosterone is secreted, while
estrogen is secreted when the female ovary is
stimulated.
 Secondary male sex characteristics are stimulated
by testosterone, comprised by the growth of the
testis and scrotum (recognized to be the first sign
of puberty), penis and first pubic hair; the capacity
for ejaculation, the growth spurt, voice change,
facial hair growth.
Sexual Maturity
 Occuring late in puberty , the lowering of the
voice, caused by the enlargement of the
larynx and double lengthening of the vocal
cords, is viewed to be the most obvious
aspect of adolescent development.
 In girls, estrogen secretion triggers the
beginning of breast enlargement, the
appearance of pubic hair, the widening of
the hips, and a growth spurt, and menarche
(first menstruation).
Sexual Maturity
 Generally, girls achieve menarche beginning
11 to 11.5 years (5 percent), up to 12 and 12.
5 years (25 percent) and at age 13 (60
percent).
 Spermache signals the first sign of puberty
and sexual maturity in boys.
 At about age 12 or 13, Boys experience the
enlargement of the testis and the
manufacture of sperms in the scrotum, most
likely experiencing their first ejaculation of
semen- a sticky fluid produced by the
prostate gland.
Sexual Maturity
 Nocturnal emissions or ‘’wet dreams’’ occur
during sleep often caused by sexual dreams.
 Masturbation or manipulation of physical
sexual organs is caused by conscious
fantasizing , both among boys and Girls.
 It is important to note that science and
religion differ in their regard to maturation.
Modern medical science sees it as an
inevitable transitional phenomenon among
adolescent .
The Secular trend
 Known as the secular trend, the
phenomenon reflects a more rapid
maturation compared with that
occurring in previous millinia.
 One hundred years ago, boys reached
their adult height at ages 23 and 25 and
girls ages 19 and 20. Today, maximum
height is reached between 18 and 20
years for boys and 13and14 for girls.
The Secular trend
 The occurrence of the secular trend is
ascribed to many factors, among which
are: The complex interaction of genetic
and environmental influences,
improvement in health care, improved
living conditions, and the control of
infectious diseases
Adolescent sleeping habit
 Studies show that teenagers are not getting
enough sleep, and would want more sleep.
 Lack of sleep caused by changes in adolescent
behavioural patterns.
 Teens often stay up late because they enjoy it.
 About 90 percent of teenager high school
student report going to bed later than midnight.
 Socializing with peers add to the problem, causing
difficulties in waking up early and causing
teenagers to struggle to stay alert and function
productively.
 Adolescent sleeping habit

 Shorter sleep time also contributes to

increased levels of depression. Daytime
sleepiness, and causing problems with
sleeping.
 The school and teachers should therefore
take time to impart healthy sleeping
habits, to prevent fluctuations in
moodiness and anemic conditions
among teens.
Exploration
 Adolescents become aware of changes in
sexuality, thus undergoing a period of
exploration and adjustment
 Learners from sectarian (religious and gender
exclusive) schools are more likely to consider
sexual openness to be dangerous, if not sinful.
The case is not perceived among non-
sectarian or fender mixed schools. Although
more dangers exist relating to heterosexual
relationship and early pregnancy among
students in non-exclusive schools.
Exploration
 Thedrug culture, especially in urbanized
communities, presents a serious danger to
students who are undergoing the
exploratory phase of adolescent
development.
Pluses and minuses in early or late
maturation
 Among girls, physical changes are more dramatic,
but perceptions of not being well developed as
compared with their peers can be a cause for
timidity or shyness, if not frustration.
 In the case of late maturing boys, the slack in
growth in body build, strength, motor performance
and coordination may inhibit their performance in
curricular and extra-curricular activities, such as in
sports.
 Late maturing teens are seen by their peers as
being more childish, more inhibited, less
independent, less self-assuring, and less worthy of
leadership roles.
Pluses and minuses in early or late
maturation
 Early maturing teens can gain social
advantages in esteem and greater inner
poise.
 There also some disadvantages such as
greater expectation on the part of others,
resulting in lessening the experience of
freedom in more steady growth.
The Ideal Masculine and feminine
physiques
 Most adolescent desire an ‘ideal body,’ which is the same
as being physically attractive or handsome in face
(features of the eyes, nose, lips, hair, etc.) and in body (tall
and muscular for boys and tall and slender for girls.

 In the developed countries like the U.S., about 10 percent

of adolescents have been known to take anabolic steroids
in tablet or in injectable form for cosmetic and athletic
performance purposes.

 It is important to forewarn adolescent about the severe

harmful effects of long term use of steroids: liver
dysfunction, cancer and damage to the reproductive
system.
The Ideal Masculine and feminine
physiques
 Short-term effects are hair loss, severe acne,
high blood pressure, shrunken testicles and
low sperm production.
 Girls users develop irreversible masculine
characteristics , such as growth of facial hair.
 Steroids may also foster aggressive and
destructive behaviour. Finally, giving up the
drug may lead to depression and suicide.
Adolescents and nutrition.
 Necessary for adolescent years are sufficient
amounts of vitamin B12 (found in animal
proteins), calcium, zinc, Iron, riboflavin and
vitamin D.
 Magic diet schemes suggested by advertising
and magazines to lose weight, give a radiant
hair, whiten the skin, etch. Should be met with
caution.
 Vegetable intake is good, but this should be
balanced with food intake to form high-
quality nutrition including eating protein
sources such as milk, dairy products and eggs.
Adolescents and nutrition.

 Itis a recognized fact that teens are the

poorest eaters among age groups, as
they often skip meals, frequently take
snacks foods (hamburger, fries, pizza, soft
drinks, etc.) at fast-food eateries.
The ideal body

 The Physical features of the human body (facial

looks, body size, colour of skin, etch) depend on
genetic heritage which must generally be respected’
However with advancement in hair and skin
technology, change in hair colour and skin are no
longer impossible.
 There is more to body image than physical looks and
these concern good habits in relation to:
 Cleanliness and grooming
 Proper wearing of clothes following current styles
 Erect bodily posture
 Eye contact while communicating
 Decorum(good form and confidence) and decency