As I was reading the material describing
physical development in adolescents I couldn’t help but remember the amount of
time I spent choosing outfits in middle and high school. I would labor over the decision of what shirt
looked best with my jeans and shoes for the next day all while consulting my
friends on the phone for their opinion.
Physical appearance was of utmost importance for me during those years
and still is for teenagers today.
Adolescence is a confusing time when bodies and emotions are changing. Developing
Adolescents: A Reference for Professionals acknowledges that there is no
standard definition of adolescence.
There are more factors than just chronological age that determine when
adolescence begins. While there are many
other facets that determine when a child enters adolescence, physical changes
are the most obvious indicator to others that a child is entering a new stage
in life. I thought it was very important
to note that just because a male or female may physically mature earlier than
others they must still be treated according to their age. Males and females who mature earlier or later
than their peers may experience more difficulties during their teenage years. This places responsibility on parents, family
members, and mentors to encourage adolescents to discuss the changes they are
experiencing. A misconception about
teenagers is that they desire complete independence from parents and
guardians. Developing Adolescents made it clear that teenagers need and desire
guidance from a strong adult role model.
It does however take time to develop a trusting relationship with a
teenager. Acknowledging that puberty
happens to everyone can help adolescents feel less isolated. I was discouraged to read that there are not
many studies that examine puberty from different ethnic perspectives. Research is lacking in the areas of health
and eating habits along with the general experience of puberty among
minorities. Our country is becoming more
diverse and I think it is imperative that we include different ethnicities in
these studies. Overall, Developing
Adolescents was a good reminder of what it is like to be a teenager
experiencing many physical changes.
Although my teen years don’t seem like
they were that long ago, teens today do face many unique challenges that I did
not experience. Pressure to attain high
beauty standards and a certain “look” in fashion is not only on TV but also on
social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. The growth of social media increases availability
of possible negative images to impressionable teen males and females. Reading the Guys Guide to Body Image enlightened me to the fact that males
worry about physical appearance as well.
Our society often bases male worth on ability to perform a team sport or
physical activity. That is clearly a
generalization and there were many tips on the Guys Guide to Body Image on how to develop a healthy body
image. That webpage could also be a
helpful resource to parents and guardians with a teenage boy. It could provide insight and reminders of
what it is like to experience puberty and offer opportunities for
discussion. As I was further
investigating body image concerns I came across a Dove website that I was very
excited to find. Dove, which sells hair
products along with other various beauty products, has created a campaign for
real beauty. Their campaign launched in
2004 with various efforts to encourage women to embrace their physical
appearance no matter what shape or size they may be. I was excited to see a link on their homepage
full of resources to encourage healthy self-esteem in girls. They have created an entire self-esteem tool
kit broken down into different age groups.
There is even a tool kit for moms who have daughters entering puberty. Dove also hosts workshops for girls to spend
time with peers all while encouraging healthy body image. While there does seem to be a stronger focus
on girls Dove does include males in their campaign. Males can find resources on their website as
well. I was excited to see such a
prominent and well-known company tackling the issue of body image. I think Dove has a great website which could
be a good tool for adolescent males, females, and adults with teenagers. Here’s the link: http://www.dove.us/social-mission/self-esteem-toolkit-and-resources/
Another issue many adolescents face is
questioning their sexual identity. This
is currently a hot topic in our society. Puberty is a time in which many adolescents
experiment and explore their sexual identity.
For some that is cause for concern.
In Just the Facts About Sexual
Orientation and Youth their entire purpose for writing that publication was
in response to strong opposition to homosexual individuals. They claim a surge in organizations seeking
to change a person’s sexual orientation.
Medical and health professionals
declassified homosexuality as a mental disorder in 1973 but strong feelings
remain about sexual orientation. I agree
with the authors of Just the Facts About
Sexual Orientation that counseling which aims to change a person’s sexual
orientation can be damaging and cause more harm than good. I think it is especially important to
encourage individuals experiencing the changes of puberty to be honest about
what they are feeling. Puberty is
confusing enough and it does not help when an individual feels added stress due
to societal discrimination. I visited
the website for Focus on the Family, an organization which supports sexual
orientation conversion therapy in order to learn about their point of
view. Focus on the Family believes that
sexual orientation can be changed and individuals who seek therapy realize
their need to do so. They wish to
provide resources to students in schools but due to legal issues are not
allowed. I am afraid their information
could cause shame and guilt among adolescents who may be experimenting and
questioning their sexual orientation. Although
I agree with the perspective presented in Just
the Facts About Sexual Orientation it is helpful to see both sides to know
what adolescents may be hearing. These
readings provided good reminders of what adolescents experience during puberty
and information which points out new challenges faced by todays teens.
