● PUBERTY SEXUAL MATURATION
A brain-neuroendocrine process occurring primarily ● Three of the most noticeable signs of
in early adolescence that provides stimulation for sexual maturation in boys are penis
the rapid physical changes that accompany this elongation, testes development, & growth
period of development. of facial hair.
● Two of the most noticeable aspects of
GROWTH SPURT female pubertal change are pubic hair &
breast development.
Growth slows throughout childhood, & then puberty ● Order of changes- breast development
brings forth the most rapid increases in growth occurs first, followed by the appearance of
since infancy. pubic hair. Later, hair appears in the
● The growth spurt associated with puberty armpits. As these changes occur, the
occurs approximately two years earlier for female grows in height, & her hips become
girls than for boys. wider than her shoulders. Her first
● Growth spurt- Girls 9 years; boys 11 years menstruation (menarche) occurs rather late
● Increase in height per year- 3½ for girls & in the pubertal cycle.
4 for boys ● Precocious puberty is the term used to
● Growth spurt begins before menarche & describe the very early onset & rapid
ends earlier for girls. The growth spurt progression of puberty. usually diagnosed
begins later & ends later for boys. when pubertal onset occurs before 8 years
● At the beginning of adolescence, girls tend of age in girls & before 9 years of age in
to be as tall as or taller than boys of boys.
their age, but most boys have caught up
with them, or in many cases even
PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECTS
surpassed them in height by the end of
the middle school years. BODY IMAGE
● The rate at which adolescents gain weight Preoccupation with one’s body image is strong
follows approximately the same throughout adolescence, but it is especially acute
developmental timetable as the rate at during puberty.
which they gain height.
● In addition, puberty brings changes in hip & GENDER DIFFERENCES
shoulder width. ● Gender differences characterise
adolescents’ perceptions of their bodies. In
general, throughout puberty girls are less
, happy with their bodies & have more ● a link with risk-taking behaviour depended
negative body images than do. on the quality of parent-adolescent
● may be due to media portrayals of the relations.
attractiveness of being thin & the ● When relationship quality decreased,
increase in body fat in girls during puberty. testosterone-linked risk-taking behaviour &
● As they go through puberty- girls become symptoms of depression increased.
more dissatisfied due to weight where ● Hormones do not function independently;
boys become more satisfied due to muscles. hormonal activity is influenced by many
● Recent study- boys’ & girls’ body images environmental factors;
became more positive as they moved from 1. Stress
the beginning to the end of adolescence. 2. Eating patterns
● In a study- school girls POV- worst things 3. Sexual activity
about being a girl- biology of being female- 4. Depression
childbirth, PMS, periods, breast cancer. 5. Parent adolescent relations
● Best thing about girl- appearance.
● Middle school boys POV- worst things about
EARLY & LATE MATURATION
being a guy- aspects of discipline- getting
into trouble, being blamed more than girls. ● early-maturing boys perceived themselves
● Best thing about boy- playing sports. more positively & more successful peer
relations than late-maturing boys. The
BODY ART findings for early-maturing girls were
● Most youth engage in body modifications to similar but not as strong as for boys.
be different, to stamp their identity as ● An increasing number of researchers have
unique. found that early maturation increases girls’
● Some studies- tattoos & body piercings vulnerability to a number of problems.
are markers for risk taking in adolescence. ● More likely to have problems like
● Other researchers- body art used to 1. Smoking, drinking & eating disorder.
express individuality & self expression, 2. Delinquency, dating & early sexual
rather than rebellion. acts.
3. Independence struggle & older
HORMONES & BEHAVIOUR frnds.
● Hormonal factors are thought to account 4. Less likely to graduate & marry
for at least part of the increase in early.
negative emotions that characterise ● Cognitive immaturity & early physical
adolescents. development- lured into problems without
● In boys- high level of androgens realising long term consequences.
● In girls- high level of adrenal androgens
● However, hormonal factors alone are not
responsible for adolescent behaviour.
, ● The percentage of adolescents getting 8
or more hours of sleep on an average adolescents will sleep an average of 9
school night decreased as they got older. hours & 25 minutes a night.
● Recent study- adolescents not getting ● This shortfall creates a sleep deficit, which
enough sleep. adolescents often attempt to make up on
● Older adolescents got less sleep on school the weekend.
nights than younger. ● The researchers theorised that this
● Inadequate sleep on school nights= sleepiness was not due to academic work
1. Fall asleep in school or social pressures.
2. Be depressed ● research suggests that adolescents’
3. Drink more caffeinated beverages biological clocks undergo a shift as they
● Asian adolescents bedtime- later than get older, delaying their period of
North americans & Europeans- less sleep wakefulness by about one hour.
on nights & more daytime sleepiness ● A delay in the nightly release of the
● Many adolescents, especially older sleep-inducing hormone melatonin, which is
adolescents, stay up later at night & sleep produced in the brain’s pineal gl&, seems to
longer in the morning than they did when underlie this shift.
they were children. ● Melatonin is secreted at about 9:30 p.m. in
● They found that when given the younger adolescents & approximately an
opportunity hour later in older adolescents.
NUTRITION adolescents’ nutrition- models for healthy
Important aspect of health-compromising & or
health-enhancing behaviours unhealthy nutrition, & by including
● Many adolescents have health-compromising, adolescents in regular family meals.
& eating disorders. ● Girls & boys with better family functioning
● Concern is often expressed over had more frequent family meals, ate
adolescents’ tendency to eat b/w meals breakfast more often, & consumed less
● 2 factors linked to fruits & veggies fast food.
consumption by adolescents- Availability at ● Schools also can play an important role in
home & consumption by parents. adolescents’ eating patterns.
● parents play an important role in
A brain-neuroendocrine process occurring primarily ● Three of the most noticeable signs of
in early adolescence that provides stimulation for sexual maturation in boys are penis
the rapid physical changes that accompany this elongation, testes development, & growth
period of development. of facial hair.
● Two of the most noticeable aspects of
GROWTH SPURT female pubertal change are pubic hair &
breast development.
Growth slows throughout childhood, & then puberty ● Order of changes- breast development
brings forth the most rapid increases in growth occurs first, followed by the appearance of
since infancy. pubic hair. Later, hair appears in the
● The growth spurt associated with puberty armpits. As these changes occur, the
occurs approximately two years earlier for female grows in height, & her hips become
girls than for boys. wider than her shoulders. Her first
● Growth spurt- Girls 9 years; boys 11 years menstruation (menarche) occurs rather late
● Increase in height per year- 3½ for girls & in the pubertal cycle.
4 for boys ● Precocious puberty is the term used to
● Growth spurt begins before menarche & describe the very early onset & rapid
ends earlier for girls. The growth spurt progression of puberty. usually diagnosed
begins later & ends later for boys. when pubertal onset occurs before 8 years
● At the beginning of adolescence, girls tend of age in girls & before 9 years of age in
to be as tall as or taller than boys of boys.
their age, but most boys have caught up
with them, or in many cases even
PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECTS
surpassed them in height by the end of
the middle school years. BODY IMAGE
● The rate at which adolescents gain weight Preoccupation with one’s body image is strong
follows approximately the same throughout adolescence, but it is especially acute
developmental timetable as the rate at during puberty.
which they gain height.
● In addition, puberty brings changes in hip & GENDER DIFFERENCES
shoulder width. ● Gender differences characterise
adolescents’ perceptions of their bodies. In
general, throughout puberty girls are less
, happy with their bodies & have more ● a link with risk-taking behaviour depended
negative body images than do. on the quality of parent-adolescent
● may be due to media portrayals of the relations.
attractiveness of being thin & the ● When relationship quality decreased,
increase in body fat in girls during puberty. testosterone-linked risk-taking behaviour &
● As they go through puberty- girls become symptoms of depression increased.
more dissatisfied due to weight where ● Hormones do not function independently;
boys become more satisfied due to muscles. hormonal activity is influenced by many
● Recent study- boys’ & girls’ body images environmental factors;
became more positive as they moved from 1. Stress
the beginning to the end of adolescence. 2. Eating patterns
● In a study- school girls POV- worst things 3. Sexual activity
about being a girl- biology of being female- 4. Depression
childbirth, PMS, periods, breast cancer. 5. Parent adolescent relations
● Best thing about girl- appearance.
● Middle school boys POV- worst things about
EARLY & LATE MATURATION
being a guy- aspects of discipline- getting
into trouble, being blamed more than girls. ● early-maturing boys perceived themselves
● Best thing about boy- playing sports. more positively & more successful peer
relations than late-maturing boys. The
BODY ART findings for early-maturing girls were
● Most youth engage in body modifications to similar but not as strong as for boys.
be different, to stamp their identity as ● An increasing number of researchers have
unique. found that early maturation increases girls’
● Some studies- tattoos & body piercings vulnerability to a number of problems.
are markers for risk taking in adolescence. ● More likely to have problems like
● Other researchers- body art used to 1. Smoking, drinking & eating disorder.
express individuality & self expression, 2. Delinquency, dating & early sexual
rather than rebellion. acts.
3. Independence struggle & older
HORMONES & BEHAVIOUR frnds.
● Hormonal factors are thought to account 4. Less likely to graduate & marry
for at least part of the increase in early.
negative emotions that characterise ● Cognitive immaturity & early physical
adolescents. development- lured into problems without
● In boys- high level of androgens realising long term consequences.
● In girls- high level of adrenal androgens
● However, hormonal factors alone are not
responsible for adolescent behaviour.
, ● The percentage of adolescents getting 8
or more hours of sleep on an average adolescents will sleep an average of 9
school night decreased as they got older. hours & 25 minutes a night.
● Recent study- adolescents not getting ● This shortfall creates a sleep deficit, which
enough sleep. adolescents often attempt to make up on
● Older adolescents got less sleep on school the weekend.
nights than younger. ● The researchers theorised that this
● Inadequate sleep on school nights= sleepiness was not due to academic work
1. Fall asleep in school or social pressures.
2. Be depressed ● research suggests that adolescents’
3. Drink more caffeinated beverages biological clocks undergo a shift as they
● Asian adolescents bedtime- later than get older, delaying their period of
North americans & Europeans- less sleep wakefulness by about one hour.
on nights & more daytime sleepiness ● A delay in the nightly release of the
● Many adolescents, especially older sleep-inducing hormone melatonin, which is
adolescents, stay up later at night & sleep produced in the brain’s pineal gl&, seems to
longer in the morning than they did when underlie this shift.
they were children. ● Melatonin is secreted at about 9:30 p.m. in
● They found that when given the younger adolescents & approximately an
opportunity hour later in older adolescents.
NUTRITION adolescents’ nutrition- models for healthy
Important aspect of health-compromising & or
health-enhancing behaviours unhealthy nutrition, & by including
● Many adolescents have health-compromising, adolescents in regular family meals.
& eating disorders. ● Girls & boys with better family functioning
● Concern is often expressed over had more frequent family meals, ate
adolescents’ tendency to eat b/w meals breakfast more often, & consumed less
● 2 factors linked to fruits & veggies fast food.
consumption by adolescents- Availability at ● Schools also can play an important role in
home & consumption by parents. adolescents’ eating patterns.
● parents play an important role in
