Abstract
The confusion associated with teens’ changing emotional development always brings about some imbalance as they swing from dependence to interdependence. Sometimes, they want to be treated as children and at other times as adults, making it difficult for parents to decide how to treat them. Hence, parents should be overconfident and be there for their teenagers.
There should be a support system developed to enable the highly vulnerable teen to grow well as he/ she is undergoing emotional changes. This can be done through parents at home, the family unit, the church, and the teachers in the school system. As far as the teen gets appreciation and respect, his emotional well-being will be at rest. The art of making responsible decisions rather than erratic ones comes with time, patience, and practice. In all aspects of emotional development, whether it’s drug abuse, romantic /sex, suicide, or bullying, teens should be taught about being responsible by taking well-thought-out decisions and the consequences of irresponsible behavior. As they identify themselves, they should be accountable for their individualism and not a quorum (peer pressure) (Dennis and John, 2007).
Introduction
Adolescence
This can be defined as the period between the ages of twelve years to twenty years. It is characterized by the self identity factor an age of identifying oneself. All human beings have to pass through this controversial period that depicts their character and their future relations with the society. It is associated with various changes which are classified as follows: physical changes, psychological changes, emotional changes. All three changes tend to inter-relate in one way or another affecting the growth of a child during this period that can also be termed as puberty (Dennis and John, 77-93).
Physical Changes
This process takes rapid changes in the body can be termed as puberty. Its onset is gradual and it varies from girls to boys. For boys its onset can be gauged from thirteen years while that for the girls starts from the age of eleven. Although the onset can vary from one child to another, depending on the following factors:-nutrition, hereditary factors and environmental settings. The physical changes are brought about by hormonal changes that affect the body of the young growing adults. These changes include: – The girls will start their menstrual periods, this is where they start to ovulate and their capability to give birth is instilled, hence fertility starts. Pubic hair and underarm hair growth also develop, their breasts also start to develop and hips broaden as their level of maturity increases. Compared to boys girls mature faster in growth and reasoning capacity. The boys will start breaking their voices, their shoulders will broaden, pubic hair growth, facial hair growth, onset of wet dreams and erections.
These changes bring a lot of confusion which may lead to a rebellious nature that leads the teenagers into a road of self discovery that they usually take alone in solidarity. From this point their emotional development takes full throttle in their lives. Emotional development has a direct link to physical changes. Emotional development is characterized by moodiness, teens tend to acquire don’t care and know it all attitudes, and also their creativity level is enhanced. They are able to recognize what they are best in either in sports, the arts, or culinary arts. Hence talents are unearthed in this complex stage of life. These new talents should be used by parents to avert teens from drugs, sex, and other social evils that they may be prone to in this delicate stage. The adolescents tend to acquire a few changes in the way they think, the way they view them selves, the way society views them and the way they carry them selves. It tends to define their emotional well being as they upgrade themselves as individuals rather than children who need to be under the care of their parents. From this point henceforth they tend to gain the route to independence that identifies with whom they are in the society (Dennis and John, 77-93).
Parent Teenage Relationship
From birth of a child, the relationship of a child to its parent is strong and the parents assume the role of care giver while the child seems helpless the parents become everything to them from advice facilitators to decision on what’s best for the young child. During puberty this trend takes a downhill trend. From the dependant children they used to be to rebellious ones, they usually tend to have their own opinion about life. Parents always don’t understand their children as they make their decision which seems to be always off the mark. Parents also make the mistake of viewing them as the little children they have always been. The teens tend to augur well with their peers outside the family circle. This presents the problem of peer pressure which inclines one to do what the rest of the group is doing. Peer pressure can be defined as an inclination of following a set of rules inscribed by a group of the same age set. This group in adolescents can be said to have a culture which can be described as pop, meaning they listen to certain kind of music, the mobile technology culture they text one another when it come to sharing information. They also have mastered the art of internet technology where they surf for information and also expose them to cyber crimes as underage sex and cyber sex. With this kind of information in their hands they tend to be up-to-date with fashion and what’s in, in the social arena (Dennis and John, 77-93).
Problems Associated with Emotional Development
One of the problems facing the teenagers is obesity/overweight. Due to hormonal changes inclined to growth teenagers tend to eat more than usual. Hence they become overweight, a problem associated with appearance. Depending on the kind of group they are hanging out with they will tend to feel out of the group basing it on the current fad of being slim. Thus most teenagers will tend to start starving themselves which may lead to bulimia or anorexia nervosa. Most teenagers who are overweight get problems when hanging out with their peers hence they are either alienated or bullied. As they are alienated they either become more obese or they try to alleviate the problem and become anorexic(this is the act of starving oneself hence becoming frail and weak leading to being sick with anorexia).Bulling and teasing due to overweight problems will always lead to stress which ends up to depression. As the child fights the battle alone, with no support neither at school nor at home (David, 19-43)
On Set of Depression and Its Symptoms
In medical terms it’s termed as schizophrenia and delusional disorder. It can be defined as a feeling of intense sadness that brings about mood swings. These dieses occur due to chemical imbalances in the brain in response to troubling situations facing the child. In this situation it will be based in the difficult situation of making friends due to obesity. A child with depression will feel alienated in the sense that he/ she become withdrawn by losing interest in activities around them. When they are alone they trend to start thinking in a diverted and distorted way, which influences them into negative perception. Depression in children progresses gradually as in the case in adults and they may experience hallucinations and delusions.
Having blatant emotion is another problem which can be observed when emotional things happen and the child doesn’t respond to any of them. Although sometimes use of illicit drugs may exhibit symptoms of depression. During depression the child experiences insomnia this is where by the child tends to loose sleep at night. They become overactive and aggressive which might be associated to anti social behavior. Suicidal effects and loss of interest in school becomes a major hurdle in the teen’s life. Childhood schizophrenia unfortunately can not be cured though its symptoms can be averted by use of drugs. Although depression is a common problem in teenagers at time its effect doesn’t take strong roots in certain individuals. It all depends on how the teen perceive these emotions positively or negatively. Incase of family history in depression it has to be taken seriously before the child’s mentality becomes an issue (David, 19-43).
Drug Abuse
Due to the problem of peer pressure most teens make big mistakes in their day to day decision. Drug abuse comes into play out of curiosity and adventure. As the problem of depression persists it may lead one to drug abuse to reduce stress level. Drugs can be used by teenagers to feel grown up and to fit in their social groupings. Drugs can be classified as hard or soft depending on the after effects and side effects. Alcohol, cigarettes, marijuana, khat, are just some of the drugs that teens experiment in. most of the teens who mess with drugs are the ones who are depressed ,who want to fit in their group and those with a history of drug abuse from their homes. Behavioral changes in teens experimenting in drugs include alienation, antisocial and deviant characteristics, rebellious nature unkemptness’ and not keeping time. Drug abuse can be contained in teens by counseling and rehabilitation. Most of these drugs are addictive hence prolonged usage brings effects to the after life of the person involved (David, 19-43).
Bullying
Bullying is an abusive behavior that occurs during adolescent developmental stages. This happens when certain children tend to grow physically faster than the others of the same age group. The fast maturing group tends to overpower the little ones. Bullying can be categorized in various groups; it can take the direct line where it is characterized by teasing taunting, name calling, stealing, blackmail, gossip, intentional exclusion, and spread of rumors. The result of bullying is the victims are subjected to isolation and rejection. Boys take the physical threats and intimidation as way of bullying while girls take the route of verbal abuse. Bullying can either be direct or indirect in either case it leads to physical or psychological intimidation. Bullies are those children that tend to feel in control hence deriving satisfaction in hurting others.
Apparently most bullies come from homes that tend to portray violence and confrontation as ways of solving problems. Most bullies are antisocial that want to form gangs on which they can spread fear and be able to practice their awesome power. Most bullies have a problem with self-esteem, this is a problem that tends to follow them to their adult hood most of them becoming criminals and not being able to hold positive relationships in future. Bullish behavior can lead to depression and suicide, most children who are bullied at school tend to fear going to school, and they become socially in active and develop anger. When anger is left to grow in a long time it tends to explode presenting an uglier scene than the bullying act. This is why shootings takes place in schools, the victims decide to take the bullies at their own mercies. Parents have a role to play in safeguarding their children’s well being. By knowing what kind of policies schools offer in detecting bullish behavior in students. The society should also come in and condemn it. When one meets young adults in the neighborhood and suspect bullish behavior, they should take the upper hand to stop it forthwith without favoritism (Dennis and John, 77-93).
Suicide
Due to confusion, depression, bullying, effects of prolonged use of drugs this can lead to suicidal thoughts which if not controlled can lead to the actual act of suicide. Most teen feel lost in their environment by feeling different and viewing the society as their enemy. And after experimenting with drugs, drown in depression the ultimate decisions to their self discovery leads to suicide. This happens especially when the emotional changes take an escalation and lack of comprehension between the society, family, churches and young teenage is experienced.
Anger in teenagers is also a raising factor that can lead to suicide. Anger can be described as an emotion that is brought about by a disagreement that tends to favor one party than the other. This ends up in the feeling of being vengeful by being shortchanged by events that have taken place and for instance if the offended party doesn’t get his fair share then anger is natured. If it grows to uncontrolled levels then it explodes into a bad scene. A small provocation can lead to a massive blowing out of the situation. This can be avoided if communication lines can be opened; let the teens be able to speak out their opinions without fear of being ridiculed, looked down upon or subjected to questions. Most teens see suicide as the answer to escape reality. Which most of the time they view as impossible situations or thoughts hence suicide becomes a form of escapism (Dennis and John, 77-93).
Romanticism/sex
Adolescence from of the same age group tends to do things in the same manner. Young teenagers tend to develop attraction among them. They start to experience romantic emotions towards each other. This becomes a problem because for one they are not experienced in this area and everything they do becomes an experiment. With the influence of drugs the sexual experiences sometimes turns out to be nasty for example exposure of sexually transmitted dieses, HIV (AIDS) or early pregnancy. Early pregnancies can lead to abortion which has its own physiological effects to the growing teen. Romantic development among teenagers is usually ignored.
They occur inform of crushes and are normally brushed of by the society as non lasting, they term it as a passing attraction that has no basis, but they should be taken with great emphasis by guiding the teens step by step on their emotional changes related to biological changes. They should be taught o how to react to sexual thoughts. Ignored teens left on their own without guidance in pursuit of understanding themselves (their sexuality) may turn to masturbation which is healthy but if it’s overdone it can turn tragic. For instance the teen can become selfish and egocentric when it comes to emotional situations. They should be taught that is not an evil act but only an act that should be done by two mature adults in expression of their love towards each other. It is also an act done by two people who are ready to take responsibility of the afterward consequences (Ann and Alan, 65-81).
Factors Affecting Emotional Development
Factors affecting adolescence emotional development may include the following: – environmental, hereditary, family. This are categorized as factors that may escalate the emotional changes to be either too much too handle or bearable. The environment can be defined as habitat which supports a group of people to live together. The kind of environment setting that a child is bred in is a determinant factor on what kind of teen he will become. For instance if he grows in an environment where people don’t communicate he will tend to be too much absolved in his own world and thoughts. This is because he hasn’t been taught, the art of expressing, his thoughts and fears. This also implies in cases where people don’t share problems it may lead him to think that he can solve his problem on his own hence alienation (Neil, 59-90). Due to genetics each teen tends to has, a unique way of reacting to emotional factors.
Teens that come from families that have a history of depression will easily fall prey into it. Meaning they are more inclined to face problems like suicide when they get bullied. The family comes into play because if it is aware of such instances as family history in suicides and depression or obesity in the family they should exercise extra care when it comes to handling their teenagers. The kind of family set up a teen comes from is also a factor. Take for example a nuclear family unit tends to have authority from the father and mother, while that of a single family it has less authority, hence the level of rebelliousness in each family set up is different. A family that experiences instability brings the issue of teenage runaways; while a family that is joined by an understanding such as religion tends to raise children with less emotional changes on the negative side of it. Each child in a family should be given his or her own pace of growth. It takes a big challenge for parents who have a big family whom tend to delegate duties of responsibilities to older children this becomes a problem to the young teen (Ann and Alan, 45-57).
Conclusion
The main issue of adolescence is all about understanding one self, hence the need for the society to be able to accord the young adults respect as they become their own person. Through this journey they are able to make their own choices, commitments and stands hence developing individualism (Neil, 59-90). Adolescence provides a challenging step that is complicated and needs courageous actions.
Parents should therefore know that good child upbringing means that children are well equipped with the necessary skills that are eventually able to bring up their own families in future. It will also help them to stand on their own when they grow up. Parents are required to grip with the fact that they have a responsibility to keep their children healthy, educated and character oriented. Whatever the circumstances, children live by example and parents need to demonstrate high levels of commitment first to themselves and then to their children in order that they become the role models for their children. Respect, humility and honest should be the driving forces in the family, schools and the institutions
References
Ann and Alan: Adolescent Development, Psychology Press, 2005, Pp 45-57.
Ann, C. Alan, B: Parenting and Families- Routledge, U.S.A Press, 2005 Pp 65-81.
David M: Adolescent Psychological Development: Rationality, Morality, and Identity: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 1999 Pp 19-43.
Dennis and John: Introduction to Psychology:-Gateways to Mind and Behavior, 11th Edition, Wadsworth Publishing Company, 2007 Pp 77-93.
Neil G: The California School of Professional Psychology: – Handbook of Juvenile Forensic Psychology- Jossey-Bass- San Francisco, 2002 Pp 59-90.