Lesson 5: Adolescence

The word “adolescence” may make you cringe, especially if you are a parent! This time period is well known for the many physical and psychological changes that occur, such as body size, shape, and the mood fluctuations of the typical adolescent. The adolescent’s strive for identity and autonomy is often convoluted with the lack of cognitive ability and experience needed to function in the ‘real-world’, independent from parents. Family values and beliefs may need to be thrown out by the developing teenager, only to be picked up piece by piece as the adolescent travels into adulthood.

The development of self is effectively stopped or derailed when an adolescent uses dysfunctional coping mechanisms to “dull the pain.”  It’s unfortunate that the majority of teenagers think that they are told to avoid drugs and alcohol because of legalities, or because parents “don’t think I am an adult.”  Parents can instead communicate to teenagers that substance avoidance is imperative because of the hugely negative effects of alcohol and drugs on the adolescent brain and body.

How has the idea of adolescence changed over time? We now know that the brain isn’t fully developed until about age 25—or 28 or 30?! Does that affect how we think about adolescence? Our expectations?

Assignments for Lesson 5:

1. Textbook readings: Chapters 8 and 9. You know what to do—read the summary, take notes, quiz yourself on the Test Yourself sections WITHOUT LOOKING at the answers until after you try them yourself… J

2. PowerPoint presentations: Chapters 8 and 9… Gosh, this is GREAT stuff for class and life!

3. Adolescent Brain Assignment: This assignment is due by Sun., July 10^th at 11:59pm in the Adolescent Brain Assignment folder. (20 points)

Part I: Read about the first dataset from the Adolescent Brain and Cognitive Development (ABCD) study at https://abcdstudy.org/families/ (Explore links and videos on this site to help you understand what the ABCD is doing!) So… What IS the ABCD study? How many participants are enrolled? WHY is this study so exciting? Give TWO of the many questions that this study is asking (a bunch are listed on this webpage!) You should have ONE fat paragraph for this part.

Part 2: Go to the following links below. Each have a summary of interesting, current research findings. Choose TWO that are the most interesting to you. Summarize each. You should have a good-sized paragraph for each (thus two total paragraphs for Part 2).

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/extended-adolescence-when-25-is-the-new-181/?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=sa-editorial-social&utm_content=&utm_term=&sf116354272=1

https://penntoday.upenn.edu/news/brain-scans-9-to-11-year-olds-offer-clues-aggressive-antisocial-behavior-Penn-FIU-research

https://www.psypost.org/2016/12/heavy-alcohol-use-changes-adolescents-brain-46390

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/08/190814113931.htm

https://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/childhood-obesity-linked-to-structural-differences-in-key-brain-regions

https://source.wustl.edu/2019/03/how-team-sports-change-a-childs-brain/

Part 3: Explain ONE textbook concept that you have not explained in this assignment yet. For this one, fully describe your concept/term/theory and provide a personal example to demonstrate your understanding of it! (one big paragraph)

You have reached the end of Lesson 5!