Adolescence as a Period of Storm and Stress: a Stage of Changes

Adolescence, often characterized as a phase of 'storm and stress,' stands as a pivotal in human development. This essay aims to explore the concept of adolescence as a period of storm and stress, delving into the underlying psychological, neurological, and sociocultural factors that contribute to these fluctuations and examining the implications for both individuals and society. This transitional period, bridging childhood and adulthood, is marked by a multitude of physical, cognitive, emotional, and social changes that can be both exhilarating and challenging. Coined by G. Stanley Hall in the early 20th century, the phrase 'storm and stress' encapsulates the turbulence and conflicts that adolescents often experience as they navigate the complexities of identity formation, peer relationships, and self-discovery.

Adolescence is the stage of life when a person is no longer a child but not quite an adult. This period can be divided into three stages also like Early adolescence, Middle adolescence and Late adolescence. Early adolescence is approximately from 10 to 12 years of age starts with puberty of a child. The reproductive organs mature during this time. It signifies the start of menstruation in girls and the appearance of pubic hair in boys. Adolescence lasts a few years following puberty. During this time, intellectual talents grow. Physical changes as well as emotional and social growth might be observed. They get kind of interest regarding there future work and get motivations towards it. The start of this period vary from each other. Middle adolescence from 15 to 16 years of age. During this period Puberty has ended in both genders. Physical growth of female party is slower down in here and for males it is as usual. Late adolescence is from age 17 to 21. Thinks about been independent citizen. During this time people get to be changed. Emotional, Social, Intellectual and Physical changes can be seen highly.

Social Changes During Adolescence

It is noticed that changes in your child’s interactions with family, friends, and peers as he or she enters adolescence. The social and emotional development of each adolescent is unique. Your child’s development is shaped by a unique blend of genes, brain development, environment, interactions with family and friends, as well as community and culture.Your youngster is building an own identity and learning to be an adult as evidenced by social and emotional developments. They tried to figure out who they are and what to they belong like culture, society. They seek for an identity for them from their existing environment. Adolescents love to have more independence than eariler. Like ti hang out with friends, to travel and enjoy their live as no more than other. Stand and make own decisions and conclusions on relationships. We can see most of the boys and girls who are within this stage they seek for responsibilities. They try to be leaders. Even in the school sport meets and clubs we can see youngers passing this age take responsibilities and perform them. Finding new experiences even thougj it is bad or good is mostly identified. Due to brain development it influence ro take risky experiences and make them love to taste new things and explore everything which they matters. This is the foundation age of children. They used to practice set of morals and practices during this period. They ask more and more questions to clarify what is related and what is not related. Social changes happen mainly influence that children to find new friends which suit their vibe and start to communicate through social medias also. In here Antisocial behavior can lead to gang formation. Both girls and boys like to have opposite gender friend and to be socialize by knowing individual differences.

For an example to social changes during adolescence we can see children like to be a group, they have close three or two friends and attend to same classes and being like sisters and brothers. They are willing to hang out with group of people. Even a child who doesn’t talk to each other begin to be socialized.

Emotional Changes During Adolescence

Adolescence is often a time of emotional upheaval and pressure. As an adolescent matures, he or she will experience regular emotional instability. Throughout this time period the most challenging feature to pass is emotional changes which grows up. Growth of secondary sex characters affect this. We can see the difference what they like to do and what they don’t. Importantly don’t like tell about themselves because they need identical status in the society. Physical growth is unique to each. So those variations affect social status. They get more emotions and become more emotional to situations. For an example, Such as a break up of an affair. Youngers become more emotional and it is very hard to overcome that situation. Sometimes they neglect their studies and being emotional towards their interests. The boys who are week they are not capable of doing sports also in very good energy. Sometimes girls get matured early. So they don’t get interests about other party so they don’t show off. Early or lately maturation may occur imbalance in there studying areas. Teens show strong feelings about in different situations. Here child learn to control their emotions and expressing them in a mature manner. They read other emotions. In this kind of situation sometimes they may misread body lanaguage or expressions done by face. Young adolescents pay more attention to their physical appearance and changes happen to them. They compare their appearance with friends appearance and beauty. In a class of adult and immature boys and girls, teaching would be tough. This is primarily due to the mismatch in interests, which may appeal to mature girls but not to immature boys. The teacher should be informed of the issues. When pupils are in this situation,It would be impossible to successfully instruct them if they were upset or anxious.

Intellectual Changes During Adolescence

When coming to improvement of intellectual changes in adolescence the child develops into a structured and well-integrated individual. They sort out problems by researching and clarifying each point of view. They love to know others differences and accept diversity within each other. Adolescents can learn to think abstractly, unlike younger children. Improve their capacity to generalize information. Improve the ability to comprehend the relationships between situations of varying complexity and difficulty. Adolescents will be capable of dealing with abstract concepts. Their memory and imagination have grown tremendously. With the changes they improve decision-making abilities. We can develop the capacity to solve difficulties in a variety of situations.There is no specific age when a person’s intelligence reaches its peak. It is dependent on the student’s current intellectual level and type of schoolwork. It is commonly considered that intelligence reaches a pinnacle point. It has been discovered that if appropriate stimulation is provided, verbal, educational, spatial, and mechanical capabilities develop step by step during this age of adolescence, including technical mechanical skills and spatial abilities.Rather than verbal ability, incensory. We can comprehend the intellectual situation based on these facts. Changes in students during their adolescent years.

Physical Changes During Adolescence

Among the changes happen during Adolescence physical changes take a important place. Both boys and girls become attractive. From internally and externally changes took place. The height changes average girl reach her maximum height during ages between 16 and 17 but boys takes longer than girls. Weigjt also change according to height and body way. Also sex organs of both gender become mature in late adolescence. Other systems such as Digestive system, circulatory system, Respiratory system, Endocrine system and reproductive system changes. Regarding the Digestive system the stomach lengthens and the tabularity decreases. The length of the intestines grows. The muscles that line the insides of the stomach and the walls of the intestines thicken and become stronger. The weight of the liver grows. In circulatory system the heart expands at a quick rate. It becomes 12 times heavier than it was at birth by the age of 17 or 18. The length and thickness of the blood artery walls grow longer and thicker until they reach a mature state, similar to that of the heart.Early in adolescence, the entire endocrine system is temporarily out of balance. The sex glands begin to work. During the period of adolescence the skeleton stops growing. Many body organs become long and stomger than usual. Hand- eye coordination will be better than usual also. Even sleeping structure of children changes as they wake up later morning and sleep at later night. Shoulders, back and glands on the face beome more active. Sometimes this can lead to skin situations as acne. Their hair may get more oily. With all these changes children will get their seocnd molars in teeth with the age of 13.. There are many physical changes happen in boys and girls differently. Menstruation starts with puberty in girls. Breast of girls will be start to develop. Shape of the body of girls change and hips become widen. Public hair will be grown darker. It is the time when both boys and girls realize their full physical and mental potential. Girls become mature earlier than boys.Individual variances in growth have also been linked to climate, nutrition, genetics, family size, sex, and other factors. The majority of height gain occurs in the legs and arms, resulting in uncomfortable posture.Some signs of adolescence can be seen.

For an example who is passing this period is attractive and their body shape is changed. Girl becomes very attractive and beautiful. We can see the weigjt and height is changed.

Conclusion

During the period of adolescence changes happen in the domians of social, physical, emotional and intellectual. To make sure those changes doesn’t affect them harmly and to help them to overcome that period several measures can be taken. Some of them are providing a stimulating environment to identify their own personal differences and values, giving Vocational guidance and allowing them freedom to make own decisions and to be practised for future. In the school much attention should be given. Parents should pay more attention and teach them how to be aware of those situations specially in changes of social, physical and emotions.

References

Physical Changes:

1. Steinberg, L. (2017). Adolescence. McGraw-Hill Education.

2. Marceau, K., Ram, N., & Houts, R. M. (2011). Individual differences in adolescents' latent trait cortisol: Relation to lazy lifestyle, lack of involvement, and lack of enjoyment of activities. Developmental Psychobiology, 53(7), 769-784.

3. Tanner, J. M. (1978). Foetus into Man: Physical Growth from Conception to Maturity. Harvard University Press.

Cognitive Changes:

1. Piaget, J. (2013). The psychology of intelligence. Routledge.

2. Arnett, J. J. (2016). The Oxford handbook of emerging adulthood. Oxford University Press.

3. Keating, D. P. (2004). Cognitive and brain development. Handbook of Adolescent Psychology, 45-84.

Emotional and Social Changes:

1. Steinberg, L., & Morris, A. S. (2001). Adolescent development. Annual Review of Psychology, 52(1), 83-110.

2. Erikson, E. H. (1968). Identity, youth, and crisis. Norton.

3. Paus, T. (2005). Mapping brain maturation and cognitive development during adolescence. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 9(2), 60-68.

4. Arnett, J. J. (1999). Adolescent storm and stress, reconsidered. American Psychologist, 54(5), 317-326.

Neurobiological Changes:

1. Giedd, J. N., Blumenthal, J., Jeffries, N. O., Castellanos, F. X., Liu, H., Zijdenbos, A., ... & Rapoport, J. L. (1999). Brain development during childhood and adolescence: a longitudinal MRI study. Nature Neuroscience, 2(10), 861-863.

2. Casey, B. J., Getz, S., & Galvan, A. (2008). The adolescent brain. Developmental Review, 28(1), 62-77.

Gender and Cultural Influences:

1. Mead, M. (1975). Adolescence: Sex and culture in primitive society. Farrar, Straus and Giroux.

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2. Brown, B. B., & Larson, J. (2009). Peer relationships in adolescence. Handbook of adolescent psychology, 3, 74-103.