Discussion: Risk-Taking Behavior Among Adolescents
Adolescence is the transition period between childhood and adulthood. During this transition, adolescents develop their own sense of identity independent of their caregivers. Relationships with caregivers, teachers, and peers can have an impact on the types of behaviors in which an adolescent engages.
In order to establish their sense of identity, adolescents often have to try out new roles and new experiences associated with more adult behaviors, which can sometimes translate into adolescent risk-taking. The personal fable and imaginary audience can contribute to the willingness to engage in risky behavior.
A personal fable is when an individual believes he/she is the only one experiencing a feeling; such as, his/her parents do not understand what they are going through. Adolescents preoccupied in their peer groups sometimes develop imaginary audiences because they believe others are constantly judging them. Culture and gender also influence how the adolescent perceives risk-taking behavior. While risk-taking behavior is predominantly perceived as unwanted dangerous behavior, it is not necessarily so.
Sexual expression among adolescents need not result in pregnancy or sexually transmitted diseases, just as concerns with physical appearance do not always lead to eating disorders or depression.
For this Discussion, you will examine risk-taking behaviors by adolescents.
To prepare for this Discussion:
Review the Learning Resources related to adolescent behaviors.
Post a description of two adolescent risk-taking behaviors. For each behavior, provide two sources of influence. Then, describe general strategies for mitigating negative risk-taking behavior and explain why you selected these strategies. Justify your response with citations from the Learning Resources/literature. Use proper APA format and citations.
Assignment: Effects of Physical Development on Adolescents
You probably noted from the Learning Resources this week the interrelationship between the processes and constructs of development, in relation to adolescent development. Cognitive changes, including hypothetico-deductive reasoning, metacognitive skills, and more complex forms of thinking impact how an adolescent perceives and reacts to the world. Higher-order thinking contributes to how romantic and peer relationships are established and maintained.
Think back to your experiences as an adolescent and the feelings and thoughts you had regarding your developing body. How did your burgeoning cognitive abilities impact your adjustment to the effects of puberty? Did the imaginary audience and personal fable have any impact on your behavior and beliefs? Keep these questions in mind as you examine the effects of physical development on adolescents in this Assignment.
To prepare for this Assignment:
• Review this week's Learning Resources related to adolescent physical changes and cultural influences.
For this Assignment:
In a 2- to 3-page paper:
• Create a scenario of an adolescent of either gender in which you describe the person, the physical changes he or she experiences, and the effect of those changes on his/her sexuality and relationships.
• Describe the culture of the individual in the scenario.
• Explain the influences of culture on the development of adolescence.
Be specific and use your Learning Resources to support your paper. Use proper APA format, citations, and referencing.
Article : Transitions in Body and Behavior: A Meta-Analytic Study on the Relationship Between Pubertal Development and Adolescent Sexual Behavior BY Laura Baams,Judith Semon Dubas, Geertjan Overbeek, and Marcel A. G. van Aken.