Contemporary Issues on Adolescents and Counseling

Introduction

Adolescence is a developmental period that ranges between ages 12 and the beginning of adulthood. It is a transition period between childhood and adulthood that is being referred to by most psychologists as the most frustrating, challenging, confusing, and fascinating phase of human development. This chapter discusses the concept of adolescents, the phases and characteristics of adolescents, theories of adolescence, the challenges faced by adolescents, and various ways of resolving these challenges.

Concept of Adolescence

The term adolescence originated from the Latin word “adolescere” which means to emerge, achieve identity, grow into maturity, or grow up (Amao- Kehinde, 2011). Adolescence is a critical stage of life or development that begins at puberty and ends at the beginning of adulthood. Puberty refers to physical maturation leading to the ability to reproduce. Adolescence comes with rapid and marked physical, cognitive, social, and emotional transformations. It is a developmental period of formative biological and social transition between childhood and adulthood. It is generally considered to begin at about age 12 or 13 and end in the late teens or early twenties. It is the period of growth spurt where maximum changes can be observed in an individual as compared to the other phases of life.

The adolescence period is the interval between childhood and adulthood. Individuals at this stage are no longer children, yet they cannot be considered adults since they are not mature enough to fully understand themselves. According to Ansbacher and Ansbacher (1956), adolescence is the period during which the adolescent must prove that she or he is no longer a child. The onset of puberty might be seen as a clear line of demarcation between childhood and adolescence. Puberty occurs at significantly different points for girls and boys and individuals of the same sex. According to Onyeka (2015), girls begin puberty on average of 12–18 months earlier than boys; the median age of girls’ first menstrual period is 12 years, while boys’ first ejaculation generally occurs around the age of 13. Girls, however, can experience menarche as early as eight years old. Evidence shows, moreover, that puberty is beginning earlier than ever before (Goodenough, 2016). The age of puberty for both boys and girls has declined by three years over the past two centuries, mainly due to higher health and nutrition standards (Lehmann, Denissen, Allemand, & Penke, 2013). Adolescence is also a period of sexual maturity (of sex organs and the development of hormones) and sexual urges.

The pattern of thinking among adolescents is that in which immediate needs tend to have priority over long-term ones. Besides, adolescents may not be knowledgeable or experienced enough to make healthy choices. This may cause them to be adventurous or unwise in some of their decisions (Steinberg, 2008).

Erikson (1968) describes the adolescence period as the age at which people struggle between identity and identity confusion and must set up an identity to escape identity diffusion and confusion. At this age, adolescents give much importance to their friends who exercise great power or influence over them, a phenomenon that is known as peer pressure. Adolescents are strongly influenced by their peers and environment or the world around them. Before the stage of adolescence, parents serve as the primary influence on child development. When children enter school, they begin building their social environment outside the context of their family. Upon entering adolescence, the impact of their peers becomes more valued than the influence of their parents. The adolescent brain develops using the following strategies: Identity exploration, emotional and social reactions, and decision-making. This developmental period is correlated with an increased risk of injuries, violence, substance use, risky behaviors, emotional reactivity, and lack of impulse control (Eleuteri, Saladino & Verrastro, 2017). It is widely acknowledged that each adolescent experiences this period differently depending on physical, emotional, and cognitive maturation and other contingencies such as heredity, gender, environmental factors, and health. The increase in attention towards adolescents is due to recognizing this group as a significant proportion of the total population and future leaders and guardians of the nation’s development.

Phases of the Adolescence Period

Psychologists usually divide adolescents into three distinct age ranges or phases: Early adolescence, middle adolescence, and late adolescence. Each of these age ranges has its features, problems, and goals.

1. 1. Early adolescence occurs between 10–14 years of age.
2. 2. Middle adolescence occurs between 15–17 years of age.
3. 3. Late adolescence continues from age 18 to the beginning of adulthood.

The major characteristics of each phase or stage of adolescence are briefly described below.

1. 1. Early Adolescence

Early adolescence occurs between 10–14 years of age and starts when puberty begins. It is marked by accelerated physical growth and development of secondary sexual characteristics such as the growth of hair in the armpits and around the genitals, breast development in females, and enlargement of the testicles in males. Adolescents at this stage have concrete thought and their capacity for abstract thinking is limited. They also tend to be self-conscious, egocentric, and strongly influenced by their peers.

1. 2. Middle Adolescence

Physical growth continues during middle adolescence which occurs between 15–17 years of age. Adolescents at this stage develop an interest in romantic and sexual relationships and questions about identity arise. They also strive for greater independence from their parents and spend more time with their peers. They are also capable of abstract thought, moral reasoning, and decision- making.

1. 3. Late Adolescence

Late adolescence occurs between the age of 18 and 21. Physical development slows down during this period and adolescents reach their highest heights, but there is an increase in cognitive development. They are capable of rational thinking, planning, and impulse control. Late adolescents are idealistic and have an increased sense of identity or individuality, independence, and emotional stability. They are also able to establish more stable relationships with others and their parents.

Characteristics of Adolescence—The characteristics of adolescents can be described in terms of the physical, social, personal and emotional changes they experience. The rate at which adolescents experience these changes, which can be uneven and uncomfortable, is influenced by gender, heredity, environmental factors, and health. The characteristics of adolescents are