Developmental Changes during the Adolescent Years
Adolescence is a time of major growth and change and is a significant period in your child's life. As a parent, knowledge of this developmental stage can provide you with an understanding of what to expect during the teenage years. This important stage of development requires positive caring adults to support teenagers as they attend to certain tasks, and begin their transition to adulthood.
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Developmental changes that occur during this time will also impact on how your child communicates with you, and how they to begin to view and develop relationships in general. Keep in mind that your child's self-esteem may drop as they begin adolescence. You can help at this time by making sure that they understand and are prepared for the changes their body and mind are going through.
Teenagers experience developmental changes in the following areas:
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• Physical
• Emotional
• Cognitive
• Social and Psychological
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Protective factors that enhance adolescent development include strong family support and love, positive family communication, a caring school environment, opportunities to provide service to others, clear family and school rules and consequences, positive adult non-parent relationships, learning life skills and providing decision making opportunities, constructive peer relationships and support and encouragement from parents and teachers to do well at school.
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Due to the many changes teens undergo even the most well prepared adolescent can sometimes feel overwhelmed and alone. Approximately one in five young people will experience depression and girls report higher rates of depression than boys.
Feeling depressed is not the same as feeling stressed. Symptoms of stress such as tension, frustration, and worry tend to last for only a few hours or a few days. Depression is more severe and lasts longer. Studies reveal that teens who have a close relationship with their parents are less likely to experience long term depression. They are also more likely to discuss problems with their parents. If you have concerns and are unable to communicate with your teen, contact the school counsellor, family doctor, or mental health professionals.
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Implementing protective factors into your teen's life will provide them with safety nets and support them to bounce back from challenging times. They are also a must in the development of positive adolescent mental health.
This article is part of a ten week series that will focus on the development and well-being of our teens. Working together to provide opportunities for young people to access their gifts and utilise their skills are essential components of resilience development.
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