Adolescent psychology is a term that is interpreted ambiguously. Since, on the one hand, it implies a science that studies the characteristics of the behavioral patterns of children who have entered the pubertal stage of formation. On the other hand, it directly means the essence of the concept under consideration - age-specific behavior, features of mental processes.
Adolescent psychology is considered the most controversial phenomenon, characterized by instability and the appearance of notes of rebellion. The teenage stage is marked by the baby's exit from childhood. Here yesterday’s baby begins to look into his own inner world and learns new things about his personality. At the described stage, critical thinking is formed against the background of rebellion and denial of habitual behavioral patterns.
Features of adolescent development
Puberty is the most difficult of all stages of child development. The stage under consideration is also called transitional, since the so-called “transformation” of a child into an adult occurs, the transition from childhood to maturity. This transformation affects all aspects of a teenager’s life, his anatomical and physiological formation, intellectual and moral maturation, as well as all subtypes of activity, namely: gaming, educational and work.
At the stage of puberty, the circumstances of a child’s existence and his activities change significantly, which leads to the need to transform mental processes and break old, previously established forms of interaction with peers and adults. Educational activities are complicated by increased demands, increased workload, and the emergence of new sciences that need to be systematically studied. All this requires mental processes at a deeper level: thorough generalizations and reasoned evidence, understanding of abstract connections between objects, and the development of abstract concepts.
In addition, the teenager’s principles, worldview, social position, and position among classmates undergo significant transformations. The child begins to play a more significant role in the school environment and family. In this regard, he begins to face more demands from society and parents, which become more serious and thorough in content.
In the process of complex educational activities, the intelligence of adolescents noticeably improves. The content of the sciences learned at school, the modification of the nature and content of educational activities develop in them the ability to independently think, generalize, reason, analyze, compare and summarize.
In addition, the described stage in the maturation of a child’s personality is also marked by puberty, which seriously complicates the passage of the developmental stage in question.
Daily routine for a 10-12 year old child
Maintaining a strict daily routine turns out to be difficult, since at this age teenage independence begins to manifest itself. During this period, parents must make compromises to maintain the correct rhythm of the children's day. You also need to not just indicate when and what to do, but you should, giving reasonable arguments, explain to your son or daughter why this is necessary and how not following the routine will harm them.
You also need to allow the teenager to experience the disadvantages of violations. For example, if he sat in front of the TV or computer until late at night, then he will not be able to easily wake up for school in the morning, and during the day he will suffer from poor health. Having encountered this, you are unlikely to want to repeat the mistake.
Psychology of teenage boys
The adolescence of the sons of Adam consists of the transformation of boys into adult husbands. At this stage, biological maturation occurs, which coincides with the emergence of new interests and disappointment in former hobbies.
Young teenagers are leaving their childhood, there is no understanding of what will happen to them next, so they feel discomfort.
During puberty, boys experience active growth: hormonal levels change, the voice “breaks,” and the skeleton grows.
It is this stage that is manifested by the extreme intolerance of young men and their reluctance to help those who are different. For teenage boys, their appearance becomes important, so if there are problems with their appearance, then there will be trouble. Because there will definitely be boys who are ready to laugh, and others who are ready to support them in this fun.
Such teenage problems are not uncommon. They are an important psychological basis of the period under review. Due to rapid hormonal changes, teenagers often develop acne and gain weight. Boys suffer from uncontrollable erections.
In addition to physical transformations, sexual and hormonal metamorphoses, other changes occur with the child. His views on existence change, questions that previously were of no interest to him begin to concern him. The danger of this stage lies in exaggerating one’s own abilities, since to yesterday’s children everything seems more rosy, accessible and simple.
This age is characterized by the emergence of a “gap” between common sense and emotions. Underdevelopment of the prefrontal zone during puberty explains the emergence of major problems in behavioral response. Therefore, teenagers are often unable to correctly analyze the situation only due to the immaturity of their nervous processes.
Deadlines
The crisis of 13 years is a rather arbitrary and generalized name. Both the physical and emotional-psychic development of a teenager is purely individual. Therefore, a difficult period may begin for a child earlier or later than the designated age.
Early (12-13 years old)
It is most often observed in girls, who mature in both body and soul earlier than boys. On the one hand, it is easier to overcome stubbornness and conflict at this age, since the authority of adults is still strong. On the other hand, it is much more difficult to talk to them, since they become fixated on their own independence and cease to adequately perceive criticism, prohibitions and rules.
Late (13-14 years old)
The development of self-reflection at this stage proceeds more smoothly. The child is already able to partially perceive assessments and criticism from others. However, adults must ensure that they are objective and that the teenager understands them correctly. If a boy, in order to assert himself, tells a 14-year-old girl in front of everyone that she is fat, although in fact she has no problems with being overweight, the matter may end in anorexia. Therefore, parents should promptly notice whether a pathological complex is being formed, which can ruin the whole life with incorrect patterns of behavior.
The crisis lasts differently for everyone. For some, it manifests itself in a smoothed form with emotional outbursts throughout the entire 3 years (from 12 to 14). Some people experience an acute but short-term form. A teenager can leave home, join an informal group, or not go to school, but within 5-6 months such demonstrative protests usually fade away, and everything returns to normal.
Psychology of teenage girls
During puberty, intensive growth of the body and hormonal changes occur. Therefore, many girls begin to gain weight, their bodies become rounded, becoming more feminine.
Since the body does not have time to quickly adapt to the ongoing metamorphoses, it has to work hard. Hence, girls experience increased fatigue, drowsiness and apathy. Chronic illnesses may also worsen or new ones may appear.
The condition of the skin may worsen due to an increase in the production of estrogen and progesterone, which also negatively affects the emotional state of the child. This stage is also marked by the appearance of the first menstruation, which is often accompanied by pain and weakness.
All processes occurring in the body inevitably affect the children's nervous system. In addition, far-fetched shortcomings such as excess weight, problem skin, and the appearance of sweat odor negatively affect the self-esteem of a teenage girl. This is fertile ground for the emergence of various complexes in a teenage girl.
Due to the increased production of sex hormones, the emotional background of girls is unstable, its various forms can change every second - from apathy to joyful causeless excitement, from tearfulness to obvious aggression.
Teenage girls are often depressed. They are convinced that everything is bad for them. Girls are often prone to tearfulness. They often feel hatred and irritation towards those closest to them.
Their memory deteriorates, their concentration decreases, and their ability to express their thoughts is impaired.
Girls who are at the described stage of growing up often resemble three-year-old children in their own actions and words. You can often hear from them: “I myself,” “don’t meddle with me,” “leave me alone.”
Useful tips for parents
- Do not resist the manifestations of their emotions . In order not to lose contact with children at a time of emotional instability, when they react to everything excessively violently and defiantly, and can throw tantrums when prohibited, one must not resist the manifestations of their emotions. After an outburst that finds no barriers, children are ready for a constructive conversation, since they do not feel opposition from adults and the need to fight for interests. They realize that a calm conversation with reasoned arguments gives much more.
- A place of freedom. Control over children's lives should be weakened in a number of areas. You should not strictly dictate what clothes to wear (you can only express your opinion, but without using guilt-inducing words: “well,” “your business,” “as you wish,” and “I don’t like it”). For example, if you want to convince your growing daughter that the dress she has chosen does not suit her, it is better to do this by explaining that it hides her strengths and creates the effect of non-existent shortcomings.
- Adequate assessment of appearance. Parents should not underestimate or overestimate the external data of their children. Both will cause complexes. We should not point out shortcomings, but should show the teenager in a gentle manner what weaknesses he has in his appearance, and how they can be hidden or even turned into advantages, characterizing them as an individual feature.
Problems of adolescence
The complication of real trends in social advancement, the acceleration of the rhythm of existence, and the preference for a hedonistic way of life have an impact on the formation of modern teenagers. The current circumstances cause passivity in children, aggression, depressive moods, moral indifference and create obstacles to the identification of their own moral values and comprehension of the meaning of their own existence.
That is why the psychology of modern adolescents, in comparison with the psychology of early periods of formation, is characterized by specificity. After all, the dynamism of existence and its attitude towards pleasure as the highest value is reflected in the hearts and consciousness of new generations.
The main problems of adolescence include:
– anger in children (the problem lies not in the very presence of this feeling, but in the inability to control it), manifested in passive-aggressive behavioral reactions in order to throw the adult environment or parents out of balance, and is characterized by unawareness, being the result of hushed anger;
– emotional instability;
– suicidal tendencies, which are caused by low self-esteem, parental indifference, feelings of loneliness, and depressive moods;
– homosexuality, which consists of intimate attraction to subjects of the same sex;
– teenage depression, expressed by a sad, depressed mood, pessimism, a feeling of worthlessness, retardation of movements, monotony of ideas, decreased motivation, various somatic abnormalities;
– personal self-determination, which includes social self-determination, family, professional, moral, religious and life.
How to behave
The age crisis of 13 years does not require treatment. The need for psychotherapeutic help or consultation with a psychologist arises only in extreme situations, when a teenager’s behavior gets out of control and is fraught with serious consequences for personal development. In such cases, group and autogenic trainings are conducted aimed at developing self-reflection and adequate self-acceptance.
First of all, experts give advice to parents on how to behave with teenagers aged 13 so that the crisis proceeds without complications:
- Find compromises in communication.
- Look for “points of contact” of interests.
- Establish uniform rules of conduct at home that must be followed by all family members (dine at the same table, be home at 9 pm).
- Involve the teenager in family activities. Ask and take into account his opinion. Delegate some responsibilities around the house.
- Be patient and remain calm. Speak confidently and with restraint.
- Be interested in the teenager's hobbies.
- Praise and encourage achievements.
- Spend more time with him.
- Remain an authority figure, but at the same time establish a trusting relationship.
- Constantly be in touch with teachers, class teacher, school psychologist.
10 “don’ts”: a reminder for parents
- Enter into conflict.
- Throwing phrases: “You’re still small”, “You don’t understand anything”, “Don’t teach me”, “When you grow up, then you’ll have the right to swing”, “Eggs don’t teach a chicken”, etc.
- Give indulgences, follow the lead, satisfy whims.
- To impose one’s point of view, to order, to demand wordless obedience without providing the right to choose.
- Screaming, raising your voice, breaking down into hysterics.
- Hit, swing, physically punish.
- Humiliate, belittle, ignore achievements, criticize.
- Moving away, not keeping promises, refusing requests or advice, citing being busy.
- Deprive of communication with peers.
- Encroach on personal space (check your phone, social networks, read correspondence).
It will be much easier to survive the crisis of 13 years if parents adhered to a competent education system before it occurred. By this age, the child should already clearly understand certain rules of behavior in the family and society and acquire communication skills. Yes, impulsive teenage outbursts are inevitable, but normally they quickly subside without consequences.
Therefore, psychologists strongly advise parents aged 8-11 to constantly work on raising their children, helping in the formation of a value system, and monitoring their level of self-esteem. And the most important thing is to pay them enough attention and build trusting relationships. With such prevention, no teenage crisis will be scary for either side.
Latency period acquisitions
During these years, the boy is actively involved in the life of society, and - at the same time - the process of de-idealization of his parents, emotional and practical withdrawal from them begins. During the latent period, this process (absolutely natural and necessary) occurs slowly, without conflict, without harsh scenes or offensive words. By this moment, the values, attitudes, and behavioral stereotypes of the parents have become part of the boy’s personality; he perceives them as his own.
Usually boys during these years study successfully and - most importantly - are actively interested in something. This is the time for classes in clubs, sections, sports clubs. The sphere of communication expands sharply, the boy makes friends in class, in a circle, in the sports section, and these friends go to his home, and he goes to them. But children still gather in groups according to gender: girls with girls, boys with boys.
At the age of 11–12, the need and ability to complete a task is formed. Then, during adolescence, these abilities may also temporarily decrease or disappear. But if the latent and pre-adolescent stages are completed “correctly”, after adolescence, respect for parents, motivation to learn, the ability to complete things, and many other very useful character traits return to the young person.
