The Adolescent

Module 11
Physical Changes
For girls, physical changes sometimes start happening as young as eight years, or
you might see these changes only now, as your child enters the teenage years.
Physical changes in puberty include:
For boys, physical changes usually start around 11-12 years – but any time
between 9 and 14 years is normal. Physical changes include:
Mental Changes

– Adolescent still have immature brain.

– May lead to poor judgment, impulsiveness, susceptibility to peer pressure,
miscommunication, and misconceptions that make risky behaviors tempting.
– Young adolescents have minimal ability to foresee the cosequences of their
behavior and visualize themselves in the future.
– The maturation of the brain starts from the back, which is responsible for feelings
and emotions, to the front, which is responsible for reasoning and planning.
– The need for guidance in decision-making is reduced as the adolescents begin to
entertain hypothetical and abstract situations, analyze and reason logically, and
think realistically about the future.
– The deepening philosophical perspectives and greater capacity for abstract
thoughts provide the opportunity for self-expression, creativity, and individuality.
 Emotional and Social Changes

– Emotionally and socially, fantasy, dreams, and ideas eventually

shift to concrete plans and goals.
– The adolescent becomes more independent of the family.
– Identity issues require approval from friends and affiliation or
participation in a specific group (barkada).
– Competitiveness may likewise occur.
– Some may test boundaries by joining bad company or
developing bad habits.
 Changes Related to Sex

– The adolescent develops from solidarity with the same sex to interest in the opposite sex, dating, and feelings of
love and passion.
– Concerns regarding physical and sexual attractiveness to the other sex also occur.
– Moreover, personality may veer from shyness to showing off as unfamiliar emotions and urges occur.
– For boys, masturbation is driven by libido and discovering one’s pattern of sex response.
– Erotic dry orgasms progress to wet dreams.
– Girls may likewise fantasize overt sexual activity which may lead to orgasm while asleep.
– Both boys and girls crystallize their sexual orientation and sexual expression.
– By the end of adolescence, a stable sense of one’s place in the world, an adult appreciation of one’s own sexuality,
and the maturity to enjoy it responsibly should have developed.
– Parents and teachers who serve as positive role models will facilitate the transition of the confused adolescent to a
responsible adult.