12

Personal
Development
Quarter 1 – Module 4:
The Challenges of Middle and
Late Adolescence

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 FIRST QUARTER
MODULE 4, WEEK 4
THE CHALLENGES OF MIDDLE AND LATE
ADOLESCENCE

Content Standard : The learner demonstrates an understanding of the

developmental changes in middle and late adolescence,
and expectations of and from adolescents.
Performance Standard : The learner shall be able to clarify and manage the
demands of the teen years (middle and late adolescence)
Learning Outcomes : Upon completion of the module, the student is expected
to identify the different pitfalls and challenges that teen-
agers have encountered.
Competencies : 1. Identify ways that help one become capable and
responsible adolescent prepared for adult life.
Competency Code : EsP-PD11/12DS-Id-3.3

What I Know
Once Again… Let us start first with a short pre-test to assess your previous
knowledge. You may write your answers in your journal notebook. Write the letter
of the correct answer.
1. DOH data on HIV indicate that the most number of persons infected are ____.
a. adults b. females c. males d. teenagers
2. Who said that biological, psychological, and social factors interplay and
contribute to create problems that teenagers need to overcome during
adolescence?
a. Casey b. Connolly c. Havighurst d. Santrock
3. Which is a characteristic symptom of a marked diminished in interest or
pleasure in all, or almost all activities of the day?
a. anxiety b. depression c. drug abuse d. social disorder
4. The following are the social factors that contribute to the emergence of an
adolescent except ___________.
a. barangay hall b. family c. peers d. school

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 5. Rejection during adolescents is inevitable. What is likely the result of this
rejection if not handled well?
a. Low self-esteem c. depression
b. negative attitude towards self d. all of the above
6. Common causes of suicide include ___________________.
a. hopelessness c. low self-esteem
b. self-blame d. all of the above
7. Teenagers who drop out from school are more prone to except________
a. drug addiction c. computer addiction
b. drinking alcoholic beverages d. being successful in life
8. Which is considered as one of the most difficult challenges during
adolescents?
a. Finding a sense of identity
b. Becoming academically successful
c. Proving yourself to your parents that you are independent
d. Finding friends who can positively influence your behaviors
9. The following are the strategies that a teenager may do to cope with the
challenges they encountered according to Sevilla except_________.
a. identifies your vulnerabilities
b. learns to accept what you feel
c. develops your talents and interests
d. no need to ask for help to avoid disclosure
10. What happens when adolescents fail to master self-control?
a. They can negatively influence others
b. They may not be able to pursue a career
c. They are likely to engage in risky behaviors
d. They may not able to express their ideas well

Okay…! Time is up… you can still answer this pre-test during your vacant time.

What I Need to Know

You are in your module 4 Senior High School students and embrace the 4th
wave of your journey towards knowing yourself further. As you continue in your
journey towards personal development in this module, you will be able to conquer
the challenges in your life as a teenager. In this module you will learn strategies and
ways on how to cope with the demands of teenage life thus, you are expected to
unleash your challenges in life and later on think of ways on how to deal with those
challenges and pitfalls in life.
Before we begin with our lesson, please consider the following learning
objectives of this module. At the end of the lesson, you can:
▪ Discuss that facing the challenges during adolescence may able to
clarify and manage the demands of teen years; and
▪ Identify strategies to cope with the challenges of teenage years.

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 What’s In
How are you senior high school students? Welcome again to your journey of
knowing yourself well! You have learned in the previous module the developmental
tasks expected of an adolescent like you. Those developmental tasks are considered
preparatory to adulthood thus, knowing all of those can help you become more
responsible in the next stage of life. The completion of such tasks would bring about
fulfilment and success in your teenage life however, inability to do the tasks expected
of you would also result to disappointment, depression, and struggles in the future
undertakings.
In this module, you will learn the challenges and pitfalls among adolescence
and its strategies to cope with those challenges. According to David Geldard and
Kathryn Geldard (2006) adolescence is a time in young people’s lives when they move
toward independence, autonomy, and maturity. Along in that journey are the
challenges and difficulties that a teenager may experience for according to others
that problems and difficulties are considered “spices of life” which means that life is
worth living if you have taken those difficulties as an opportunity for you to grow.
So, let us start exploring this module.

What’s New

Activity 1: RISKY BEHAVIORS ON THE GO

The objective of this activity is to help you identify risky or dangerous
behaviors that you usually observe among adolescents. Write risky behaviors and
identify the causes of such risky behavior through a graphic organizer (GO).

What is It

What causes risky behavior? Santrock (2012) cited the biopsychosocial

approach in emphasizing that biological, psychological, and social factors interplay
and contribute to create problems that you need to overcome during adolescence.
Biological or physical factors such as
genes, hormones and brain
development cause challenges that
adolescents need to face. According to
Casey et.al., (2011) the development of
the prefrontal cortex after amygdala
has been linked to risk-taking
behaviors and sexual experimentation.
While the prefrontal cortex is still
developing, your brain may not be able
to process what you feel and control
your actions. In this case, it may cause
Photos retrieved @ problems.
https://markarmstrongillustration.com/8253-2/

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 Accordingly, one of the most difficult challenges that you encounter as a
teenager is finding a sense of identity. The absence of concrete self-identity causes
heightened emotionality that usually causes problems. Later, you get irritated and
have mood swings easily. Sometimes, mood swings become too erratic and negative,
resulting in relationship problems and depressions. If you have become used to
getting what you want, then self-control may become an issue. If self-control is not
mastered, concerns like drug abuse, computer gaming, other delinquent acts may
emerge.as cited by Anderson et. Al., (2007) low conscientiousness has been
associated with drug abuse and behavior problems. Hence, your emotions can
influence your actions and decisions; so, you become less objective, and your actions
may not be effective.

There are social factors that contribute to the emergence of an adolescent

namely family, peers, school, socio-economic status and immediate environment.
You spend most of your time with your peers during adolescence which may have
negative effects on your attitudes and behavior especially when your friends are not
so good influencer. For example, if you are fond of going out with friends who are
smokers and drinkers of alcoholic beverages, there is a great possibility that you will
also learn to smoke and drink. On the other hand, if you will not go with them, you
might be rejected by them. Furthermore, if you experience rejection, it may cause
depression if not handled well. Today, adolescents engage in romantic relationships
at an early age and may suffer various consequences which may also lead to
rejection. Connolly and McIsaac (2009) cited that early dating is linked to substance
abuse, and that unsuccessful romantic relationships lead to depression.

Additionally, teenagers who

drop out from school are more prone to
drug addiction and other delinquent
activities. Also, there are studies that
proves that poverty is linked to many
problems that adolescents are
vulnerable to (Santiago, et,al., 2011).
And Chen et.al. (2011) also mentioned
that adolescents who live in an
unhealthy environment are in higher
Photos retrieved @ http://familybootcamp.org/video-
risks for developing problems. game-addiction

Moreover, those who came from non-intact families due to nonmarriage,

separation, parents’ working abroad, and death usually experience problems. To sum
up everything these are the challenges that every teenager may encounter:
– Finding a sense of identity
– Self-control
– Romantic relationship at an early age
– Engage in activities that put their health and dignity at risk
– Drop-out from school are more prone to drug addiction and other delinquent
activities

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 – Non-intact families due to non-marriage, separation, parent/s working
abroad, and death usually experience problems.

Pitfalls and Challenges of Adolescents

The following are some of the common pitfalls and challenges that adolescent
may experience:
1. using and abusing drugs – this is often due to peer pressure which means
that the more your friend use illegal drugs the greater the possibility that you
will become involved with drugs.
2. being addicted to computer games – teenagers are hooked to these recreational
activities merely because this is not just for fun rather this gives opportunities
for the teenagers to express what they feel, create their own world, and most
importantly, find their identity in the characters of the game. However,
because adolescents have created their own world in the game, they are
sometimes unable to distinguish reality from the virtual one. With amusement
that these computer games have offered to them, this would result to cutting
classes and worst stop schooling.
3. running away from home – some of the reasons of running away from are their
parents are hurting them physically, feeling unhappy at home, a means of
getting what they want. According to Kimmel and Weiner (1995), runaways
who anticipate to finding something pleasant at home return home sooner and
manifest that they are less traumatized than those who run away from
something unpleasant, such as being physically hurt or violated at home.
4. being sexually promiscuous – due to hormonal changes, teenagers normally
experience heightened sexual activities during this stage. Thus, becoming
teenage parent is possible. Based on the data of the Department of Health
(DOH) on the transmission of the human immune deficiency virus (HIV)
(2014), the most number of persons who become infected with HIV are
teenagers.
5. being depressed - According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental
Disorders, 5th edition (DSM 5 ed.), at least 5 of the 9 symptoms represent a
change in the individual’s functioning (observed during a 2week period):
a. Depressed mood most of the day
b. Markedly diminished interest or pleasure in all, or almost all, activities
most of the day
c. Significant weight loss or weight gain, or decrease or increase in appetite
nearly every day
d. Insomnia or hypersomnia nearly every day
e. Psychomotor agitation or retardation nearly every day
f. Fatigue or loss of energy nearly every day
g. Feelings of worthlessness or excessive or inappropriate guilt nearly every
day
h. Diminished ability to think or concentrate, or indecisiveness, nearly every
day
i. Recurrent thoughts of death, recurrent suicidal ideation without a specific
plan, or a suicide attempt or a specific plan for committing suicide

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 6. committing suicide – is usually associated with depression which is closely
related with a sense of hopelessness, low self-esteem, and high self-blame
(O’Donnell et.al., 2004).

After knowing these pitfalls and challenges, it will help you avoid being trapped
to difficult situations. Sometimes teenagers put themselves into these situations
mainly because of their inability to express their feelings or emotions especially when
their significant people have high expectations from them. But do not worry because
there are strategies to cope with these challenges…

Strategies to Cope with Challenges

The challenges that you will encounter might cause pain and stress on your
part. While you are capable to handle such situations, it may cause pressures that
would affect your well-being. So, here are some of the strategies that may help you
do so (Sevilla, 2000):
1. Learn to accept what you feel – when you feel sad, angry, or envious, you need
to embrace these feelings because they are real emotions. They are only
reflective of who you are- a human being. Accepting your feelings means
allowing yourself to feel and express them.
2. Identify your vulnerabilities – knowing when you feel intense emotions is
important to acknowledge. For instance, you have noticed that before you flare
up in anger, you first feel your face getting hot, your knees trembling, and
your heart pounding very fast. The next time you feel angry and you see these
signs, you excuse yourself from the discussion and walk away.
3. Develop your talents and interests – know your interests or things that you
enjoy. After doing so, then develop those competencies, talents, and skills in
you. With these, you do not allow negative thoughts or feelings conquer your
heart.
4. Become more involved with others – as they say no one is an island so, we need
others to support us. Do not just focus on yourself but rather live your life
with other people that can give you happiness and influence you to become a
good person.
5. Seek help when needed – most of the adolescents would feel shy and are
hesitant to ask for help because they might feel that they add burden to the
person they are asking help for. But you must remember that teenager still
must learn a lot of ways of being effective and psychologically healthy. Thus,
you still seek for help to your support system.

So Senior High School students, do not be afraid to experience difficulties in life

it is just normal. However, you just have to ask for help in order to cope with those
challenges in life…Remember that a life without challenges is a life not worth living.

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 What’s More
Activity 2: THE FREEDOM WALL
Expressing your feelings is very important when you feel pressured due to
high expectations. The aim of this activity is to help you express your thoughts and
feelings to authority figures like your parents.

Instructions:
1. Think of an expectation that your parents expressed recently or in the past
wherein you felt really pressured.
2. Think about these questions: How do you feel about these expectations? What
would you like to say?
3. Collect your feelings and thoughts about their expectations where you feel
really pressured. Write them down on a piece of paper.
4. Paste it to a wall or any place in your area.
5. After gathering your thoughts and feelings, organize them and prepare a script
that will allow you to express these thoughts and feelings to your parents.
6. Read the script or say it gently to them if you can. Write your script in your
journal notebook.

What I have Learned

Activity 3: KWL CHART: Answer the table below.

K What I know about the W What I wonder about L What I learned about
topic? the topic? the topic?

What I can Do

Activity 4: SLOGAN OR PERSONAL DECLARATION ON BEING HAPPY

Instructions:
1. Read the essay on “Being Happy” below.
2. Choose a phrase, sentence, or paragraph that strikes you.
3. Make a slogan or personal declaration on how you can be committed to your
self-development in a short bond paper. Be creative!
4. Explain your thoughts and feelings about it. Include specific ways in which
you will develop yourself further.

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Reading: BEING HAPPY

You may have defects, be anxious and sometimes live irritated, but do not
forget that your life is the greatest enterprise in the world. Only you can prevent it
from going into decadence. There are many that need you, admire you and love you.
I would like to remind
you that being happy is not having a sky without storms, or roads without
accidents, or work without fatigue, or relationships without disappointments.
Being happy is finding strength in forgiveness, hope in one’s battles, security
at the stage of fear, love in disagreements.
Being happy is not only to treasure the smile, but that you also reflect on the
sadness. It is not just commemorating the event, but also learning lessons in failures.
It is not just having joy with the applause, but also having joy in anonymity.
Being happy is to recognize that it is worthwhile to live, despite all the
challenges, misunderstandings, and times of crises.
Being happy is not inevitable fate, but a victory for those who can travel
towards it with your own being.
Being happy is to stop being a victim of problems but become an actor in
history itself. It is not only to cross the deserts outside of ourselves, but still more,
to be able to find an oasis in the recesses of our soul. It is to thank God every morning
for the miracle of life.
Being happy is not being afraid of one's feelings. It is to know how to talk
about ourselves. It is to bear with courage when hearing a "no". It is to have the
security to receive criticism, even if is unfair. It is to kiss the children, pamper the
parents, have poetic moments with friends, even if they have hurt us.
Being happy means allowing the free, happy, and simple child inside each of
us to live; having the maturity to say, "I was wrong"; having the audacity to say,
"forgive me". It is to have sensitivity in expressing, "I need you"; to have the ability of
saying, "I love you." So that your life becomes a garden full of opportunities for being
happy...
In your spring-time, may you become a lover of joy. In your winter, may you
become a friend of wisdom. And when you go wrong along the way, you start all over
again. Thus, you will be more passionate about life. And you will find that happiness
is not about having a perfect life but about using tears to water tolerance, losses to
refine patience, failures to carve serenity, pain to lapidate pleasure, obstacles to open
the windows of intelligence.
Never give up ... Never give up on the people you love. Never give up from being
happy because life is an incredible show. And you are a special human being!
Source: https://www.facebook.com/mcspa/posts/10153625162832490 (DepEd Personal Development Module pages 27-28)

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Suggested rubric for grading the activity.
Category/ 10 8 5
Score
Craftmanship The slogan is The slogan is better The slogan is
exceptionally well constructed. acceptably
constructed. constructed.
Creativity A lot of thoughts and Slogan is creative and Slogan is creative
efforts were used to a good amount of and only few
make the banner/ thought was put into. thoughts were put
material. into.
Originality Exceptional use of Good use of new Average use of new
new ideas and ideas and originality ideas and originality
originality to create to create slogan. to create slogan.
slogan.
Score 30 24 15
Taken from https://www.scribd.com/document/332637070/Slogan-Making-Rubrics

Assessment
I. Write C if the statement is correct and INC if the statement is incorrect.
Write your answers in your journal notebook.
1. Feeling sad or angry is not normal for teenagers.
2. Engaging in sports may contribute to your stressors.
3. When you accept your feelings, you acknowledge what you feel.
4. In helping others, you allow yourself to appreciate what you have.
5. Asking help from others is a measure in preventing things from being
complicated.

II. Read each statement below and write the letter of the correct answer in your
journal notebook.
6. Who said that biological, psychological, and social factors interplay and
contribute to create problems that teenagers need to overcome during
adolescence?
a. Casey b. Connolly c. Havighurst d. Santrock
7. What group of individuals are most infected of HIV based on DOH data?
a. adults b. females c. males d. teenagers
8. Rejection during adolescents is inevitable. What is likely the result of this
rejection if not handled well?
c. Low self-esteem c. depression
d. negative attitude towards self d. all of the above
9. Common causes of suicide include ___________________.
a. hopelessness c. low self-esteem
b. self-blame d. all of the above
10. Which is a characteristic symptom of a marked diminished in interest or
pleasure in all, or almost all activities of the day?
a. anxiety b. social disorder c. drug abuse d. depression

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 11. The following are the social factors that contribute to the emergence of an
adolescent except __________.
a. family b. peers c. school d. barangay hall
12. Teenagers who drop out from school are more prone to except________
a. drug addiction c. being successful in life
b. drinking alcoholic beverages d. computer addiction
13. Which is considered as one of the most difficult challenges during
adolescents?
a. Finding a sense of identity
b. Becoming academically successful
c. Proving yourself to your parents that you are independent
d. Finding friends who can positively influence your behaviors
14. The following are the strategies that a teenager may do to cope with the
challenges they encountered according to Sevilla except_________.
a. identifies your vulnerabilities
b. learns to accept what you feel
c. develops your talents and interests
d. no need to ask for help to avoid disclosure
15. What happens when adolescents fail to master self-control?
a. They can negatively influence others
b. They may not be able to pursue a career
c. They are likely to engage in risky behaviors
d. They may not able to express their ideas well

Additional Activities

Activity 5: REFLECTION…
Excellent Senior High Students you are almost done with module 4. Using your
journal, reflect and answer the following questions:
1. What do you think is the role of the family in the development of risky
behaviors?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
2. In your own opinion, what are the possible ways to avoid being trapped in
risky behaviors?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

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Taken from https://sites.google.com/a/une.edu/hgeo/home/2-the-middle-
east/tuesdayfebruary23/middle-east-project/rubric/Picture%207.png

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 Answer Key

10.c 5. c
d 8.
9. d 4. a
d 15. c 7.
8. a 3. b
7. d 2. d d 14. d 6.
6. d 1. d C 13. a 5.
What I Know C 12. c 4.
C 11. d 3.
INC 10. d 2.
INC 9. d 1.
Assement

References

Books:

Cleofe, Myreen P. (2016). Personal Development. Makati City, Philippines:

Diwa Learning Systems Inc.

Caparas, Maria Vida G. 2018. Personal Development Discovering the Key to

Success. Quezon City, Philippines: Abiva Publishing House Inc.

Personal Development Module from the Department of Education. First

Edition 2016.

Internet:
https://markarmstrongillustration.com/8253-2/

http://familybootcamp.org/video-game-addiction

https://sites.google.com/a/une.edu/hgeo/home/2-the-middle-
east/tuesdayfebruary23/middle-east-project/rubric/Picture%207.png

https://www.scribd.com/document/332637070/Slogan-Making-Rubrics

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For inquiries or feedback, please write or call:

Department of Education - Bureau of Learning Resources (DepEd-BLR)

Ground Floor, Bonifacio Bldg., DepEd Complex

Meralco Avenue, Pasig City, Philippines 1600

Telefax: (632) 8634-1072; 8634-1054; 8631-4985

Email Address: blr.lrqad@deped.gov.ph * blr.lrpd@deped.gov.ph

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