PER-DEV REVIEWER

Identity Formation: An Ongoing Process

• Identity formation involves risk-taking and the development of personal moral codes.

• It often leads to the expression of individuality, sometimes at the cost of regrets and consequences.

• Erik Erikson’s Theory of Psychological Development suggests adolescents struggle with self-perception
and identity formation.

• This stage involves experimentation with various roles, behaviors, and activities to realize one’s identity.

• Experience is a key teacher, alongside warnings and recommendations.

• Once an individual knows their identity, they can identify their preferences in a social circle,
establishing a strong foundation for interpersonal relationships.

HAVIGHURST’S DEVELOPMENTAL TASK FOR ADOLESCENTS

• Adjust to new physical self: Increased sex hormones can lead to self-consciousness and anxiety.

• Adapt to new intellectual abilities: The brain can process abstract and hypothetical schemas. Extending
this ability can prevent stagnation and atrophy.

• Adapt to increased cognitive demands at school: Expect increased mental load from the educational
system.

• Develop expanded verbal skills: Focus on understanding and using words to avoid confusion.

• Develop a personal sense of identity: Exclude oneself from family and friends, excluding their pressures
and expectations.

• Establish adult vocational goals: Formulate goals and milestones.

• Establish emotional and psychological independence: Be self-reliant from parents, elders, and guardians.

• Develop stable and productive peer relationships: Avoid the rule of the flock and be around people who
bring out the best in you.

• Manage sexuality: Understand how to act your sexual orientation and remain true to yourself.

• Adopt a personal value system: Realize your own values and beliefs.

• Develop increased impulse control and behavioral maturity: Moderation is key.

Challenges and Issues Among Adolescents

Physical Appearance

• Adolescents undergo significant changes in their physical appearance due to new emotions, sensations,
and perspective abilities.

• Everyone experiences puberty differently, affecting their time, nature, and degree.

Identity Development

• Adolescents are conscious of their appearance and their personal goals.

• They need to understand their gender identity and monitor for overly aggressive behaviors.

Gender Identity

• Self-betrayal can hinder personal potential and hinder personal growth.

Social Cognition: Personal Fable and Imaginary Audience

• Adolescents often believe in an imaginary audience to monitor and judge their actions.

• This concept is linked to adolescent egocentrism.

Impulsivity and Risk-Taking or Thrill-Seeking Behaviors

• High levels of adrenaline and testosterone during puberty can lead to risk-taking behaviors.

Sexual Behavior

• Reproductive characteristics become more prominent during puberty due to the endocrine system.

Anti-social and Delinquency Behaviors

• Anti-social individuals are known for delinquency, guiltlessness, and manipulation.

• These behaviors stem from impairments in personal, interpersonal, and family functioning.

THE CONCEPT OF MENTAL HEALTH AND WELL-BEING

Mental Health and Well-Being

• Mental health is a state of emotional and psychological well-being where an individual can use their
cognitive and emotional capabilities.
• Adolescents undergo hormonal and physical changes, form their identity, and build their self-image.

• They seek emotional security in family and peer groups, which are considered challenges that need to be
overcome.

Relationship Between Mental Health and Well-Being

• A mentally healthy person experiences a sense of well-being, happiness, and satisfaction.

• Well-being is a subjective state that emerges from a general feeling of satisfaction with oneself.

• Positive feelings of self-worth contribute to healthy psychological development and help reduce the
effects of stress.

• Adolescents who face challenges and changes with a healthy mind can easily adapt to the daily demands
of life.

• Well-being extends to different aspects of life and has a widespread effect on others and their work as a
student.

Mental Health Issues and Challenges in Adolescence

Physical, Social, Emotional, Economic, and Academic Challenges

• Adolescents face physical, social, emotional, economic, and academic challenges.

• Physical changes due to hormonal changes and emotional adjustments can lead to poor self-image.

• The development of self-concept influences how adolescents relate with family and peers.

• Socio-economic status and peer group influence self-perception.

Eating Disorders

• Eating disorders can lead to obesity or malnutrition.

• Emotional eating is a form of self-image formed when a teen feels depressed, tense, or stressed.

• Eating disorders can lead to sadness, loneliness, and depression.

Suicide

• Severe depression can lead to suicide attempts.

• Family and friends’ support is vital during this time.

• Suicidal attempts should be taken seriously.

Depression

• Depression is a common mental health issue among adolescents.

• Reasons for depression include personal failure, family conflict, inadequacy over school performance,
sexual orientation, lack of financial resources, and social status.

• Depressive symptoms include sleep disturbances, concentration issues, irritability, eating disorders,
withdrawal from friends and family, and loss of enjoyment in activities.

Risk Factors:

• Family history of mental illness increases the risk of developing mental illness.

• Fetal development in the mother’s womb is crucial.

• Pregnant mothers should avoid environmental toxins, alcohol, drugs, and cigarette smoke.

• Emotional stress should be avoided by mothers with developing babies.

Resilience:

• Resilience is the ability to recover readily from illness, depression, or adversity.

• It allows adolescents to adapt well to life’s demands and difficulties.

• Resilience helps adolescents find meaning from bad experiences and use their inner resources to resolve
problems.

Prevention:

• Check self-perception to prevent poor mental health.

• Increase emotional competence to handle demands and pressures.

• Seek social support from family and friends.

• Minimize conflicts and learn effective conflict resolution.

• Exercise, a balanced diet, and adequate sleep are important for mental health and well-being.
Stress and Stressors

Understanding Stress

• Stress is caused by both internal and external factors.

• It can be caused by exams, deadlines, family expectations, conflicts, frustration, and disappointments.

• Stress can lead to feelings of tenseness, nervousness, and jittery, affecting concentration and work
performance.

Stressors

• Common stressors include academic demands, family expectations, conflicts, frustration, and
disappointments.

• Stressors can occur suddenly like calamities or accidents.

• Stress is a physiological response to a physical or psychological threat, disrupting balance.

• The “fight or flight” syndrome is a physiological reaction to stress.

Sources of Stress

• Physical stressors: Pollution, noise, fatigue, pain, shock, trauma.

• Mental stressors: Academic overload, exam review, deadlines, sustained mental effort.

• Social, emotional, and psychological stressors: Conflicts, disappointments, frustration, tension, anxiety,
anger, depression.

• Economic stressors: Limited financial resources to meet essential needs.

• Spiritual stressors: Loss of joy, peace, or disturbance of tranquility.

Stress Factors

Physiological Factors

• General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS) by Hans Selye explains the body’s response to stress.
• GAS consists of three stages: alarm stage, resistance stage, and exhaustion stage.

• The body’s resistance to stress varies based on individual’s capacity to contain its effects or adapt to
their situation.

• Stressors signal the body by alerting it and increasing energy level.

• The hypothalamus-pituitaryadrenal (HPA) axis explains the bodily changes and potential disease sources
from prolonged stress.

Psychological Factors

• Psychological stress stems from individual’s mental and emotional reactivity to environmental factors.

• Individual differences in how we perceive a situation can elicit a stress response.

• Overwhelmed with stress, the body, mind, and behavior suffer.

• Common signs and symptoms of stress may also be manifestations of a deeper psychological problem.

• Students are advised to consult a professional when difficulties hamper psychological functioning.

Coping Strategies

Understanding Coping Styles

• Coping styles vary among individuals, with some viewing situations as threatening while others see
them as challenges.

• Richard Lazarus defines coping as a cognitive or behavior response to stress aimed at managing or
reducing stress.

• Coping involves two components: primary appraisal and secondary appraisal.

Physical Stress Management

• Physical stress requires self-discipline and changes such as balanced meals, regular sleep, and exercise.

• Social and emotional stress from strained relationships can be managed by accepting change and having
supportive friends.

Emotion-Focused and Problem-Focused Coping

• Emotion-focused coping involves dealing with feelings of shame, fear, anxiety, excitement, and
depression.

• Problem-focused coping deals with stressors directly in practical ways, removing the source of stress or
reducing its effect.

• Problem-focused coping involves defining the problem, looking for alternative solutions, learning new
skills, and reappraising to find new behavior standards.