11 Major Characteristics of

Adolescence | Child Development

Characteristic # 1.

A period of Rapid Physical/Biological Changes, has Psychological Repercussions Too:

The growth of the pelvis bone, the filling out of breast, growing in size and sensitivity of genitalia,
growing of pubic and auxiliary hair, deepening of voice, acne, and the menarche are the main physical
and biological developments in girls which make them confused and apprehensive.

2. Appearance-Consciousness:

During adolescence, both the girl and the boy, grow very much conscious about their appearance. As
physical changes are very rapidly taking place, affecting the appearance of the adolescent, “how do I
appear?” becomes his or her haunting concern. An adolescent would do all that he or she can to
develop and maintain an attractive look. One grows very particular regarding one’s dress, hair-style and
so on.

Characteristic # 3.

Attraction Towards the Opposite Sex:

The pubic changes in the girl, and in the boy, make one feel a strong attraction towards the other. The
physical growth during the period of adolescence, makes one attractive for the opposite sex.
Nevertheless, it entails the problem of adaptability to peers of the same sex, and to those of the
opposite sex.

The adolescents who fail to adjust themselves to those of the opposite sex in a proper way, would prove
awkward in their behavior. Such a maladjusted person would ever be having a feeling of strain.

Characteristic # 4.

Cognitive Development:

Adolescence is the stage when a person attains maturity in physical development, in respect of sexual
behavior, and also cognitively. From year eleven onward, Jean Piaget considers it to be the stage of
formal operations when the growing adolescent starts thinking logically and persistently.

Characteristic # 5.

Career-Consciousness:

A mention, by the way, has already been made that an adolescent start thinking about his career at this
stage. Now, one happens to be mature enough to think of the importance of a good job in life. Looking
to his own parents and to others, he can very well realize the importance of a good job for a respectable
and comfortable life.
Characteristic # 6.

Emotional Conditions:

Wilkins writes that hyperthyroidism is more common in adolescence. Hyperthyroidism is caused

because of excessive secretion of thyroid gland. Hyperthyroidism is characterized by emotional
instability and excessive movements. Because of emotional instability, an adolescent has no patience to
think over the pros and cons of a step that he is going to take—though cognitively he or she is
developed enough to do it.

Characteristic # 7.

Flight on Imagination:

The adolescent often rises high and above the limitations of realities into the unbridled sky of
imagination, seeking the fulfillment of a lot many of his desires which stand no chances of being fulfilled
otherwise. Adolescence is also a period when imagination can help him in visualizing likely
consequences, and enable him think persistently.

Characteristic # 8.

Hero Worship:

Some living character, maybe, some hero of the screen, a member of his peer-group, or someone
among the acquaintances, or of the family, may have caught the imagination of the adolescent, and he
starts emulating him keenly.

Characteristic # 9.

Hobbies:

Adolescence is also a period when one is inclined to a number of hobbies, or at least to one or the other
of the hobbies. He may join some gym, or a club of table-tennis or lawn-tennis. Some may like to
compose poems or write stories. Music or dance may attract a few.

Characteristic # 10.

Sex-Role Identity:

Girls have their identity in the choice of play, in the choice of their companions; and also in the way they
behave. A distinct identity of the sex may be marked in the selection of dresses and other items to wear.

Characteristic # 11.

Impact of the Peer-Group is the Strongest:

During early childhood, parents, and more especially, the mother, enjoys the greatest influence upon
the child. The child values its acceptance by the parents to be the highest. The child’s greatest reward is
the praise for his behavior by the parents, and the severest punishment is the withdrawal of parental
affection.
Ages of adolescence

Early Adolescence (Ages 10 to 13)

 During this stage, children often start to grow more quickly. They also begin notice
other body changes, including hair growth under the arms and near the genitals, breast
development in females and enlargement of the testicles in males. They usually start a
year or two earlier in girls than boys, and it can be normal for some changes to start as
early as age 8 for females and age 9 for males. Many girls may start their period at
around age 12, on average 2-3 years after the onset of breast development.

 These body changes can inspire curiosity and anxiety in some―especially if they do
not know what to expect or what is normal. Some children may also question
their gender identity at this time, and the onset of puberty can be a difficult time
for transgender children.

 Early adolescents have concrete, black-and-white thinking. Things are either right or
wrong, great or terrible, without much room in between. It is normal at this stage for
young people to center their thinking on themselves (called "egocentrism"). As part of
this, preteens and early teens are often self-conscious about their appearance and feel as
though they are always being judged by their peers.

 Pre-teens feel an increased need for privacy. They may start to explore ways of being
independent from their family. In this process, they may push boundaries and may react
strongly if parents or guardians reinforce limits.

Middle Adolescence (Ages 14 to 17)

 Physical changes from puberty continue during middle adolescence. Most males will
have started their growth spurt, and puberty-related changes continue. They may have
some voice cracking, for example, as their voices lower. Some develop acne. Physical
changes may be nearly complete for females, and most girls now have regular periods.

 At this age, many teens become interested in romantic and sexual relationships.
They may question and explore their sexual identity―which may be stressful if they do
not have support from peers, family, or community. Another typical way of exploring sex
and sexuality for teens of all genders is self-stimulation, also called masturbation.

 Many middle adolescents have more arguments with their parents as they struggle
for more independence. They may spend less time with family and more time with
friends. They are very concerned about their appearance, and peer pressure may peak at
this age.

 The brain continues to change and mature in this stage, but there are still many
differences in how a normal middle adolescent thinks compared to an adult. Much of
this is because the frontal lobes are the last areas of the brain to mature―development is
 not complete until a person is well into their 20s! The frontal lobes play a big role in
coordinating complex decision making, impulse control, and being able to consider
multiple options and consequences. Middle adolescents are more able to think abstractly
and consider "the big picture," but they still may lack the ability to apply it in the
moment. For example, in certain situations, kids in middle adolescence may find
themselves thinking things like:

o "I'm doing well enough in math and I really want to see this movie… one night of
skipping studying won't matter."

o Do I really have to wear a condom during sex if my girlfriend takes the pill?"

o "Marijuana is legal now, so it can't be that bad."

While they may be able to walk through the logic of avoiding risks outside of these situations,
strong emotions often continue to drive their decisions when impulses come into play.

Late Adolescents (18-21… and beyond!)

Late adolescents generally have completed physical development and grown to their full adult
height. They usually have more impulse control by now and may be better able to gauge risks
and rewards accurately. In comparison to middle adolescents, youth in late adolescence might
find themselves thinking:

o "While I do love Paul Rudd movies, I need to study for my final."

o "I should wear a condom…even though my girlfriend is on birth control, that's

not 100% in preventing pregnancy."

o "Even though marijuana is legal, I'm worried about how it might affect my mood
and work/school performance."

Teens entering early adulthood have a stronger sense of their own individuality now and can
identify their own values. They may become more focused on the future and base decisions on
their hopes and ideals. Friendships and romantic relationships become more stable. They become
more emotionally and physically separated from their family. However, many reestablish an
"adult" relationship with their parents, considering them more an equal from whom to ask advice
and discuss mature topics with, rather than an authority figure.
Stages of Adolescence

Prenatal
Pregnancy is a time of anticipation, excitement, preparation, and, for many new parents,
uncertainty. The nine months of pregnancy will give you time to have your questions
answered, calm your fears, and prepare yourself for the realities of parenthood. This
section contains some guidelines to help you with the most important of these
preparations.

Baby
Your baby will give you the most important information—how he or she likes to be
treated, talked to, held, and comforted. This section address the most common
questions and concerns that arise during the first months of life.​

Toddler
​ ​ ​ Your child is advancing from infancy toward and into the preschool years. During
this time, his or her physical growth and motor development will slow, but you can
expect to see some tremendous intellectual, social, and emotional changes.

Preschool
​ ​ ​ Before you know it, your child has turned four and then five years old. You may
find that your somewhat calm child of three has now become a dynamo of energy, drive,
bossiness, belligerence, and generally out-of-bounds behavior.

Grade school
​ ​ ​ Parents of gradeschoolers have a lot to think about. Trying to encourage healthy
living and helping your child develop a positive self-image all while going through
puberty can have its challenges. This section will arm you with the information you need
along the way.
Teen
​ ​ ​ Adolescence can be a rough time for parents. At times, your teen may be a
source of frustration and exasperation, not to mention financial stress. But these years
also bring many, many moments of joy, pride, laughter and closeness.

Young Adult
A young adult who goes away to a college or a job far from home has to build a social
support system from the ground up. At the same time, he may have to acclimate himself
to a drastically different environment.