NORTHWESTERN

UNIVERSITY

LEARNING COMPETENCIES:
1. Discusess developmental tasks and challenges being experienced during
adolescence.
2. Evaluate one’s development through the help of significant people around
him/her (peers, parents, siblings, friends, teachers, community leaders)

MODULE 3: Developmental tasks and challenges of Adolescences

INTRODUCTION:  

As
many
already know,

adolescence is fraught with numerous challenges and transitions. The pace and amount of
growth that occurs during adolescence is second only to that which occurs during infancy. As
teenagers experience biological, cognitive, and social and emotional changes, understanding
these crucial advancements can sometimes make this rocky road a bit more bearable for
everyone involved.

Although all individuals develop at their own pace, there are developmental milestones
that all teenagers are attempting to reach (whether they realize it or not). With the onset of
puberty, an individual experiences changes in the way they think about themselves and the
world around them, an increased interest and desire for romantic relationships, more emphasis
on peer relationships and fitting in, a desire to become more independent from parents and
caregivers, and the beginning of their search for a personal identity. During this search, an
adolescent is examining their gender, sexual orientation, race/ethnicity, culture,

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religion/spirituality, beliefs, and values, and trying to figure out what are the most
salient parts of their identity – a monumental and stressful task to accomplish. No wonder they
sleep so much!

Adolescence is a period of great turmoil and growth that can be overwhelming for all
those involved. Stressors such as family conflict, bullying, socioeconomic difficulties, and/or
mental health issues only amplify the struggles and obstacles teenagers must overcome. As a
parent or caregiver of an adolescent, it is important to keep in mind the many difficulties your
child may be facing as you provide support to them. Coupled with this, have empathy,
encourage open communication, and set clear, consistent, and realistic expectations – these
techniques can go a long way in strengthening your relationship. Furthermore, remember to
take care of yourself too – adolescence is a stressful time for parents and caregivers as well.
Self-care is crucial during a transitional time such as this one. Bumps along the way are
inevitable so try your best and know that it is okay to make mistakes. Parents and caregivers
are human too! Only when we take care of ourselves properly can we truly be the best parents
we want to be.

Checkpoint 1. Changes in me!

Direction: Write the changes that an adolescent experiences in the middle and late
adolescences stages.

Physical Development

1.

2.

3.

Cognitive Development

1.

2.

3.

Socio-Emotional Development

1.

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2.

3.

Checkpoint 2. Identifying the development!

Direction: Write the following changes experienced by the adolescent in the appropriate table
provided below.
a. Ability to come up with new ideas
b. Physical growth slows for girls, continues for boys
c. Intense self-involvement, changing between expectations and poor self-concept
d. Examination of inner experiences
e. Greater capacity for setting goals
f. Young women, typically are fully developed.
g. Increased concern for future
h. Interest in moral reasoning
i. Thinking about the meaning of life
j. Driven to make friends and greater reliance on them, popularity can be an important
issue.
k. Development of more serious relationships
l. Ability to come up with new ideas

Stages Physical Cognitive Socio-emotional

Middle
Adolescenc
e (14- 17
yrs. old )

Late
Adolescenc
e
(18-21 yrs.
old)
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Stages of Adolescent Development

A challenging period for both the children and

their parents is the adolescence. Although there are
stages of adolescence, the age at which each stage
arrives, varies significantly from child to child. These
diverse rates of maturation are associated with physical
development and hormone balance, neither of which the
youth can control. Because of this, adolescent must be
cared as individuals and any procedure should be
adapted to be particular child.

Stages of Physical Cognitive Social-emotional

Adolescence Development Development development
Early  Puberty: grow body  Growing capacity for  Struggle with sense of
adolescence hair, increase abstract thought identity
(approximately perspiration and oil  Mostly interested in  Feel awkward about one’s
11-13 years old)
production in hair present with limited self and one’s body; worry
and skin, Girls- thought of the future about being normal
breast hip  Intellectual interest  Realize that parents are
development, onset expand and become not perfect; increased
of menstruation. more important conflict with parents
Boys-growth in  Deeper moral thinking  Increased influence of
testicles and penis, peer group
wet dreams,  Desire for independence
deepening of voice.  Tendency to return to
 Tremendous “childish” behavior,
physical growth: particularly when stressed
gain height and  Moodiness

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weight  Rule- and limited- testing
 Greater sexual  Greater interest in privacy
interest
Middle  Puberty is  Continued growth of  Intense involvement,
adolescence completed capacity for abstract changing between high
(approximately  Physical growth thought expectations and poor
14-17 slows for girls,  Greater capacity for self-concept
continues for boys setting goals  Continued adjustment to
 Interest in moral changing body, worries
reasoning about being normal
 Thinking about the  Tendency to distance
meaning of life selves from parents,
continued drive for
independence
 Driven to make friends
and greater reliance on
them, popularity can be
an important issue
 Feeling of love and
passion
Late  Young women,  Ability to come up  Firmer sense of identity
adolescence typically, are fully with new ideas  Increased emotional
(approximately developed  Ability to delay stability
18- 21 years  Young men continue gratification  Increased concern for
old) to gain weight, and  Examination of inner others
muscle mass body experiences  Increase independence
hair.  Increased concern for and self-reliance
future  Peer relationships remain
 Continued interest in important
moral reasoning  Development of more
serious relationships
 Social and cultural
traditions regain some of
their importance

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Developmental Task of Adolescents

The term “developmental task” refers to

those complications that individuals normally
fact at different stages throughout life.

1. Adjust to sexually maturing bodies and feelings.

2. Accepting one's physique.
3. Achieving a masculine or feminine social role.
4. Develop and apply abstract thinking skills.
5. Develop and apply a new perspective on human
relationships.
6. Improve and apply new managing skills in capacities
such decision-making, problem solving, and conflict
resolutions.
7. Identifying meaningful moral standards, values, and
beliefs systems.
8. Understand and express complex emotional
experiences.
9. Form friendships that are mutually close and
supportive.
10. Establish key aspects of identity.
11. Meet the demands of increasingly mature
duties and responsibilities.
12. Renegotiate relationships with adults in
parenting roles.
13. Achieving new and more mature relations with others, both boys and girls, in one's age
group.
14. Achieving emotional independence from parents and other adults.
15. Preparing for marriage and family life.
16. Preparing for an economic career.

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DEVELOPMENTAL TASKS OF ADOLESCENCE

A developmental task is a task that arises at or about a certain period in life, unsuccessful
achievement of which leads to inability to perform tasks associated with the next period or
stage in life.

Developmental Task Nature of Task

1. Learning to get along with friends of both To learn to look upon girls as women and boys
sexes. as men; to become an adult among adults; to
learn to work with others for a common
  purpose, disregarding personal feelings; to lead
without dominating.

To accept one's body; to keep it healthy

2. Accepting one's physical body and keeping it through good nutrition, exercise, disease
healthy. prevention, and other health practices.

3. Becoming more self-sufficient. To develop affection for parents without

dependence upon them; to develop respect for
  older adults without dependence upon them.

4. Making decisions about marriage and family

life.
To explore attitudes toward family life and
  having children; to acquire the knowledge
necessary for home management and, if
5 Preparing for a job or career. desired, child rearing.

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  To develop career/vocational goals and ways to

reach these goals; to be able to make a living.

6. Acquiring a set of values to guide behavior.

To develop an outlook toward life based on
  what is important.

7. Becoming socially responsible. To participate as a responsible person with

friends at home, and in the community; to
develop personal moral values to guide
behavior.

Activity: Try to interview a friend or a family member and ask him/her to answer the following
questions to evaluate one’s development.
Note: Interviewee must be above 12 years old

Interviewer: _________________________
Interviewee: _________________________
Relationship to the interviewee: ____________________

When I was 12 Now

1. How are you spending
your time?
2. Who were you spending
time with?
3. What was important to
you?
4. What concerned you
most?
5. Who did you trust to or
confide in?
6. When seeing gays or

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lesbians, how do you
think and feel about
them?
7. When parents told you
“not to do this”, “not to
do that”, how did you
react?
8. When your teacher
assigned you with difficult
mathematical problems at
school, how did you
handle it?
9. When faced with a
difficult task on hand,
what was your initial
reaction?
10.When family is faced with
financial difficulty, how do
you support your parents?

ollowing questions.

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1. A challenging period for both the children and their parents is the
________________.
a. Adolescence
b. Adulthood
c. Early childhood
d. Infant

2. The following are development is adolescence except:

a. Physical development
b. Cognitive development
c. Socio-emotional development
d. None of the above

3. Which of the following is an example of cognitive development in late adolescence?

a. Greater capacity for setting goals
b. Interest in moral reasoning
c. Increased concern for future
d. Puberty is completed

4. Which of the following is an example of social-emotional development?

a. Thinking about the meaning of life
b. Physical growth
c. Greater sexual interest
d. Peer relationships remain important

5. The following are examples of developmental tasks except:

a. Develop and apply abstract thinking
b. Not getting ready for marriage
c. Preparing for a job
d. Becoming socially responsible

6. It refers to those complications that individuals normally fact at different stages

throughout life.
a. Developmental task
b. Physical development
c. Cognitive development
d. Socio-economic development

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7. Which of the following is an example of physical development in middle
adolescence?
a. Young Young women, typically, are fully developed
b. Young men continue to gain weight, and muscle mass body hair.
c. Physical growth slows for girls, continues for boys
d. Tremendous physical growth

8. Which of the following are example of developmental tasks and challenges?

a. Learning to get along with friends of both sexes.
b. Accepting one's physical body and keeping it healthy.
c. Becoming more self-sufficient
d. All of the above

9. To develop career/vocational goals and ways to reach these goals; to be able to make a
living.
a. Making decisions about marriage and family life.
b. Preparing for a job or career.
c. Acquiring a set of values to guide behavior.
d. Becoming socially responsible.

10. To explore attitudes toward family life and having children; to acquire the knowledge
necessary for home management and, if desired, child rearing.
a. Making decisions about marriage and family life.
b. Preparing for a job or career.
c. Acquiring a set of values to guide behavior.
d. Becoming socially responsible.

Resources: Reference Book and Online Sources

Cleofe, M.P. (2016). Personal Development. Diwa Learning Systems Inc.
Pablo, V.M.G.H. (2016) Personal Development. Scolaire Publishing

http://www.wvdhhr.org/bph/modules/man/man-res3.htm
https://www.famservice.org/understanding-developmental-tasks-of-adolescence
https://extension.psu.edu/understanding-adolescence-3-the-tasks

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