PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

1ST MODULE
UNDERSTANDING ONESELF AND OTHER

Adolescence is a critical stage in life that provides chances for influencing future behaviors and outcomes. In
addition to the major physical growth and development that happens during this time, teenagers are increasingly
expanding their social circle and begin to make their own decisions about their life. Knowing and understanding
oneself and others empowers one to advance and support their positive development. Each teenager is a unique
individual with his own personality and special interests, likes, and dislikes. However, there are still many
developmental concerns that everyone faces during the adolescent years.

The following chart lists characteristics of the "typical" child during the stage between early adolescence and
middle adolescence. Individual differences in development rates, disposi tions, and adult and social impacts
mean that age is not a conclusive indicator of where a child is along this maturation process. The age at which
biological changes happen varies from age 9 to 14 for boys and 8 to 13 for girls. These stages are determined
not only by biological progress and transformation but also by adult and society's expectations. The chart below
is a typical characteristic of teens growth within these general phases.

AREA OF EARLY ADOLESCENCE MID-ADOLESCENCE

DEVELOPMENT AGES 11-14 AGES15-18
 Wide variation in the  Most youths have entered
onset of puberty and or completed puberty
growth spurt leading to  Less variation in levels of
earlier and later matures. growth and sexual
 appetite increases during development
growth spurts and  Many youths have
Physical Growth decreases markedly achieved their full adult
between them. height and other adult
 Increased need for sleep. physical development
 Evident sexual milestones.
development. voice
changes and increased
body odor are common.
 Individual variation  Major broadening of
among some children thinking abilities for
who are still focused on many youths are better
logic and others who are able to think abstractly,
able to combine logical follow a "what if" line of
Cognitive stage and abstract thinking. thought and apply lessons
 Some early adolescents learned in one situation to
can't think ahead to a different situation; tend
consequences of their to think a lot about the
actions. future, considering many
possible and logical
 Developing new thinking outcomes of possible
skills, such as thinking events.
more about possibilities,  Greater perspective-
thinking more abstractly, taking ability can result in
thinking more about the increased empathy and
process of thinking it self, concern for others, and
thinking in multiple new interest in societal
dimensions, and seeing issues for many.
things as relative rather
than absolute.

 Practicing new thinking

skills through humor and
by arguing with parents
and others. Use of humor
focused on satire,
 sarcasm, and sex (often
irritating to adults).
 Continuing egocentrism.  Less egocentric with
Often believes self to be age. Increased emphasis
invulnerable to negative on abstract values and
events. moral principles.
 Increasing ability to take  Increased ability (for
the perspective of others some) to take another's
into account with own perspective fully; can see
perspective. the bigger societal
picture and might value
Moral development  In addition to concern moral principles over
about gaining social laws: "principled"
approval, morals begin morality.
to be based on respect  Different rates of
for the social order and cognitive and emotional
agreements between development. For
people: "law and order" example, often advocates
morality. for specific values and
violates them at the same
 Begins to question social time.
conventions and re-
examine own values and
moral/ethical principles,
sometimes resulting in
conflicts with parents.
 Self-image can be  The process of identity
challenged by body formation is intense.
changes during puberty Experimentation with
and social comparisons. different roles: looks,
 Youth begins the long- sexuality, values,
term process of friendships, ethnicity,
establishing an own and especially
Self - Concept identity separate from occupations. Some girls
family. might experience
 With the onset of obsessive dieting or eat
puberty, many girls disorders, especially
experience pressure to those who have higher
conform to gender body fat, are chronically
stereotypes, might show depressed, or who have
less interest in math and highly conflicted family
science. relationships.
 With puberty, normal
increases in girls' body,  Foreign teenagers might
fat can impact body explore several patterns
image and self-concept of identity formation:
negatively for many.
Both boys and girls a strong ethnic identity
might be concerned with bi-cultural identity
skin problems, height, inclusion into the
weight, and overall majority culture
appearance. alienation from the
majority culture
 Intense self-focus.  For some, increased
activity to empathize with
Worrying others greater
Psychological and about what others vulnerability to worrying,
emotional traits think about them. depression, and concern
Increased for others, especially
desire for privacy and among girls.
sensitivity about the
 body.  Many show an increase in
re sponsible behaviors.
 Frequent mood swings
with changes in activities
and contexts. Too much
time spent alone can
contribute to moodiness.

 Height of forgetfulness
 Changes in own and  Conflict with parents often
parental expectations alter decreases with age.
previous pat terns of
relationships with parents, Improved
often resulting in greater ability to see parents
conflict. as individuals and
 Greater focus on peer take their perspectives
Relationship to parents friend ships as youth into account
and other adults develops an identity Most maintain
outside of the role - Most a good relationship
maintain good of a child in with parents.
a family.  Greater interest in taking
 Often rebuffs physical on "adult-type
affection (but still needs responsibilities (own
it). checking account, doing
 Increased interest in own laundry, buying own
making own decisions; clothes, cooking meals,
benefits from increased making repairs, etc.)
opportunities to make own  Commonly makes most
decisions within scope of own decisions, preparing
current abilities for eventual separation
 Youth objects more often from family.
to parental limitations (but  Needs balance between
still needs some) resulting time spent with adults and
in conflict. New thinking peers.
abilities are practiced in  Continues to benefit from
increased use of humor some parental limits and
and arguments (or "talking monitoring, while
back") with parents/other objecting to them.
adults, which may result in  Common conflicts over
conflicts. money, curfews, chores,
 Parental listening skills appearance, and activities
and nurturing continue to with peers.
be important.
 Changes due to puberty  Peers help youth explore
and peer reactions and develop an own
commonly alter peer identity.
relationships.  Cross-gender friendships
 Friendships still begin become more common.
with perceived  Antisocial peer groups can
Peer Relationship commonalities, but increase antisocial
increasingly involve behaviors.
sharing of values and  Close friendships help
personal confidences. youth with the process of
 Might develop cliques of developing an individual
three to six friends identity separate from that
(usually same gender), of a child in a family.
providing a greater sense
of security. Antisocial
cliques can increase
antisocial behaviors.
 Romantic crushes common
 and some dating begin.
The following information should help understand this phase of development.

Movement towards Independence

 Increased independent functioning
 Firmer and more cohesive sense of identity
 Examination of inner experiences Ability to think ideas through
 Conflict with parents begins to decrease > Increased ability for delayed gratification and compromise
 Increased emotional stability
 Increased concern for others.
 Increased self-reliance
 Peer relationships remain important and take an appropriate place among other interests
 Former religious and cultural belief system which may be different from their parents and family

Future Interests and Cognitive Changes

 Work habits become more defined
 Increased concern for the future and life beyond high school
 More importance is placed on one's role in life

Sexuality
 Feelings of love and passion
 Development of more serious relationships
 Firmer sense of sexual identity >
 Increased capacity for tender and sensual love

Morals, Values, and Self-Direction.

 Greater capacity for setting goals
 Capacity to use insight
 Increased emphasis on personal dignity and self-esteem
 Family, social and cultural traditions. regain some of their previous importance

Older teenagers do vary slightly from the above descriptions, but the feelings and behaviors are, in general,
considered normal for each stage of adolescence.

Knowing your positive traits, when applied skillfully will help

 Shield, overcome and manage problems.
 Improve personal relationships.
 Enhance health and over-all well-being.

Taking responsibility of your negative traits:

 Write down your version of WHY you have this trait. How would you feel when others do this? Being
aware will help you minimize or eliminate it.
 How do these traits affect you and the people around you? Does it upset people? Do you feel guilty
after? It is very important to understand the impact this trait has on people around you and your life.
 Be religious and keeping a log on your experience I overcoming bad traits, choose one at a time. It will
not go away overnight, but it is easier if you use some penalties If you always use bad words, try to stop
yourself from saying it, otherwise, you pay 20 pesos to a friend or a teacher. This way