Growth

Adolescents differ in the rates at which they grow. Some mature early while others mature late and these differences cause corresponding changes in the behaviour of these children. The early maturing boy, for instance, is big for his age, muscular, well built and well coordinated. He is therefore likely to be treated as an adult and his social experiences are likely to be those of an adult. He is also likely to be a good athlete, he may therefore enjoy great social prestige and popularity and these may give him poise, self assurance and generally good adjustment. The late maturing boy, on the other hand, is small for his age and he tends to be regarded and treated as a small child. He is not likely to be too successful at athletics and therefore he is not as popular as his early maturing colleagues. He may thus have feelings of inadequacy and inferiority and he may tend to withdraw and may then become isolated. Moreover, he may try to compensate for his inferiority feelings by bragging, arguing or aggressiveness. These characteristics might come to have adverse effects on both his academic performance and his social relationships.

Physical Changes

At adolescence - a period ranging in most children from 11 — 18 years, but earlier in onset for girls than for boys — a number of physical changes occur which can be a source of great embarrassment and perplexity to children. The rapid bodily growth known as the “adolescent growth spurt” causes a sudden increase in height and an elongation of the arms and the legs which now seem to be too long. They therefore look and feel clumsy and awkward, they easily bump into objects and people and they drop things often. All these changes induce self consciousness and easy embarrassment in them. The rapid growth is also often accompanied by restlessness due to energy that becomes readily available and which must be dissipated but which once dissipated is followed by sudden fatigue.

the Age of anxiety

The modern technological world has been aptly characterized as “the Age of anxiety”. Such characterization arises from the fact that at every stage of human development — from conception through birth, early childhood, late childhood, adolescence, adulthood, to old age and death the individual is subjected to a number of stresses and conflicts to which he must make continuous adjustments. But perhaps there is no stage of development at which these stresses and conflicts are more acute than at adolescence since, at this stage, physiological changes combine with psychological and societal factors to make that period a particularly critical one for the individual. The degree of success which the adolescence attains in coping with these problems will determine his effectiveness and overall satisfaction in life. The major objective of my paper is to describe these factosr that make for stress at the adolescent stage and to outline some suggestions which those in the helping professions such as career masters and mistresses, as well as other teachers and parents could adopt to help these children to cope with this difficult period of their development