Autonomy Of Adolescents

Everyone is unique in their own way. People and the environment can change who they to find out who they are. Identity describes one’s various aspects of themselves. It takes the time to find out who they are. People and the environment can affect one’s identity with struggles to overcome. Determination defines one’s identity by setting a pathway to follow because it shows how one’s dreams are achievable.

Many define adolescence as the transition period from puberty to legal adulthood where one is in the process of maturing. “This transitional period can bring up issues of independence and self-identity,” according to Psychology Today (“Adolescence”). Adolescents are usually classified to be between the ages of 14 and 18 and traditionally regarded as “minors” by law. “Minors, as a group, are legally disabled, meaning they are presumed to lack the skills necessary for capable decision-making” (Rhonda). Adolescents are unable to make rational decisions due to the Prefrontal Cortex not fully being developed, emotional responses and other factors which may cause potential societal harms as well as risks to the minors. Adolescents should not have the right to make autonomous medical choices.

The average college student calls their parents twice a day (Hofer 2). According to psychology professor Barbara Hofer, this statistic is not as heartwarming as it sounds. In her new york times article “A parent's role in the path to Adulthood,” Hofer claims this frequent contact is actually a sign of dependency, a sentiment echoed by university President John Mccardell jr. in his article, “Let them Drink at 18, With a Learners Permit.” Mccardell says “ If you infantilize someone, do not be surprised when in fantile behavior...results” (1). On the other hand, neuroscientist Sarah Jayne Blakemore warns parents that teens’ prefrontal cortex is still developing, leaving them moody and prone to take dangerous risk. However Blakemore adds that despite these challenges teen years are the optimal time for learning. Therefore, mature teens, that have a healthy relationship with their parents, should be able to exercise autonomy because they will learn to be independent, confident adults.

During the adolescent years, the main goal is for the male/female to find their identity and seek to answer the questions of “Who am I?”, “What is my purpose in life?” “Why do I believe what I believe?” Berger, 2014 states that there are four fields to forming ones identity, which include: religious beliefs, political, career choices and lastly sexual identity. For many children, finding an identity does not come easily, in fact it may not be revealed until later years when one is an adult, or perhaps could one go their whole life and never fully understand their true selves? A lot of these identity roles and perceptions become forced onto adolescents through education or parental and peer influences. High school is such a difficult time. It is a time where self-esteem decreases and a heightened sense of judgment appears. Particularly females wonder whether their outfits, makeup, hair or romantic interests are going to be socially acceptable by other females. My nine year old daughter, although not even in middle school yet, is already wanting to buy clothing that matches that of her friends and told me just the other day that “her legs were too fat!” This is a child that in no way is

Unprecedented liberty and democracy take place currently, impacting every member in society, including young people. In terms of decision making, adolescents these days are capable and willing to make decisions independently.

“You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today”(Abraham Lincoln). This quote means that if you put it off now it will come back later, this can be compared well with adolescent accountability. Adolescents should be held accountable for their actions and responsibilities when they are 18 because they are a legal adult, they definitely know the consequences, and their brains are almost completely developed. Therefore they should not be held majorly responsible till they are at the age of 18. Many people think that the age should be lower, but facts and reason show that it shouldn’t.

When looking at adolescent rebellion, depending on the situation, some ethical issues may arise. When we hear the words ethical issues, one of the first things that come to mind are those working in a professional setting. The first ethical consideration, however is found with in the home of the rebellious teenager. Parents are often the first ones to address the rebellious behavior and must decide how they are going to handle the challenging behaviors that their teens are displaying. They can address the behavior in a manner that shows the teen respect, yet makes it clear that the behavior is unacceptable and results in the teen having some sort of a consequence in an attempt to change the

The roles of american teenagers has changed over the years due to the changes of the past century. For these changes it has had a negative effect on adolescent development. Why? Because of the invention of technology, “We have more responsibilities because of all the technology that we have,” says Sharon Bayantemur, a 17-year-old student at East Side Community High School in New York City. “People expect more from you because they know you have a cell phone and they can contact you and you have to pick up. Back then you didn’t really have that obligation” (Time. com/ the-american-teenager-in-2015-on-the-fringe-of-something-new). For others in the past century it was not as easy for them to contact others if they needed to. From an article 20th

According to Rogers, adolescence begins from ages 10-12 and last until age 18. During this time there are many changes that take place which can cause many problems to occur for families and the individual (Rogers, 2013). During the development in adolescence, they are trying to find their identity and independence. Adolescences also develop the ability to understand abstract ideas, establish and maintain satisfying relationships. Their cognitive ability become more complex and they are able to use logic and reason when making

In the terms of adolescents is the period between the ages of 12 and 18 years old is a transitional period that juveniles experience

We all remember growing up as adolescents – striving for freedom, searching for some sort of belonging and most of all, searching to gain the respect and trust of adults. For some, this may have meant doing chores at home or tutoring younger kids at school, but for myself, at the age of 15, there was nothing else I wanted more in the world than a part-time job and I mean a real part-time job. I was tired of delivering newspapers to the same 64 houses three times a week for four years, and I was done with shoveling my neighbour’s driveway in hoping to earn some pocket change but walking away with nothing more than two butter cookies. I wanted a job in which I would have real hours, where I would get a real salary and have the chance to meet

According to World Health Organization, adolescent are aged between 10 and 19. And a Hungarian psychologist named Mihaly Csikszentminhalyi (2017) said, adolescent changes

Throughout time, one can see for oneself that everyone is unique and have their own experiences to make up their personalities, sexual scripts, psychosocial development, morality, and their self-identity. Adolescent individuation can be defined as being something stable and consistent with an individual and in their personality. As an individual grows and can expand their own thought process they become more of their own person with their own opinions and then making their own decisions as they age. There are many factors that shape a person’s individuation process, one of them include interpersonal relationships, as in how someone interacts with their peers and their environment. An individual’s environment can have a substantial impact on an adolescent, such as the case studies Welch has assigned has all went back to the factor of culture and Bronfenbrenner’s ecological model of the microsystem, mesosystem, etc. Such as when one kid did not feel safe in his neighborhood and felt the need to carry a knife on him for protection, his environment or neighborhood he was living in may of not been the safest for children, hence he was afraid. Situations like that can heavily impact someone’s individuation and how they approach different situations in a job setting in a nicer part of town, or having to dress a different way to fit the ‘dress codes’ in that society’s social norms. Forming a different identity that is separate from your family of origin can easily be a messy

Adolescence, one bold word that might leave you wondering what is it exactly? Questions come to mind, how long does it last? Why are adolescents out of control? The definition adolescence is loosely defined. In some countries this time in someone’s life may be shorter or longer, depending on ones culture. According to Laser, J., & Nicotera, N. (2011), adolescence is including young people whose ages range from about 13 years old to about 20 years old. Using theoretical strengths perspective helps find the light to what seems to be the light at the end of the tunnel.

Do you know what morality is? Well first morality is principles concerning the distinction between right and wrong or good and bad behavior. Such as today’s generation of teenagers. They do know how what it means to be chivalrous. Also how bad things can happen to good people and vice verse. That’s just showing how life is not fair. Another one would be if you were willing to do stuff under circumstances for your family right or wrong. These are the things that i will discuss further into detail in the essay.