Chapter Introduction

358

ADOLESCENCE:
Psychosocial Development

CHAPTER OUTLINE

Identity

Not Yet Achieved

Five Arenas of Identity Formation

Relationships with Others

Parents

OPPOSING PERSPECTIVES: Honour Killing or Domestic Violence?

Peer Power

Sexual Interactions

Romance

Possible Problems

A VIEW FROM SCIENCE: Consequences of Sexual Abuse

Sex Education

Emotions: Sadness and Anger

Depression

Delinquency and Disobedience

Drug Use and Abuse

Variations in Drug Use

Harm from Drugs

Preventing Drug Abuse: What Works?

359

WHAT WILL YOU KNOW?

  • Why do many teenagers find it hard to achieve sexual identity?
  • How could adolescent rebellion be considered a good sign?
  • Who is the best source for sex education during adolescence?
  • Is adolescent suicide rare, common, or an epidemic?
  • When does drug use become drug abuse?

In a study that focused on immigrant youth in Canada (Chuang, 2010), I talked to 125 newcomers from five provinces (Alberta, J British Columbia, Nova Scotia, Ontario, and Quebec). The youths ranged in age from 11 to 19 years. They came from 30 countries, and were attending either middle school or high school.

I wanted to hear about their experiences in Canada and how they coped with their challenges. In one focus group of girls from Ontario, an 18-year-old African girl talked about her experience at school. She began by saying, “I went to my science class. My teacher was like, ‘Oh, tell me the story about Africa.’ So I was telling her about (Africa) and everything….”

The group was impressed that a science teacher was interested in learning about this girl’s culture and country. But then the girl said tearfully, “And suddenly she was like, ‘Oh, do African people sleep in trees?’”

“Why would you even say that?” the girl cried. “You are my teacher!” She told us that because of this experience, she would never take another science class. After the focus group, I encouraged her not to let this one offensive comment limit her academic future. She agreed.

Unfortunately, I was not able to follow up with her, but I do hope she was able to develop a strong social network to cope with such challenges. As you will learn in this chapter, peers become increasingly important to adolescents as they try to develop a sense of their own identity.

—Susan Chuang

360

This chapter describes the teenager’s search for identity, which is often a mixture of personal preferences, parental pressure, and teenage rebellion, always within cultural contexts. Adults and peers influence adolescents, who often resist parts of their familial and cultural heritage while accepting other parts. One important topic is romance; many adolescents try to discern and express their gender identity via partners, aspirations, and sexuality.

Dangers lurk during these years as well. A few adolescents plunge into despair and attempt suicide; most experiment with drugs and defy rules. We’ll cover all these topics while tracing the journey of 11- to 18-year-olds through the psychosocial maze from childhood to adulthood.