LESSON 4:
THE CHALLENGES
OF MIDDLE AND
LATE
ADOLESCENCE
WHAT ARE THE
CHALLENGES OF
ADOLESCENCE
PERSONALITY?
10 CHALLENGES OF MIDDLE AND LATE ADOLESCENCE
1. ISSUES WITH BODY IMAGE
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10 CHALLENGES OF MIDDLE AND LATE ADOLESCENCE
1. ISSUES WITH BODY IMAGE
-during the transition from
childhood to adulthood, while
their bodies are morphing into
new shapes and sizes, teens
are struggling to come to terms
with their bodies and get
comfortable inside their own
skins.
10 CHALLENGES OF MIDDLE AND LATE ADOLESCENCE
1. ISSUES WITH BODY IMAGE
• Eating disorders- typically start just before and
during adolescence, and 95% of people with
eating disorders are between 12 and 25 years
old. Eating disorders can affect a teen's health,
mood, relationships, and day-to-day
functioning.
• Eating disorders affect women more than men,
but young men are more prone to something
called muscle dysmorphia, where they become
unhealthily obsessed with being bigger and
more muscular.
10 CHALLENGES OF MIDDLE AND LATE ADOLESCENCE
1. ISSUES WITH BODY IMAGE
Potential Signs of an Eating
Disorder:
• Excessive exercise
• Preoccupation with feeling fat
• Abnormal electrolyte levels
• Intense fear of gaining weight
• Unusually large intake of
food
• Anxiety avoidance of eating
10 CHALLENGES OF MIDDLE AND LATE ADOLESCENCE
2. AN UNMET NEED FOR
COMMUNITY AND IDENTITY
10 CHALLENGES OF MIDDLE AND LATE ADOLESCENCE
2. AN UNMET NEED FOR COMMUNITY AND IDENTITY
-many teenagers are struggling to find a place
in society, wanting to be recognized by their
peers and accepted for what they are. This is
one of the most important tasks of their lives at
this juncture and they are faced with a lot of
anxiety and insecurity as they work around
this.
-when teens get the message that they don't fit
in and don't belong here, it can lead to feelings
of isolation, disconnect, and depression.
10 CHALLENGES OF MIDDLE AND LATE ADOLESCENCE
3.TIME-MANAGEMENT STRESS
10 CHALLENGES OF MIDDLE AND LATE ADOLESCENCE
3.TIME-MANAGEMENT STRESS
-stress increases at school and the older
they get, the number of projects to be done
tests to cope with, and social drama
increases, not to mention sports and other
extracurricular activities. On the social front,
a new and tantalizing horizon opens up -
dating, partying, and hanging out with
friends. Meanwhile, they are constantly
distracted by electronic media. A teenager
learning to juggle all of these expectations
is under a lot of stress.
10 CHALLENGES OF MIDDLE AND LATE ADOLESCENCE
4. SOCIAL AND PARENTAL PRESSURE
10 CHALLENGES OF MIDDLE AND LATE ADOLESCENCE
4. SOCIAL AND PARENTAL PRESSURE
Oftentimes, parents live through their
children and expect their kids to achieve
everything they wanted but did not have.
Expecting teenagers to get good grades,
have great friends, excel in extracurricular
activities, be well-behaved, and be
responsible for themselves and sometimes
for their younger siblings is a lot of
pressure.
10 CHALLENGES OF MIDDLE AND LATE ADOLESCENCE
4. SOCIAL AND PARENTAL PRESSURE
Added to this is peer pressure.
To be accepted among peers
and to become "popular",
teens feel pressured to
conform to their tastes,
behaviors, and appearance.
10 CHALLENGES OF MIDDLE AND LATE ADOLESCENCE
5. MENTAL AND PHYSICAL
HEALTH ISSUES
10 CHALLENGES OF MIDDLE AND LATE ADOLESCENCE
5. MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH ISSUES
Under mental and physical health issues
:
• Poor Nutrition- the eating habits of
teens are poor and unmonitored.
They are urged towards eating
disorders, either starving themselves
or binging on unhealthy, fatty, high-
calorie junk food.
10 CHALLENGES OF MIDDLE AND LATE ADOLESCENCE
5. MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH ISSUES
• Lack of sleep- in an effort to do
and be it all, the teen sacrifices
sleep. They require about nine
hours of sleep but on average,
teens get roughly seven hours.
10 CHALLENGES OF MIDDLE AND LATE ADOLESCENCE
5. MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH ISSUES
• Depression and anxiety- hormonal
changes, added to the chaos and strain
of scheduling, prioritizing, achieving, and
fulfilling expectations, put a teen under
considerable emotional pressure. This is
reflected in mood swings, aggression,
depression, anxiety, and sometimes
even a complete breakdown.
10 CHALLENGES OF MIDDLE AND LATE ADOLESCENCE
5. MENTAL AND PHYSICAL
HEALTH ISSUES
10 CHALLENGES OF MIDDLE AND LATE ADOLESCENCE
6. A LACK OF POSITIVE ROLE
MODELS AND HEROES
10 CHALLENGES OF MIDDLE AND LATE ADOLESCENCE
6. A LACK OF POSITIVE ROLE
MODELS AND HEROES
Often the biggest bullies, the richest spoiled
brats, and the most self-destructive kids are
held up as the most enviable and popular.
The media glorifies these people, and bad
behavior is applauded in movies, sports, and
music. Wherever they go, our children are
fed on a diet of lousy role models and are
imbibing the depraved values of those
"heroes" portrayed in the media.
10 CHALLENGES OF MIDDLE AND LATE ADOLESCENCE
7. DRUGS AND ALCOHOL
10 CHALLENGES OF MIDDLE AND LATE ADOLESCENCE
7. DRUGS AND ALCOHOL
-both alcohol and illegal drugs can
damage a teenager's developing brain.
It's so important to talk to them to find
out what is happening in their school
and peer group, discover what they're
exposed to, and educate your kid
about dangers.
10 CHALLENGES OF MIDDLE AND LATE ADOLESCENCE
8. ON-SCREEN VIOLENCE AND
UNHEALTHY SOCIAL MEDIA
10 CHALLENGES OF MIDDLE AND LATE ADOLESCENCE
8. ON-SCREEN VIOLENCE AND
UNHEALTHY SOCIAL MEDIA
-when used responsibly, Facebook,
Instagram, Twitter, and other social
platforms can be great ways for teens to
connect with the world, but when used
irresponsibly, they are problematic. Violent
video games promote aggression and
violence. Going online exposes teens to
bad characters, mean people, unhealthy
images, porn, violence, and sexual
content.
10 CHALLENGES OF MIDDLE AND LATE ADOLESCENCE
9. BULLYING
10 CHALLENGES OF MIDDLE AND LATE ADOLESCENCE
9. BULLYING
Bullying can be direct or indirect,
which includes gossip and rumor-
spreading. Many kids don't even
know what cyberbullying is or fully
understand the potentially
damaging effect of their online
behaviors.
10 CHALLENGES OF MIDDLE AND LATE ADOLESCENCE
10. RISKY SEXUAL ACTIVITY
AND BEHAVIOR
Out of 20 million new STD
diagnoses each year, more than
half of those affected are between
the ages of 15 and 24.
"Adolescence may be
tough, but remember
that every challenge
is shaping you into
the person you’re
destined to become.
Stay resilient and
keep believing in
yourself."
