Exploring the Key Stages of Adolescent Development

This essay provides an in-depth analysis of the stages of adolescence, a crucial period of human development spanning from approximately 11 to 23 years. It examines the multifaceted changes, including biological, psychological, cognitive, and psychosocial aspects, as well as the influence of external factors such as religion, school, culture, and media. The essay outlines the three distinct stages: early adolescence (10-14 years), marked by puberty and physical changes; middle adolescence (15-17 years), characterized by a focus on appearance and abstract thought; and late adolescence (17-20 years), involving identity formation and increased independence. The essay also highlights the impact of the adolescent's environment on their development and identity, emphasizing the significance of supportive environments for successful character development. The essay draws on various sources to provide a comprehensive overview of the adolescent stage.

Running head: STAGES IN ADOLESCENCE 1
Analyzing the stages in Adolescence
Student’s name
Professor’s name
Unit title
Institution

STAGES IN ADOLESCENCE 2
Young people go through great changes during the adolescence stage and the changes
occur at an accelerated proportion. It refers to the period of human development that happens
between childhood and adulthood. It starts at around eleven years and ends around age 23
(Williams, 2019). Adolescence is not only marked by physical modifications, as young
individuals also experience interpersonal, social as well as cognitive changes. There are different
ways of analyzing the adolescent development period, including; biological, psychological,
cognitive and psychosocial views, ecological and cultural views, and social cognitive views.
Adolescence can be outlined into three stages, including; early, middle, and late adolescence.
While growing and developing, teenagers are swayed by external factors, including religion,
school, culture, and the media. Each teenager is a unique person with an exceptional personality,
likes and dislikes and special interests; however, there are many developmental issues that they
all experience during their early, middle, and late adolescent period. Each stage has unique
characteristics.
Early adolescence is the first stage that starts from 10 years of age to 14. It is at this stage
that puberty begins and young individuals become aware of the sudden change in their bodies
and start growing concerns about their physical appearance (Miller, 2019). At this stage, they
experience blushing, modesty, shyness, and more interest in privacy. Also, at early adolescence,
teenagers begin growing body hair as well as gain weight and height rapidly. Boys’ voices
deepen and experience an enlargement of the testicles. They also go through a period of penis
enlargement, which commonly starts one year later after the testicles enlarging. Others will
experience nocturnal emissions, also known as "wet dreams" at the end of early adolescent and
others during the middle adolescent stage. Girls, on the other hand, go through puberty as a
series of events, but their pubertal development commonly starts before boys of a similar age.

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They begin developing hips and breasts as the first pubertal change, which is followed by the
growth of pubic hair. They also start experiencing menstrual period at this stage. During early
adolescence, teenagers show unique characteristics in their move towards independence. They
struggle with a sense of identity; they show an improvement in their abilities to use speech to
express themselves and are more likely to express their feelings by action rather than words. In
addition, at this stage, they start realizing parents and adults are not perfect and start identifying
their faults. At this age, the young one's influence in clothing style and interest is commonly
influenced by their age mates.
Middle adolescence is the next stage which usually begins from the age 15 and ends at
around 17. Usually, puberty is passed at this time, and teens' concern on how they look and what
others think about them grows. They spend an extensive amount of time exercising, grooming,
and changing their physical outlook. Young men continue gaining weight, body height, and hair,
as well as muscle mass (Stanford Children's Organization, 2019). Girls become preoccupied with
being sexually attractive. As young individuals move into middle adolescence, their capacity for
abstract though keeps increasing and become more interested in setting goals and moral
reasoning. Teenagers become interested in the present and near future, developing career
interests and show their ability to work. It is at this stage that the teens might also engage in
occasionally experimenting with alcohol, marijuana, and cigarettes. During middle adolescence,
teenagers usually complain about their parents preventing them from becoming independent, and
they begin withdrawing from them. In an effort to try to show their independence they night
refuse to bathe, avoid cleaning their rooms, and start picking annoying habits. Individuals going
through middle adolescence often reveal to each other more than they do with their parents.

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Late adolescence is the final stage in adolescents' development, which occurs
approximately between the ages of 17-20 years. During this stage, the young person shows a
greater movement towards independence by establishing a firmer identity and stable interests.
They also show their abilities in making independent decisions and develop a sense of pride
towards their work (Spano, 2004). The young at this age develop self-reliance and a more
significant concern for others. In terms of cognitive development and their future interests,
individuals at the late adolescent stage develop more clear work habits. Thoughts on their role in
life begin at this stage. Late adolescents are also more sensitive sexually as their concern in
serious relationships grows, and they have a clear sexual identity. Besides, at this stage,
individuals develop a higher capacity for sensual and tender love. The transition to adult
responsibilities is also seen at this stage as the young become more ethical and develop self-
direction. They develop capabilities of creating and applying useful insights, they begin
developing stress about their self-esteem and personal dignity and can create goals and follow
through with them. It is also at this level that they start accepting cultural traditions as well as the
social institutions relating to them.
The environment of the adolescent significantly contributes to the development of their
identity. Researchers agree that the more privileged one's upbringing is, the more successful they
are in developing their character. Studies indicate that demographic patterns in the transition to
adulthood are happening over a more extended period of years than it was previously during the
20th century. Emerging factors are now contributing to the development of their social identity,
such as commitments, social media, as well as coping devices. The environment which an
adolescent grows up in affects all these factors. Generally, children from more privileged
backgrounds are exposed to better situations and more opportunities while adolescents who are

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less privileged or are raised in a crime-driven community are likely to be exposed to a
surrounding that can be diminishing their growth. Adolescence is a critical time in the
development procedure. Any exposure to the wrong things during this period has vital effects on
future decisions. Adolescents raised in a friendly suburban community are not exposed to
harmful environments making them more likely to participate in functions that bring advantages
to their identity and add to more successful identity development.

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References
Miller, R., (2019). The Adolescent Stage of Human Development. Retrieved from Livestrong:
https://www.livestrong.com/article/560195-the-adolescent-stage-of-human-development/
Spano, S., (2004, May ). Stages of Adolescent Development. Retrieved from ACT for Youth
Center of Excellence: http://www.actforyouth.net/resources/rf/rf_stages_0504.cfm
Stanford Children's Organization. (2019). The Growing Child: Adolescent (13 to 18 Years).
Retrieved from STANFORD CHILDREN'S HEALTH:
https://www.stanfordchildrens.org/en/topic/default?id=the-growing-child-adolescent-13-
to-18-years-90-P02175
Williams, Y. (2019). What Is Adolescence? - Definition, Stages & Characteristics. Retrieved
from Study.com: https://study.com/academy/lesson/what-is-adolescence-definition-
stages-characteristics.html