‘Adolescence is a term that is derived from a Latin verb- adolescere that means ‘to grow up'. It's a development phase in the cycle of human life observed between the stages of childhood and adulthood. (Fabes & Martin 2003).
The phrase ‘stormy and stressful' literally gives the impression that the period of adolescence is quite difficult and challenging. (Hall, 1904). Adolescence can be a "stormy and stressful" time in human development as discussed below;
This "stormy and stressful" period is generally brought about by 3 factors namely; Mood disruptions, Conflicts with parents and Risk behaviors amongst the adolescents.
The adolescents will experience mood disruptions whereby they will tend to be relatively more emotionally volatile than either the preadolescents or adults. The adolescents will experience extreme mood swings and frequent depressed moods. Contemporary research tells us that adolescence is distinguished by high volatility of emotions and an overwhelming tendency toward negative moods. (Fabes & Martin 2003). One of the most frequently observed behaviors among the adolescents are the feeling of being very proud or embarrassed, happy, sad, feeling in control or self-conscious.
These mood disruptions may be brought about by environmental and other cognitive factors. For instance, the adolescents develop new capacities for abstract reasoning that enables them to figure out some potential threats to their wellbeing. Another observable reason for the mood swings is the experience of the adolescents as they experience transitioning during this period such as going through puberty, changing learning institution and even beginning courtship. Some adolescents will have frequent mood fluctuations but they will generally be happy. Personally, I have seen my younger teens in my neighborhood having few fluctuations but they will generally be in bad mood most of the time.
The rate of conflicts between adolescents and their parents is usually high during the adolescence stage. The adolescents will more often than not resist the adult authority and act rebellious.
This nature of conflict is brought about by an emerging incompatibility gap between what the adolescents perceive to be their need and right for independence and the fact that the parents/guardians still think that their offspring are merely children and thus tighten the knots where they should loosen them. (Fabes & Martin 2003).
Conflicts between the parents and the adolescents revolve around issues such as when the child should begin to date, places where the child can visit and perhaps how late the adolescent should stay out. Others will be based on arguments such as if one can safely drive automobiles, have sex or engage substance use. Some scholars have argued that conflict between the parents and the adolescents can be beneficial in that the conflict promotes the development of individuation and the autonomy within the realms of a warm relationship. (Guilamo, Jaccard & Dittus, 2010). When I was an adolescent, I felt that my parents couldn't understand that I was mature enough to take care of myself and make sound decisions about what I wanted to do but they always forced rules on me and that made to disrespect them by lying to them on different occasions. My age mate friend always fall submissive of her parents' orders and that relatively reduced coercion between herself and the parents.
Risk behavior is dominant within the period of adolescence. These risky behaviors usually peak in the late adolescence stage. The adolescents will exhibit value and norm breaking traits, anti-social behavior, high recklessness and criminal behaviors. (Geldard, 2010). The adolescents will disrupt the commonly observed social order; they will engage behaviors and activities that cause harm to them and the society at large. This phenomenon is usually observed with the boys.
Research has it that in the United States and other European countries, the adolescents have the highest prevalence for risky automobile driving, sexual behaviors and participation in crime and substance use. (Guilamo, Jaccard & Dittus, 2010). Observable high rates of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and automobile fatalities and accidents seem to involve the adolescents. I experienced early maturity because of the fact I was keeping older friends. This made me engage very risky behaviors that were unhealthy. On the other side, my friend was torn between doing some of the risky things that I did but she would more often than not be influenced her parents attitudes to refrain from such behaviors.
Families, schools, and communities can provide social, emotional development guidance and support to help adolescents successfully deal with challenges they experience during adolescence as discussed below;
The parents should be role models for establishing and maintaining positive relationships with their children, friends, partners and colleagues. The adolescents will learn from observing the nature of relationships that their parents keep and how their parents amicably solve their conflicts with regard to observance of respect and empathy.
The parents should take the initiative of getting to know their children's friends and colleagues. The families should welcome their children's friends as a way of keeping in touch with their children's social relationship.
Families, schools, and communities should listen to the adolescent's feelings to be in a better position of providing gentle and consistent moral guidance. The adolescents deserve good attention form the people around so that their perceptions can be heard and understood. For example, my mother would tell me, "It seems you are left out from the party, why not attend and come back early?"
Families should learn how to appreciate and rationally criticize the adolescents in each and everything they do. Love and support are essential for a child's self-esteem. Appreciate that time when you child invited you for their school performance, this is ideally significant in that it helps the adolescent to comprehend and respond to emotions besides modeling constructive ways of relating to the society. (Geldard, 2010).
Families, schools, and communities should initiate avenues whereby they can talk about relationships, sex and sexuality. The parents can seek to find out what their child already knows and built on that going forward. It is important to correct any commonly held notions on these issues and give real facts to the adolescents. The school curriculum should design teaching modules for creating awareness on the appropriate sexual behaviors and values.