Adolescence Problems
The following comment lncpcates some of the problems faced by adolescents: "I think of myself in relation to others, how I stand up by comparison. I may put on a 'show of self-confidence, but it's only a cover-up. Everywhere I face notlting but competition-from my classmates, my teachers, and my parents."
What are some of the problems of the adolescent and early youth? Before we turn to studies, let us give a sample of what some people say about themselves:
- "I am concerned about physical attractiveness." "I want to wear the right clothes."
- "I dread making a decision."
- "I am lost with time on my hands."
- "I want to be different, but not too different."
- "I am unhappy with my name."
- "I have conflicts about premarital sex."
- "I worry about what is reallovr"
- "1 wonder w'hat is involved in living together without marriage."
- "I frequently distrust adults."
- "I sometimes think about running away from home." "I worry about venereal disease."
- "I worry about those arguments at home." "I even have thoughts about suicide."
- "I seem to drift without planning."
- "I am concerned with learning too much too soon."
- "I am worried about experience coming at too high a price."
- "I wonder what will happen if I drift without motivation."
We do not have specific' answers to many of these questions, but we do feel it may be useful to talk about some of the things we do know from studies and from counseling experiences. We shall cover areas that range from "square" to "risk taking" and try to provide some ways of thinking about the conflicting problems of adolescence and the more positive aspects of youth, in spite of the many negative things that get in our way.
Maturity
For the teen-ager, maturity has the advantages of freedom-a chance to bring aspirations in line with ability-and an increased feeling of security. The disadvantages are that one is held accountable for his or her behavior, that one is alone in an unfriendly world, and that there is little guidance from others.
Intellectual maturity, growing strongly between sixteen and twenty-five years of age, is indicated by such behavior as making up one's own mind, taking responsibility, and learning the difference between compromise, rigidity, and mindless confonnity.
Social maturity is sort of "psychological weaning," with no clear-cut ages defined. It is indicated by such behavior as selfreliance, examiIlation of prejudices, and the ability to amuse oneself. It also involves freedom from conformity to fads.
Emotional maturity also has no age boundaries. Some adults never get beyond adolescence. Among the indicators of growing up emotionally are the ability to adjust to stress, become selective in what to worry about, and discover harmless ways of letting off steam.
Mature adult morality is stable. It does not vary with the environment and is indicated by tolerance, understanding, and adjustment to rules and laws. The teen-ager wants this kind of morality also. but now. Adolescent morals are often lofty, often idealistic. The teen-ager wants to solve the world's problems overnight. He or she typically responds to problem situations by saying, "It's not fair."
The adolescent is puzzled by what he or she sees as changing of adolescence moral standards-sexual revolutions versus old-fashior..ed moraJs. Something about the life of swinging shl.gles bothers both males and females. One university reports that freshmen chose in large numbers to live in a cooed dormitory, but before the year was over, they asked for rooms in dorms separating the sexes. One senior dorm counselor says: "As I see them mature, their attitudes become a little more conservative. "
Academic maturity comes slowly. One finds both the "underachievers," whose performance falls below their potential, and the "overachievers," who exceed expectation. Many of the problems of dropouts center on failure to reach academic maturity-failure that can be overcome in the right climate. Basically, however, there is no "normal" age range for attaining academic maturity.