UNIT 2: Biological Foundations: Puberty, Physical Health, & Psychological Adjustment

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Psychosocial adjustment is a hallmark because even normal individuals struggle with issues of identity, autonomy, sexuality, and relationships. “Who am I, where am I going, and how do I relate to ... all of these people in my life?” are frequent preoccupations for most adolescents. Psychosocial disorders are more common during adolescence than during childhood, and many unhealthy behaviors begin during adolescence. Having an eating disorder, poor diet, obesity, substance use, and violent behavior can lead to acute health problems, chronic disorders, or morbidity later in life (Levy, 2020, Para. 3). This paper discussed delayed puberty and gender dysphoria as two of the major issues’ adolescents experience during puberty, their impact on physical and mental health, and academic performances. The work also provides suggestions to promote students’ healthy development and school functioning. Delayed Puberty Delayed puberty is when a teen goes through these body changes later than the usual age range. For girls, it means no breast development by age 13 or no menstrual periods by age 16. For boys, it means no enlargement of the testicles by age 14 (Craig, Luiz Claudio, & Alan, 2019, P. 2). For many teens, puberty just happens later. There’s no medical problem. Later puberty is normal in many families. Signs that the delay may be due to disease include an abrupt change in growth or arrested development, in which puberty starts then stalls. Headaches, vision problems, and other neurological symptoms might mean there’s a problem in the central nervous system. In case a medical condition is causing the delay, a teen that is late in experiencing puberty should see a doctor (Anna & Lurie, n.d., Para. 2). Consequently, negative social and psychological effects are another reason families seek medical help. Among peers, the teen may feel pressure for not developing like others. The teen [Show More]

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