Development During Adolescence

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Socioemotional development during adolescence centers around the relationships that teenagers form with themselves and those around them. During adolescence, these relationships become of the utmost importance, and can deeply impact the course of the individual's life. Formation of a relationship with the self, in the forms of identity formation and self-esteems, as well as the quality of relationships with family and peers strongly influence the socioemotional well-being of the teenager.
The most important relationship individuals will form in their lifetime is the one they form with themselves. Adolescence is a time where this relationship really begins to take formation and become more defined. One such way this is done is through self-esteem; …show more content…

During adolescence, it becomes far more important for parents to really monitor their children, as the newfound independence of being a teenager can create many risks. Monitoring can include supervising a teenager's decisions, whereabouts, and academic progress. The goal during this time is to find and maintain balance between freedom and control. Too much freedom can lead to teenagers getting involved in risky behaviors; alternatively, too much control can result in psychological difficulties including feelings of guilt and anxiety (Santrock, 2017, pg. …show more content…

For instance, friendship becomes one of the most important relationships during this time, with quality being of extreme relevance. Positive, strong friendships can contribute to lower rates of delinquency, drug abuse, bullying, and risky sexual behavior, and it can create higher levels of academic achievement (Santrock, 2017, pg. 385). While negative friendships can create the opposite effect.
Peer groups also become influential during adolescence; as teenagers begin to value the opinion of their peers more highly. Due to the desire to form intimate connections and to be accepted, teenagers become more susceptible to peer pressure. Peer pressure refers to the pressure for teenagers to conform to a certain standard set by their peers. The individuals that are most vulnerable to peer pressure are those who are unsure of their identity (Santrock, 2017,