Lifespan Development for Responsibility - MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about theLifespan Developmentfor Maturity and Responsibility. Answer: Transition from adolescence to adulthood is considered to be the most important developmental challenge as this stage is the foundation for the future. In addition, during this transition stage, they consolidate and acquire the attitudes, competencies and values, so, they are vulnerable to healthcare issues like smoking, substance abuse and mental health problems. The following essay deals with the challenges and protective and risk factors associated with this transition. There are many challenges that this transition stage adolescents face during events like completion of high school, decisions about educational training, entry into the labor market and moving away from the family (Arnett, 2014). There is shift in the relationship with the parents as they are moving from dependency and in the increase of maturity and responsibility. There is also exploration of roles at the personal or social level along with identity formation. The most important challenge is the panning of the future as they are transitioning from high school to college. This is the time when they are about to discover self-independence, self-governance to direct their life in the college environment. Social relationships also pose a challenge to this transition stage as they provide emotional, financial and achievement support, social support and act as role models. However, they move away from them to pursue their education and pose a challenge to them. The decisions about ones c areer are made during this stage and this acts as the milestone that decides their future. During this time, they have to decide what they are and what they have to do that will decide their future (Fegran et al., 2014). There are protective as well as risk factors that are associated with this transition stage. Supportive relationships, good attainment of education and economic advantage acts as protective factors that protect them from addictions like alcohol, smoking and substance abuse (Kim et al., 2015). The attainment of proper education influences the behavior and healthier life of the adolescents. Parental and peer support presents caring and calm relationship would be helpful in reducing the minimal problems during this transition period. The proper education attainment promotes positive youth development and ample resilience to cope up with the risk factors faced during this period. There are also risk factors that make them vulnerable to addictions, financial problems and criminal behavior. Parents can also at as risk factors due to lack of support and insecure attachment. In negative family environment where parents are involved in substance abuse and alcohol use also make the adolescents subjected to these addictions and at high risk for multiple problems faced by this group (McCuish et al., 2014). Poor education is also a risk factor that leads to academic failure and eventually dropout. Peer pressure regarding academic expectations, lack of social support and other social norms results in high dropout and risky behaviors particularly substance abuse and alcohol use. These social determinants and low socio-economic status acts as risk factors for this transition stage. The transition from adolescence to adulthood is an important stage if life as it is the deciding period having serious implications for the future. During this stage, they face major developmental challenges that make them prone to risky behavior like addictions and economic disadvantage. There are many protective and risk factors that plays an important role in shaping their adolescent life. References Arnett, J. J. (2014).Adolescence and emerging adulthood. New York, NY, USA:: Pearson Education Limited. Fegran, L., Hall, E. O., Uhrenfeldt, L., Aagaard, H., Ludvigsen, M. S. (2014). Adolescents and young adults transition experiences when transferring from paediatric to adult care: a qualitative metasynthesis.International journal of nursing studies,51(1), 123-135. Kim, B. E., Oesterle, S., Catalano, R. F., Hawkins, J. D. (2015). Change in protective factors across adolescent development.Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology,40, 26-37. McCuish, E. C., Corrado, R., Lussier, P., Hart, S. D. (2014). Psychopathic traits and offending trajectories from early adolescence to adulthood.Journal of Criminal Justice,42(1), 66-76.