Dear student,

Welcome to this course, PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT, or PERDEV for short. This a very
interesting course, and can become the most personally rewarding for you, because the subject
matter is YOU!
As a new senior high school student, you have now entered a new educational level, as
well as a new psychological and social level, called the middle and late adolescence. You may
feel that you are no longer the rapidly growing and awkward teenager, but you also feel you are
not quite ready to call yourself a mature adult either.
This course shall make you take a deeper look at yourself and analyze your tasks that you
must undertake at this point in your life. It shall provide you with some techniques to meet stress
and other mental health issues with one’s strengths and coping powers. The course shall give
you the chance to analyze your relationships with your family, friends, and significant others.
Finally, the PERDEV course shall help you take stock of where you are in your career
development and how to get to where you want to be.

YOU are expected of the following:

A. Identity development
✓ Explores own identity and culture (e.g., gender, sexual orientation, racial/ethnic background,
socioeconomic status)
✓ Integrates multiple aspects of personal identity into a coherent whole
✓ Can articulate how personal identities relate to larger social constructs

B. Positive Sense of Self

✓ Explores and articulates the values and principles involved in personal decision-making
✓ Incorporates ethical reasoning into action
✓ Develops and articulates a personal belief system while exploring issues of purpose, meaning,
and faith
✓ Develops a personal code of ethics
✓ Accepts personal accountability

C. Ethics and Integrity

✓ Assesses, articulates, and acknowledges personal skills,
abilities, and growth areas
✓ Demonstrates adaptability, persistence, dependability,
and resilience
✓ Seeks and considers feedback from others
✓ Employs self-reflection to gain insight
✓ Acts independently, without supervision
✓ Demonstrates emotional intelligence

COURSE CONTENT:

There are 4 units in PERDEV, as follows:

Unit 1- Self-Development
Unit 2- Aspects of Personal Development
Unit 3- Building and Maintaining Relationships
Unit 4- Career Development
 TABLE OF CONTENTS
Module 1

Unit 1: SELF-DEVELOPMENT………………………………………………....Page 4
Topic 1: Knowing Oneself……………………………………………..Page 6
Topic 2: Developing the Whole Person……………………………..Page 9
Topic 3: Developmental Tasks…………….………………………....Page 13
Topic 4: Challenges of Late Adolescence………………………....Page 15
References………………………………………………………………………..Page 20

Module 2

Unit 2: ASPECTS OF PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT………………………..Page 22

Topic 5: Mental Health and Well-Being
in Middle and Late Adolescence…………………………..Page 23
Topic 6: Coping with Stress in Middle and Late
Adolescence………………………………………………….Page 25
References………………………………………………………………………...Page 32

Module 3

Topic 7: Powers of the Mind……………………………………………Page 33

Topic 8: Emotional Intelligence………………………………………..Page 36
References………………………………………………………………………….Page 40

Module 4

Unit 3: Building and Maintaining Relationships……………………………..Page 43

Topic 9: Personal Relationships and Family Legacies…………….Page 44
References…………………………………………………………………………..Page 59

Module 5

Topic 10: Social Relationships in Middle and Late Adolescence…Page 61

References……………………………………………………………………………Page 71

Module 6

Unit 4: Career Development………………………………………………………Page 72

Topic 11: Persons and Career Pathway…………………………….....Page 73
References……………………………………………………………………………Page 83

Summative Assessments…………………………………………………………………..Page 85
 SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSITY
LABORATORY HIGH SCHOOL – SENIOR HIGH

ACKNOWLEDGMENT AND PROMISSORY NOTE

I, __________________________ of Grade _____ Section _________________________,

acknowledge that I am fully aware of the school’s policy on plagiarism on scholarly works
and observance of academic honesty.

I fully understand that in submitting requirements in all my subjects, I follow the basic rules
on crediting sources and obtaining permission when using materials for academic purposes.
Hence, if I fail to do citation and acknowledgment of sources, it would merit an automatic
WARNING/REPRIMAND and because of which I shall get a Conduct Grade of Needs
Improvement (NI) or Unsatisfactory (U) in that particular grading period when the offense
was committed.

Therefore, I promise in the presence of my parent/guardian that:

1. I will constantly observe proper citation and acknowledgment when using resources
for all my academic requirements for this AY 2020-2021; and
2. I will abide by the school’s rules and regulations.

Signed: Conformed:

_______________________________ ______________________________________
Signature over printed name of student Signature over printed name of parent/guardian

Noted:

DR. ROMEO E. JAVIER

Principal
Big Question: How can understanding yourself pave the way to self-acceptance and better
relationship with others?

At the end of the module, you should be able to:

• Explain that knowing oneself can make a

person accept his/her strengths and limitations
and dealing with others better
• Share his/her unique characteristics, habits,
and experiences
• Evaluate his/her own thoughts, feelings, and
behaviors
• Show the connections between thoughts,
feelings, and behaviors in actual life situations
• Discuss developmental tasks and challenges
being experienced during adolescence
• Evaluate one’s development through the help
of significant people around him/her (peers,
parents, siblings, friends, teachers, community
leaders)
• Identify ways that help one become capable
and responsible adolescent prepared for adult
life
 “Knowing yourself is the beginning of all
wisdom.” – Aristotle

SELF-CONCEPT INVENTORY
Take a look at your own self-concept and answer the following self-concept
inventory in a piece of paper. Give yourself a rating using the scale: 0= very weak; 1=
weak; 2= somewhat weak or somewhat strong; 3= somewhat strong; 4= very strong

SELF-CONCEPT INVENTORY
1. I have strong sex appeal. 13. I can be trusted in any transaction.
2. I am proud of my physical figure. 14. I have a clean conscience and carry no
guilty feeling.
3.I am physically attractive and 15. I have integrity and good reputation.
beautiful/handsome.
4. I exude with charm and poise. 16. My friends and classmates can look up to
me as a model worth emulating.
5. I am easy to get along with. 17. I can express my ideas without difficulty.
6. I can adjust to different people and 18. I talk in a persuasive manner that I can
situations. easily get people to accept what I say.
7. I am approachable; other people are at 19. I am a good listener.
ease and comfortable with me.
8. I am lovable and easy to love. 20. I can express my ideas in writing without
difficulty.
9.9. I am a fast learner, can understand with 21. I am emotionally stable and not easily
one ininstruction. rattled when faced with trouble.
10. I am intelligent. 22. I am logical and rational in my outlook and
decisions.
11. I have special talents and abilities. 23. I feel and act with confidence.
12. I can easily analyze situations and make 24. I am mature person.
right judgments.

Scoring: Copy this table in your journal. Write your score opposite each number and get the
subtotal.
Physical Appeal Human Relations Intelligence
1 ________________ 5 _________________ 9 _______________
2 ________________ 6 _________________ 10 ______________
3 ________________ 7 _________________ 11 ______________
4 ________________ 8 _________________ 12 ______________
Subtotal: Subtotal: Subtotal:
Character Communications Maturity
13 _______________ 17 ________________ 21 ______________
14 _______________ 18 ________________ 22 ______________
15 _______________ 19 ________________ 23 ______________
16 _______________ 20 ________________ 24 ______________
Subtotal: Subtotal: Subtotal:
 How do you perceive yourself?
Look at the results of your self-concept inventory and answer the following questions.
1. In what areas do you consider yourself strong (with scores 14-16 or somewhat weak
(score of 10-13) and very weak (below 10).
2. Are there qualities you consider as your weakness but other people consider as your
strength? What are these?
3. How realistic is your self-image?
4. To what extent does it reflect your real self?

TOPIC 1
Knowing Oneself

SELF-CONCEPT
Imagine yourself looking into a mirror. What do you see? Do you see your ideal self or
actual self? Your ideal self is the self that you aspire to be. It is the one that you hope will possess
characteristics similar to that of a mentor or some other wordly figure. Your actual self, however,
is the one that you actually see. It is the self that has characteristics that you were nurtured or in
some cases, born to have.
The actual self and the ideal self are
two broad categories of self-concept. Self-
concept refers to your awareness of yourself.
It is the construct that negotiates these two
selves. In other words, it connotes first the
identification of the ideal self as separate from
others, and second, it encompasses all the
behaviors evaluated in the actual self that you
engage in to reach the ideal self.
The actual self, on the other hand, is
how we want to be. It is an idealized image
that we have developed over time, based on
what we have learned and experienced. The
ideal self could include components of what
our parents have taught us, what we admire
in others, what our society promotes, and what we think is in our best friend.
There is negotiation that exist between the two selves which is complex because there
are numerous exchanges between the ideal and actual self. These exchanges are exemplified in
social roles that are adjusted and re-adjusted, and are derived from outcomes of social
interactions from infant to adult development. Alignment is important. If the way that I am (the
actual self) is aligned with the way that I want to be (the ideal self), then I will feel the sense of
mental well-being or peace of mind. If the way that I am is not aligned with how I want to be, the
incongruence, between the ideal self and real self, the greater the level of resulting distress.
Personal development modules ultimate aim is greater self-knowledge that will lead to higher
alignment between these two personality domains.
According to Carl Rogers, founder of client-centered therapy, self-concept is knowing
about one’s tendencies, thoughts, preferences and habits and hobbies, skills, and areas of
weakness. Thus, it answers the question “Who am I?”
Component of Self-concept:
1. Self-worth/ Self-Esteem
- The extent to which you value yourself, like, accept, or approve of ourselves
- Always involves a degree of evaluation and we may have either a positive or a
negative view ourselves
- Roger believed feelings of self-worth developed in early childhood and were formed
from the interaction of the child with the mother and father

a. High self-esteem (we have a positive view of ourselves)

This tends to lead to:
- Confidence in our own abilities
- Self-acceptance
- Not worrying about what others think
- Optimism

b. Low self-esteem (we have a negative view of ourselves)

This tends to lead to:
- Lack of confidence
- Want to be/look like someone else
- Always worrying what others might think
- Pessimism
* Argyle (2008) believes there are 4 major factors that influence self-esteem.
❖ The Reaction of Others
If people admire us, flatter us, seek out our company, listen attentively and agree
with us we tend to develop a positive self-image. If they avoid us, neglect us, tell us things
about ourselves that we don’t want to hear, we develop a negative self-image.
❖ Comparison with Others
If the people we compare ourselves with (our reference group) appear to be more
successful, happier, richer, better looking than ourselves we tend to develop a negative
self-image but if they are less successful than us, our image will be positive.
❖ Social Roles
Some social roles carry prestige, from example, doctor, airplane pilot, TV actor,
premiership footballer and this promotes self-esteem. Other roles carry a stigma,
for example, a prisoner, mental hospital patient, refuse collector, or unemployed
person.
❖ Identification
Roles aren’t just “out there”. They also become part of our personality. For
example, we identify with the positions we occupy, the roles we play, and the
groups we belong to.
 2. Self-Image
- How we see ourselves, which is important to good psychological health
- This includes the influence of our body image on inner personality
- At a simple level, we might perceive ourselves as a good or bad person, beautiful or
ugly.
- Self-image has an effect on how a person thinks, feels, and behaves in the world
- A person’s self-image is affected by many factors such as parental influences, friends,
social media, and the like

3. Ideal Self
- This is the person we would like to be
- It consists of our goals and ambitions in life, and is dynamic – i.e. forever changing
- If there is a mismatch between how you see yourself (your self-image) and what you’d
like to be (ideal self), then this is likely to affect how much you value yourself.
- A person’s ideal self may not be consistent with what actually happens in the life and
experiences of the person. Hence, a difference may exist between a person’s ideal
self and actual experience. This is called incongruence.

SUPPLEMENTAL READING

YOU NEED TO TAKE CHARGE OF YOUR FUTURE

There are three kinds of people in this world:

The first is the Moviegoer. This person watches the movie of their lives, admires some
parts and criticizes others. Aside from that, they do nothing else. All she says the whole day is, “I
like this thing and but I don’t like that thing.” The Moviegoer feels she has absolutely no control of
their lives --- except to comment about it. Moviegoers are the most pathetic, miserable people in
the world.

The second is the Actor. This person does not only watch the movie of her life. She
actually realizes she’s the Actor – and can control a big part of her life. She can actually make or
break the movie – by how well she delivers her lines and how she portrays her character. Actors
are a happy bunch, realizing they’re the start of the show and enjoy some level of control. But
many times, they wish the movie would end in another way – but realize that they have no say in
such things.

The third is the Scriptwriter. This person does not only watch, and she doesn’t only act,
but she actually creates the entire movie from her mind. She determines what she will say, what
she will do, and how the movie will end. She realizes she has enormous control over her life, and
sees to it that the movie of her life will turn out beautiful.

Who are you among these three people?

Do you merely watch your life go?
Or do you act out a script that you feel has been handed to you?
Or do you write the script and make your life beautiful?
By the way, the Producer of the movie is God. He tells you, “Make the movie beautiful,
and I will give you all that you need for success.”
 TOPIC 2
Developing the Whole
Person

ASPECTS OF THE SELF

1. Physical Self
Describe yourself. Try not to censor any thoughts
which come to your mind. Include descriptions of
your height, weight, facial appearance, and quality
of skin, hair and descriptions of body areas such as
your neck, chest, waist, legs.
2. Intellectual Self
Include here an assessment of how well you reason
and solve problems, your capacity to learn and
create, your general amount of knowledge, your
specific areas of knowledge, wisdom you have
acquired, and insights you have.
3. Emotional self
Write as many words or phrase about typical feelings
you have, feelings you have seldom have, feelings you try to avoid, feelings you especially enjoy,
feelings from your past and present, and feelings which are associated with each other.
4. Sensual Self
Write how you feel as a sensual person. What sense do you use most- sight, hearing, speaking,
smelling, touching? How do you feel about the different ways you take in information – through the
eyes, ears, mouth, nose, pores, and skin. In what ways do you let information in and out of your
body?
5. Interactional Self
Include descriptions of your strengths and weaknesses in intimate relationships and relationships to
friends, family, co-students and strangers in social settings. Describe the strengths and weaknesses
which your friends and family have noticed. Describe what kind of son or daughter, brother or sister
you are.
6. Nutritional Self
How do you nourish yourself? What foods do you like and dislike? What do you like and dislike about
these?
7. Contextual Self
Descriptors could be in the areas of maintenance of your living environment: reaction to light,
temperature, space, weather, colors, sound, and seasons and your impact on the environment.
8. Spiritual Self or Life Force
This could include your feelings about yourself and organized religion, reactions about your spiritual
connections to others, feelings about your spiritual development and history, and thought about your
metaphysical self. Think about your inner peace and joy. Think about your spiritual regimen or
routine.
 ASPECTS OF THE SELF

The self-concept is represented by several aspects of the self. It is conceived as collection

of multiple, context-dependent selves. This construct believes that context activates particular
regions of self-knowledge and self-relevant feedback affects self-evaluations and affect. A deeper
look on the different aspects of self can identify specific areas for self-regulation, stability and
improvement.
In a nutshell, an individual is composed of three basic but very different aspects of the
self. They are the physical or tangible aspects as they relate to the body, the intellectual and
conscious aspects as they relate to the mind, and the emotional and intuitive aspects as they
relate to the spirit. All three aspects of the self-work together in perfect harmony when attention
is paid to all three simultaneously.
Many individuals put a strong emphasis on the physical aspect of the self. The body is
tangible, obvious, and we respond to it easily. More
time and money is spent on enhancing the physical
component than either of the other two aspects. This
does not mean, however, that the body is healthy or
strong. The body provides a place to house the spirit
(often experienced as feelings) and the mind (often
experienced as thought).
It may be important to some that their mind be
prominent and well educated. The mind is important, as
it is the part of the self that directs the other two
aspects. The mind learns what to do and communicates
the information to the body and the feelings. What the
mind believes, the body manifests or acts on,
and the emotions feel, or respond with. People
store both healthy and destructive thoughts and
beliefs and responds to life's circumstances in the
most prominent manner. The mind provides access
creativity and serenity which are necessary for such
processes as prayer, forgiveness, acceptance,
and passion.
The human emotions are the most feared
aspect of the self, as individuals are reluctant and
unprepared to manage them. Managing feelings is like
trying to hold water in the palm of your hand. They are
illusive and deceptive. A decision made under emotional stress and strain usually impacts
emotions negatively. Negative emotions that are not managed are stored and repressed.
Repression is destructive to a content self since all feelings, not only negative ones are stored
away. Accessing feelings when they are needed now becomes difficult, leaving the individual
numb and hopeless.
For instance, a girl realizes that she is giving much attention on the physical aspects and
less attention on her intellectual self. In this way, she can discover how much money and time
spent maintaining her physique and its consequences in her grades. By this honest evaluation of
herself, she can plan effective actions to improve her study habits. She can start seeking for help
and for related books to read or browse articles to help her improve her study habits.
 SUPPLEMENTAL READING

THE STORY OF THE TWO WOLVES

The following is an old Cherokee Indian story that is enlightening and helpful.

One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people.
He said, "My son, the battle is between two wolves inside us all."
"It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One is evil - he is anger, envy, sorrow,
regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and
ego." He continued, "The other is good - he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness,
benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. The same fight is going on inside
you - and inside every other person, too."
The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, "Which
wolf will win?"
The old Cherokee simply replied, "The one you feed".

Knowing which wolf to feed is the first step towards recognizing you have control over your
own self.
Have you ever had thoughts, feelings or acted in ways that were unacceptable to yourself
but felt powerless to control? The purpose of this story is to help you find ways to manage your
mind so that you can live your life more in accordance with what your own judgment says is best
for you.
As we grow up, we gradually become aware of the many things in the external world which
are largely beyond our ability to control. These include other people in general and most events
in our lives. Initially this is difficult to accept, but a more shocking realization is that there are many
things about ourselves that we seem powerless to control.

Some of these are our own thoughts, feelings, and actions which unfortunately can be the
source of much distress. It may be thoughts such as “I cannot stop hating my teacher for not
giving me high grades.” It may involve an emotion e.g. “My girlfriend left me and I cannot stop
feeling sad, lonely and unloved.”
It can also be in the form of a behavior such as the inability to control one's craving for
food such as cakes and chocolates.”
But are we indeed really powerless to control
our own maladaptive thoughts, feelings and actions?
The grandfather’s answer "The one you feed" is
deceivingly simple. The results of psychological
research indicate that there are at least four important
concepts or ideas implied by the answer:

THE POWER TRIAD: THOUGHTS, FEELINGS AND

ACTIONS

The STORY OF THE TWO WOLVES gives rise

to a number of questions. Let us share our thoughts,
feelings and opinions on the following questions. By
taking time to do this, you will learn to better manage
your mind, feelings, and actions and consciously
feeding the good wolf in you.
 • How aware are you of the two different opposing “wolves” operating within your mind,
one of which leads to pain and a diminished sense of life and the other to a joyous, meaningful,
and fulfilling life?
• When was the time you feel disappointed by the choice of behavior because you knew
that there was a more positive option but you just didn’t choose it?
• What ways or techniques or exercises do you
use to strengthen yourself so as to increase its potency
to choose and hence control your life?
• In what specific ways do you feed the
negative wolf?
• What specific ways do you use to feed the
positive wolf?

1. The mind is not the unitary entity it seems to us but consists of

different parts. For
example, in the story there are the two wolves and the “you” that
chooses between
them.
2. These parts of the mind/brain can interact
and be in conflict with each other i.e. the
two wolves fight for dominance over our mind
and behavior.
3. The “you” has the ability to decide which wolf it will feed.
4. Having made a choice, “you” can decide specifically how to “feed” or
nurture the
selected wolf.

TOPIC 3
Developmental
Tasks

Human Development focuses on human growth and changes across the lifespan,
including physical, cognitive, social, intellectual, perceptual, personality and emotional growth.
The study of human developmental stages is essential to understanding how humans
learn, mature and adapt. Throughout their lives, humans go through various stages of
development.
 The human being is either in a state of growth or decline, but either condition imparts
change. Some aspects of our life change very little over time, are consistent. Other aspects
change dramatically. By understanding these changes, we can better respond and plan ahead
effectively.

HAVIGHURST`S DEVELOPMENTAL TASKS DURING THE LIFE SPAN

Robert J. Havighurst elaborated on the
Developmental Tasks Theory in the most systematic and
extensive manner. His main assertion is that development is
continuous throughout the entire lifespan, occurring in
stages, where the individual moves from one stage to the
next by means of successful resolution of problems or
performance of developmental tasks. These tasks are those
that are typically encountered by most people in the culture
where the individual belongs. If the person successfully
accomplishes and masters the developmental task, he feels
pride and satisfaction, and consequently earns his
community or society’s approval. This success provides a
sound foundation which allows the individual to accomplish
tasks to be encountered at later stages. Conversely, if the
individual is not successful at accomplishing a task, he is
unhappy and is not accorded the desired approval by society,
resulting in the subsequent experience of difficulty when
faced with succeeding developmental tasks. This theory
presents the individual as an active learner who continually interacts with a similarly active social
environment.
Havighurst proposed a biopsychosocial model of development, wherein the
developmental tasks at each stage are influenced by the individual’s biology (physiological
maturation and genetic makeup), his psychology (personal values and goals) and sociology
(specific culture to which the individual belongs).
Developmental Stage Characteristics
1. Pre-natal (Conception to birth)Age when hereditary endowments and sex are fixed and
all body features, both external and internal are
developed.
2. Infancy (Birth to 2 years) Foundation age when basic behavior are organized and
many ontogenetic maturation skills are developed.
3. Early Childhood (2 to 6 years) Pre-gang age, exploratory, and questioning. Language
and Elementary reasoning are acquired and initial
socialization is experienced.
4. Late Childhood (6 to 12 years) Gang and creativity age when self-help skills, social
skills, school skills, and play are developed.
5. Adolescence (puberty to 18 Transition age from childhood to adulthood when sex
years) maturation and rapid physical development occur
resulting to changes in ways of feeling, thinking and
acting.
 6. Early Adulthood (18 to 40 years Age of adjustment to new patterns of life and roles such
old) as spouse, parent and bread winner.
7. Middle Age (40 years to Transition age when adjustments to initial physical and
retirement) mental decline are experienced.
8. Old Age (Retirement to death) Retirement age when increasingly rapid physical and
mental decline are experienced.

Infancy and Early Childhood Middle Childhood Adolescence

(0-5) (6-12) (13-18)

• Learning to walk • Learning physical skills • Achieving mature relations

• Learning to take solid foods necessary for ordinary games with both sexes
• Learning to talk • Building a wholesome attitude • Achieving a masculine or
• Learning to control the toward oneself feminine social role
elimination of body wastes • Learning to get along with age- • Accepting one’s physique •
• Learning sex differences and mates • Learning an appropriate Achieving emotional
sexual modesty sex role independence of adults •
• Acquiring concepts and • Developing fundamental skills in Preparing for marriage and family
language to describe social and reading, writing, and calculating life
physical reality • Developing concepts necessary • Preparing for an economic
• Readiness for reading for everyday living career
• Learning to distinguish right • Developing conscience, • Acquiring values and an ethical
from wrong and developing a morality, and a scale of values system to guide behavior •
conscience • Achieving personal Desiring and achieving socially
independence responsibility behavior
• Developing acceptable attitudes
toward society

Early Adulthood Middle Adulthood Later Maturity

(19-30) (30-60) (61-)
Selecting a mate Helping teenage children to Adjusting to decreasing strength
• Learning to live with a partner • become happy and responsible and health
Starting a family adults • Adjusting to retirement and
• Rearing children • Achieving adult social and civic reduced income
• Managing a home responsibility • Adjusting to death of spouse
• Starting an occupation • Satisfactory career achievement • Establishing relations with one’s
• Assuming civic responsibility • Developing adult leisure time age group
activities • Meeting social and civic
• Relating to one’s spouse as a obligations
person • Establishing satisfactory living
• Accepting the physiological quarters
changes of middle age
• Adjusting to aging parent
 WORKSHEET ON DEVELOPMENTAL TASKS OF BEING IN GRADE 11
Using the Developmental Tasks Summary Table above, assess your own level of
development as a Grade 11 student.

What are the expected What are the expected What are the expected tasks
tasks you have tasks you have partially you have not
successfully accomplished? accomplished?
accomplished?

Processing Questions:
1. Being in Grade 11, what are the developmental tasks expected of you? Rate yourself from 1-
10 (10 as the highest) on whether you have accomplished those expected tasks.
2. As you are in Grade 11, you are in transition from high school to college, from being an
adolescent to young adult. How do you feel about this transition?
3. Do you think you are ready for this transition which may mean more responsibilities and greater
accountability? If no, what are the expected tasks you need to work on? If yes, what are the ways
to take so you can better plan for the future?

TOPIC 4
Challenges of Late
Adolescence

THE PASSAGE TO ADULTHOOD: CHALLENGES OF LATE ADOLESCENCE

Physical Development
• Most girls have completed the physical changes related to puberty by age 15.
• Boys are still maturing and gaining strength, muscle mass, and height and are completing the
development of sexual traits.

Emotional Development
• May stress over school and test scores.
• Is self-involved (may have high expectations and low self-concept).
• Seeks privacy and time alone.
• Is concerned about physical and sexual attractiveness.
• May complain that parents prevent him or her from doing things independently.
• Starts to want both physical and emotional intimacy in relationships.
• The experience of intimate partnerships
 Social Development
• shifts in relationship with parents from dependency and
subordination to one that reflects the adolescent’s increasing
maturity and responsibilities in the family and the community,
• Is more and more aware of social behaviors of friends.
• Seeks friends that share the same beliefs, values, and interests.
• Friends become more important.
• Starts to have more intellectual interests.
• Explores romantic and sexual behaviors with others.
• May be influenced by peers to try risky behaviors (alcohol,
tobacco, sex).

Mental Development
• Becomes better able to set goals and think in terms of the future.
• Has a better understanding of complex problems and issues.
• Starts to develop moral ideals and to select role models

HOW MINDFUL AM I?
[THINK definition from Mindfulness for Teen Anxiety by Dr. Christopher Willard]

For each of the following situations, decide whether the person followed these
guidelines for mindful speech:
Is what I want to say True?
Is what I want to say Helpful?
Am I the best one to say it?
Is it necessary to say it Now?
Is it Kind to this person and others?

In your journal, for each number, mark √ for yes, X for no, or ? if you’re not sure. There
could be more than one 'correct' answer. The purpose of this activity is to reflect on the situations
and whether you've witnessed or experienced something similar in your own life.

1. I did really well on an exam. I said to my friends, “I got the top score. What did you get?” Did I
T.H.I.N.K. before I spoke? ____T____H____I____N____K

2. One of my friends was bragging about getting a good score on

a test, and I didn't want to tell him I failed. I said,
"Congratulations!" then started talking about something else. Did
I T.H.I.N.K. before I spoke? ____T____H____I____N____K

3. People kept telling me about this strange color Mrs. Jenkins

dyed her hair. When I saw her, I didn't think it looked that bad, so
I told her, “Your hair’s not as weird as everyone says it is.” Did I
T.H.I.N.K. before I spoke? ____T____H____I____N____K
4. A woman with a big belly was about to enter the building. I told my friend, “We need to go open
the door for that lady. She’s pregnant.” Did I T.H.I.N.K. before I spoke?
____T____H____I____N____K

5. A boy told his friend to hold the door open for me because I’m pregnant. I said, “Hey, I’m not
pregnant! You sayin’ I’m fat?” Did I T.H.I.N.K. before I spoke? ____T____H____I____N____K

6. A boy told his friend to hold the door open for me because I’m pregnant. I said, “Thank you for
holding the door, but I’m actually not pregnant.” Did I T.H.I.N.K. before I spoke?
____T____H____I____N____K
7. I saw a couple of kids cheating on a test. I went up to the teacher after class and told him what
I’d seen. Did I T.H.I.N.K. before I spoke? ____T____H____I____N____K

8. I saw a girl looking at her phone during a test. I went up to the teacher after class and told him
she was cheating. Did I T.H.I.N.K. before I spoke? ____T____H____I____N____K

Remember: T.H.I.N.K. Before You Speak. Have Mindful Speech.

SUPPLEMENTAL READING

LIVING MINDFULLY

Living mindfully is like being an artist: you need the right tools to practice your craft, and
you need to constantly refine your technique to achieve your creative potential. In the same way,
using the present moment tools below will help you to hone a consistent mindfulness practice that
will in time lead to a more aware, compassionate and fulfilling way of life.

Tool 1 Breathe Mindfully. Use your breath as an anchor to still your mind and bring your
focus back to the present moment.
Tool 2 Listen Deeply. Listen with intention; let others fully express themselves and focus
on understanding how they think and feel.
Tool 3 Cultivate Insight. See life as it is, allowing each experience to be an opportunity
for learning.
Tool 4 Practice Compassion. Consider the thoughts and feelings of others and let
tenderness, kindness and empathy be your guides.
Limit Reactivity. Observe rather than be controlled by your emotions. Pause,
Tool 5 breathe, and choose a skillful response based on thoughtful speech and
nonviolence under every condition.
Tool 6 Express Gratitude. Practice gratitude daily and expand it outward, appreciating
everyone and everything you encounter.
Tool 7 Nurture Mutual Respect. Appreciate our common humanity and value different
perspectives as well as your own.
Tool 8 Build Integrity. Cultivate constructive values and consistently act from respect,
honesty and kindness.
Tool 9 Foster Leadership. Engage fully in life and in community. Share your unique
talents and generosity so that others can also be inspired.
Be Peace. Cultivate your own inner peace, becoming an agent for compassionate
Tool 10
action and social good.
 Which tools do you use most often? Which tools do you use least often? Can you think of
ways to incorporate those tools into your life? Which one could you try today?

SUPPLEMENTAL READING

ENCOURAGEMENT 101: The Courage to Be Imperfect

By Timothy D. Evans, Ph.D

Encouragement is the key ingredient for improving your relationships with others. It is the
single most important skill necessary for getting along with others – so important that the lack of
it could be considered the primary cause of conflict and misbehavior. Encouragement
develops a person’s psychological hardiness and social interest. Encouragement is the
lifeblood of a relationship. And yet, this simple concept is often very hard to put into practice.
Encouragement is not a new idea. Its spiritual connotation dates back to the Bible in
Hebrews 3:11 which states “Encourage one another daily.” Encouragement, as a psychological
idea, was developed by psychiatrist Alfred Adler in the early 20th century and continued to evolve
through the work of Adler’s follower Rudolph Dreikurs. However, even today, relatively few
educators, parents, psychologists, leaders or couples have utilized this valuable concept. Most of
the time, people mistakenly use a technique like praise in an effort to “encourage” others.
Half the job of encouragement lies in avoiding discouraging words and actions. When
children or adults misbehave, it is usually because they are discouraged. Instead of building them
up, we tear them down; instead of recognizing their efforts and improvements, we point out
mistakes; instead of allowing them to belong through shared decision-making and meaningful
contributions, we isolate and label them.
Most of us are skilled discouragers. We have learned how
to bribe, reward and, when that fails, to punish, criticize, nag,
threaten, interrogate and emotionally withdraw. We do this as an
attempt to control those we love, bolstered by the mistaken belief
that we are responsible for the behavior of everyone around us,
especially our spouses and children. These attempts to control
behavior create atmospheres of tension and conflict in many
houses.

Most commonly, we discourage in five general ways:

• We set standards that are too high for others to meet because we
are overly ambitious.
• We focus on mistakes as a way to motivate change or improved
behavior.
We make constant comparisons (self to others, siblings to one
another).
• We automatically give a negative spin to the actions of others.
• We dominate others by being overly helpful, implying that they are unable to do it as well.

Encouragement is not a technique nor is it a special language used to gain compliance.

Encouragement conveys the idea that all human beings are worthwhile, simply because they
exist. In one sentence, Mr. Rogers does more for a child’s sense of adequacy than a hundred
instances of praise when he says, “I like you just the way you are.” Not I like you when you do it
well enough, fast enough and get it all correct. Encouragement develops children’s psychological
hardiness -- their ability to function and recover when things aren’t going their way.
 Encouragement enhances a feeling of belonging which leads to greater social interest.
Social interest is the tendency for people to unite themselves with other human beings and to
accomplish their tasks in cooperation with others. The Junior League mission of “developing the
potential of women and improving communities through the effective action and leadership of
trained volunteers” is rooted in the idea of social interest.
The first step to becoming an encouraging person is to learn to distinguish encouragement
from discouragement. As a rule, ask yourself: Whatever I say or do, will it bring me closer
together or farther apart from this person?
We all have the power to be more encouraging people. The choice, as always, is yours.

SUPPLEMENTAL READING

BEING HAPPY

You may have defects, be anxious and sometimes live irritated, but do not forget that your
life is the greatest enterprise in the world. Only you can prevent it from going into decadence.
There are many that need you, admire you and love you.
I would like to remind you that being happy is not having a sky without storms, or roads
without accidents, or work without fatigue, or relationships without disappointments.
Being happy is finding strength in forgiveness, hope in one’s battles, security at the stage
of fear, love in disagreements.
Being happy is not only to treasure the smile, but that you also reflect on the sadness. It
is not just commemorating the event, but also learning lessons in failures. It is not just having joy
with the applause, but also having joy in anonymity.
Being happy is to recognize that it is worthwhile to live, despite all the challenges,
misunderstandings and times of crises.
Being happy is not inevitable fate, but a
victory for those who can travel towards it with your
own being.
Being happy is to stop being a victim of
problems but become an actor in history itself. It is
not only to cross the deserts outside of
ourselves, but still more, to be able to find an oasis
in the recesses of our soul. It is to thank God
every morning for the miracle of life.
Being happy is not being afraid of one's
feelings. It is to know how to talk about ourselves. It
is to bear with courage when hearing a "no". It is
to have the security to receive criticism, even if is unfair. It is to kiss the children, pamper the
parents, have poetic moments with friends, even if they have hurt us.
Being happy means allowing the free, happy and simple child inside each of us to live;
having the maturity to say, "I was wrong"; having the audacity to say, "forgive me". It is to have
sensitivity in expressing, "I need you"; to have the ability of saying, "I love you." So that your life
becomes a garden full of opportunities for being happy...
In your spring-time, may you become a lover of joy. In your winter, may you become a
friend of wisdom. And when you go wrong along the way, you start all over again. Thus you will
be more passionate about life. And you will find that happiness is not about having a perfect life
but about using tears to water tolerance, losses to refine patience, failures to carve serenity, pain
to lapidate pleasure, obstacles to open the windows of intelligence.
 Never give up ... Never give up on the people you love. Never give up from being happy
because life is an incredible show. And you are a special human being!

Summative Assessments

See page 85 for your 1st Grading/Midterms 1st Quiz and 1st Performance Task. Read
carefully the instructions. Good luck! ☺

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