PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT (MIDTERMS)

Lesson 1a - Knowing Oneself

Human Development and Self (Week 1)

"Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom"

- Aristotle

What is Development?
 a progressive series of changes that occur in a predictable pattern as the result of
interactions between biological and environmental factors. (Salkind, 2004)
 it is the act or process of growing or causing something to grow or become larger or more
advanced.

What is Human Development?

 developing through the many changes that take place in the life of human beings as a result
of many factors.
 attempts to understand how human grow in different aspects: physical, mental, emotional,
social behavioral, spiritual, etc.

3 Aspects or Domains of Human Development

1. Physical Development
2. Cognitive Development
3. Psychosocial Development

Physical Development
 covers the growth of the brain, motor and sensory sills,
and even physical health.

Cognitive Development
 covers our capacity to learn, to speak, to understand, to
reason, and to create.
 Jean Piaget develop a theory of intellectual or cognitive
development. He suggests that children move through
four different stages: sensorimotor, preoperational,
concrete operational, and formal operational stage.
 Stage Age Characteristics Goal
Motor activity without use of
Birth to 18 - 24 symbols. All things learned are Object
Sensorimotor
months old based on experiences, or trial permanence
and error.
Development of language,
memory, and imagination. Symbolic
Preoperational 2 to 7 years old
Intelligence is both egocentric thought
and intuitive.
More logical and methodical
Concrete manipulation of symbols. Less Operational
7 to 11 years old
operational egocentric, and more aware of thought
the outside world and events.
Use of symbols to relate to
Adolescence to abstract concepts. Able to make Abstract
Formal operational
adulthood hypotheses and grasp abstract concepts
concepts and relationships.
https://www.healthline.com/health/piaget-stages-of-development#stages

Psychosocial Development
 includes our social interactions with other people, our
emotions, attitudes, self-identity, personality, beliefs, and
values.

How is Human Development Influenced?

 Heredity
- inborn traits passed on by the generation of offspring from both sides of the biological
parent’s families.
 Environment
- the world outside of ourselves and the experiences that result from our contact and
interaction with this external world.
 Nature & Nurture
- natural progression of the brain and the body that affects the cognitive, psychological,
and social dimension of a person.
 Personality Development VS Personal Development

Personality Development
process where a person learns set of
emotional qualities and ways of behaving
(table etiquette, sit properly and walk with
grace, dress appropriately and communicate
better)
image enhancement (skin care and make-up,
fashion and clothing, even body contouring,
modeling, beauty pageant, etc.)

Personal Development
process where a person reflects upon themselves,
understand who they are, accept what they discover
about themselves, and learn (or unlearn) new sets of
values, attitudes, behavior, and thinking skills to
reach their fullest potential as human beings.

Defining “Self”
 In philosophical terms, it is the being, which is the source of a
person’s consciousness.
 the agent responsible for an individual’s thoughts
and actions.
 an intangible entity that directs a person’s thoughts
and action.
 In, psychology, sociology, or religion, it is the
essence of a person: his thoughts, feelings
and actions, experiences, beliefs, values,
principles, and relationships.

SELF
 includes a person’s life, purpose, meaning, and aspirations.
 therefore, when we speak of the “Self”, we will describe it in
personality terms since personality is also referred to as the set of
behaviors, feelings, thoughts, and motives.
 Knowing Thyself

 Socrates maintained that the most important thing to pursue was self-
knowledge, and admitting one’s ignorance is the beginning of true
knowledge.

 According to Plato, one of Socrates’ students, the beginning of

knowledge is self-knowledge.
 The ancient Hindu writings Upanishads confirmed, “Enquiry into
the truth of the “Self” is knowledge.
 The Persian poet Rumi ruminated, “Who am I in the midst of all this
traffic?”

Lesson 1b - Knowing Oneself

Personality and Its Dimensions (Week 2)
"Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom"
- Aristotle

Personality
 refers to the unique and relatively enduring set of behaviors, feelings, thoughts, and
motives that characterize an individual (Feist and Rosenberg, 2012)
 Two key components of personality:
1. Uniqueness
2. Enduring or consistency

Gordon Allport defines personality as “a pattern of habits,

attitudes, and traits that determine an individual’s characteristics,
behaviors, and traits” (Sanchez, Abad, and Jao, 2012)
Factors that Influences Personality
 Nature (heredity or genetic make-up)
 Nurture (environment)

Five Universal Dimensions of Personality

OCEAN
 Openness to experience
 Conscientiousness
 Extraversion
 Agreeableness
 Neuroticism
 Trait theories of personality have long attempted to pin down exactly how many
personality traits exist.
 Earlier theories have suggested a various number of possible traits.
 Gordon Allport’s list of 4,000 personality traits
 Raymond Cattell’s 16 personality factors
 Hans Eysenck’s three-factor theory.
 However, many researchers felt that Cattell’s theory was too complicated and
Eysenck’s was too limited in scope.
 As a result, the five-factor theory emerged to
describe the essential traits that serve as the building
blocks of personality.
 Today, many researchers believe that there are five
core personality traits.
 Evidence of this theory has been growing over the past
50 years, beginning with the research of D.W. Fiske
(1949) and later expanded upon by other researchers
including Norman (1967), Smith (1967), Goldberg
(1981), and McCrae & Costa (1987)

Big Five Dimensions of Personality

The five broad personality traits described by the theory are:

1. Extraversion
2. Agreeableness
3. Openness
 4. Conscientiousness
5. Neuroticism

 It is important to note that each of the five personality factors represents a range between
two extremes.
 For example, extraversion represents a continuum between extreme extraversion and
extreme introversion.

E I

 In the real world, most people lie somewhere in between the two polar ends of each
dimension.

1. Openness:
 features characteristic such as imagination and insight, and
those high in this trait also tend to have a broad range of
interests.
 tend to be more adventurous and creative.
 People low in this trait are often much more traditional and
may struggle with abstract thinking.

2. Conscientiousness:
 Standard features of this dimension include high levels of
thoughtfulness, with good impulse control and goal-directed
behaviors.
 tend to be organized and mindful of details.

3. Extraversion:
 is characterized by excitability, sociability, talkativeness,
assertiveness and high amounts of emotional expressiveness.
 are outgoing and tend to gain energy in social situations.
 People who are low in extraversion (or introvert) tend to be
more reserved and have to expend energy in social settings.

4. Agreeableness:
  this personality dimension includes attributes such as trust, altruism, kindness,
affection and other prosocial behaviors.
 tend to be more cooperative.
 those low in this trait tend to be more competitive and even manipulative.

5. Neuroticism:
 a trait characterized by sadness, moodiness, and emotional
instability.
 tend to experience mood swings, anxiety, moodiness,
irritability and sadness.
 those low in this trait tend to be more stable and emotionally
resilient.
Ways to Measure Personality
The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator
 E or I (Extraversion or Introversion)
 S or N (Sensing or Intuition)
 T or F (Thinking or Feeling)
 J or P (Judgement or Perception)
The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator
E or I (Extraversion or Introversion)
- how an individual prefers to channel his or her energy when dealing with
people, whether it is inward (introversion) or outward (extraversion)
S or N (Sensing or Intuition)
- how one prefers to process information, whether through the use of
senses such as being able to describe what one sees, or intuitively like
dealing with ideas.
T or F (Thinking of Feeling)
- how an individual prefers to make decisions, either thinking or using
logic and analysis, or feeling which uses the cognitive senses based on
values or beliefs.
S or N (Sensing or Intuition)
- how an individual prefers to manage one’s life, whether through judging,
which means a planned and organized life, versus perception, which has
more flexible approach to living.
Lesson 2a - Developing the Whole Person
Holistic Development (Week 3)
 "The whole is greater than the sum of its parts."
- Aristotle

Holistic Development

Holism - is about seeing things as a whole and as something that is

bigger than the sum of its parts.

Mind and Body Dualism of Descartes

 Rene Descartes, one of the modern philosophers of our time,
influenced much of mankind’s thinking with his theory of duality or
understanding the nature of things in a simple, dual mode.
Examples: separation of body and spirit/mind and body, yin and
yang of the eastern culture, male-female gender, black-white
characteristics.
Holism and Gestalt
 General Jan C. Smuts, a South African statesman, wrote about holism as
the “the tendency in nature to form wholes which are greater than the
sum of the parts through creative evolution.”

Concept of Gestalt - something that is made of many parts and yet is somehow more than or
different from the combination of its parts; broadly, the general quality or character of
something.
Example: in music, a symphony cannot be defined by one of its notes alone, a car is made up of hundreds
of different parts.

Five aspects that make up an organism:

1. Physiological or the physical attributes including the five senses.
2. Cognitive or the intellectual functions of the mind.
3. Psychological or how thinking, feeling, and behaving interact and happen in a person.
4. Social or the manner by which an individual interacts with other individuals or groups of
individuals.
5. Spiritual or attributes to beliefs, values and virtues.
 Lesson 2b - Developing the Whole Person
Basic Drives, Affect, and Values (Week 4)
"The whole is greater than the sum of its parts."
- Aristotle

Feelings and Emotions

 Paul Ekman of the University of California identified six basic emotions that human
beings experience:
 Happiness  Anger
 Sadness  Surprise
 Fear  Disgust

Feelings
 result from the emotions that were experienced.
Emotions
 taken from the Latin verb, movare, which means to move or be upset or agitated.
 defined by Smith (1973) as a descriptive term referring to variations in level of arousal,
affective state or mood, expressive movements, and attitudes.
Attitudes
 person’s thoughts, feelings, and emotions about another person, object, idea, behavior, or
situation.
 result of a person’s evaluation of an experience with another person, idea, behavior, or
situation based on his or her values and belief system.
Emotions
 manifestation or acting out of the attitudes an individual has.
Values and Virtues
Values
 values are a system of beliefs that adhere to the highest ideals of
human existence.
 create meaning and purpose in a person’s life that often result in
personal happiness and self-fulfillment.

Virtues
 descriptions of or adjectives that reflect a value.
Values
 are usually nouns while virtues are the descriptors that usually mirror the value it
represents.
 Values Virtues
Peace Peaceful, calm
Integrity Reputable, responsible, honest, trustworthy
Love Loving, caring, compassionate, gentle, affectionate
Respect Respectful, civil
Balance Objective, fair, harmonious

Universal Values from UN:

1. Peace
2. Freedom
3. Social progress
4. Equal rights
5. Human dignity

Ten common values of people according to Shalom Schwartz:

1. Self-direction - independent thought and action; choosing, creating, and exploring.
2. Stimulation - excitement, novelty, and challenge in life.
3. Hedonism - pleasure and sensuous gratification for oneself.
4. Achievement - personal success through demonstrating competence according to social
standards.
5. Power - social status and prestige, and control or dominance over people and resources.
6. Security - safety, harmony, and stability of society, or relationships, and of self.
7. Conformity - restraint of actions, inclinations, and impulses that are likely to upset or
harm others and violate social expectations or norms.
8. Tradition - respect, commitment, and acceptance of the customs and ideas that
traditional culture or religion provide the self.
9. Benevolence - preserving and enhancing the welfare of those with whom one is in
frequent personal contact (the in-group)
10. Universalism - understanding, appreciation tolerance, and protection for the welfare of
all people and of nature.

Motivational goals that characterize the ten values (S. Schwartz):

1. Openness to change 3. Self-enhancement
2. Self-transcendence 4. Conservation
 Lesson 3a - Developmental Stages in Middle
and Late Adolescence
Psychosocial Stages of Development (Week
5)
"No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it’s not the same river and he’s not the same man."
- Heraclitus

Middle and Late Adolescence

 Adolescence is a crucial period on the development of an individual.
 Marks the major transition stage that bridge childhood to adulthood.
 The middle and late adolescence is between the ages of 15-21. This is the time of one’s life
that is full of excitement and challenges.
 For an adolescent, the world is expanding, exciting and demanding of energy.
 A major hallmark of this period is the quest for identity and individuality through assertion
of independence, exercise of personal decisions in relation to what one wants to be in the
future and establishing meaningful relationships with others.

Erik Erikson’s Psychosocial Development

 has eight stages of development which defines each stage of human
development with a crisis or a conflict.
 the stages are borderless and flowing, not strictly fixed and definite.
 Erik Erikson maintained that personality develops in a predetermined
order, and builds upon each previous stage. This is called epigenetic
principle.
 Erik Erikson’s Psychosocial Development

Stage Influential Conflict or Possible Results from Resolving Conflicts or

Figure Crisis to be Crisis
Resolved
Favorable Results Unfavorable Results
Infancy Parents Trust vs. - Being able to trust other - Mistrusting others,
(from birth to Mistrust when primary caregiver withdrawal or
18 months) (usually the mother) estrangement.
provide caring, attention
and love.
Early Parents Autonomy vs. - develops self-control and - Compulsive self-restraint
Childhood Shame and physical, and sense of or compliance.
(18 months to Doubt independence without - Willfulness and defiance
3 years) losing self-esteem.
- Failure will result in
- Ability to cooperate and feelings of shame and
to express oneself. doubt.
- Develops feeling of
autonomy.
Late Parents and Initiative vs. - Learns that being - When using too much
Childhood Teachers Guilt assertive, using power, and power and control, might
(3-5 years) being purposeful an experience disapproval
influence their resulting in lack of self-
confidence and sense of
 environment. guilt.
- Develops sense of - Pessimism, fear of being
purpose. wrongly judged.
- Starts to evaluate one’s
behavior.
School Age Parents and Industry vs. - Learns how to cope with - Loss of hope, sense of
(8-12 years) Teachers Inferiority the school environment being mediocre.
and its demands. - Develops feelings of
-Learns how to create, inferiority.
develop, and manipulate. - Withdrawal from school
- Develops a sense of and peers.
competence and
perseverance.

Adolescence Teachers and Identity vs. - Develops a sense of self - Feeling of confusion,
(12-20 years) Significant Role Confusion and identity. indecisiveness, and anti-
Others - Plans to actualize one’s social behavior.
abilities. - Weak sense of self.
- Develops the ability to
stay true to oneself.
Young Friends Intimacy vs. - Develops a strong need to - Impersonal, weak
Adulthood Isolation form intimate, loving relationships.
(20-25 years) relationships with a group - Avoidance of
of people or with another relationship, career, or
person. lifestyle commitments.
- Develops strong - May result in isolation
relationships. and loneliness.
- Learns commitment to
work with another person
or group.
Adulthood Community Generativity vs. -Creates or nurtures things - Self-indulgence, self-
(25-65 years) Stagnation that will outlast them, concern, or lack of
either by having children interests and commitments.
or creating a positive
change that benefits others. - Shallow involvement in
the world, pessimism.
- Creativity, productivity,
feeling of usefulness and
accomplishment, and
concern for others.
Adulthood Community Integrity vs. - Sense of fulfillment as - Sense of loss, contempt
(65 years to Despair one looks back in one’s for others.
death) life and develops feeling of - May result in regret,
wisdom. bitterness and despair.
- Acceptance of worth and
uniqueness of one’s own
life.
- Acceptance of the
inevitability of death and
transitioning

 Puberty involves the physical changes that happen during the

adolescent stage.
 During puberty, the adolescent body matures sexually.
 Cognitive development also happens during adolescence as the
brain continues to grow and develop.
 New cognitive skills develop such as reasoning, abstract
thinking, and increased intelligence.

Social Development
 happens during adolescence when adolescents desire for autonomy
and independence from their families.
 their friends and peers become their primary influence, taking over
the previous role their parents had.

Idealism and experimentation are hallmarks of the adolescence stage.

 Beliefs and values are formed at this stage, sometimes even questioning the existing and
accepted norms.
 With puberty, the adolescence also goes into experimentation of their bodies, exploring
their sexuality, as well as substances such as alcoholic drinks or drugs, which may result
in addiction or crime.

Self-identity or self-concept
 evolves from an individual’s own set of beliefs and value system, in
the roles he has identified for himself, the responsibilities he
recognizes and owns, and the expectation others have on him.

Lesson 3b - Developmental Stages in Middle

and Late Adolescence
 Developmental Tasks of Adolescents (Week
6)
"No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it’s not the same river and he’s not the same man."
- Heraclitus

Development Tasks for a Filipino Adolescent

1. Developing occupational skills
2. Self-reliance
3. Ability to manage their finances
4. Social responsibility
5. Mature work orientation
6. Personal responsibility
7. Positive attitude toward work

1. Self-identity or self-concept
 skills that can help the adolescent develop responsibility as a
preparation for gainful employment ahead.

2. Self-reliance
 the ability to identify their own skills and knowledge, capabilities, and
resources to engage in meaningful activities and not rely too much on
others.

3. Ability to manage their finances

 be able to discern what’s the difference between “wants” and “needs”
and to learn self-control when handling their finances.
 learn financial literacy.

4. Social responsibility
 should be able to see beyond themselves.
 take into consideration the greater community around them.
 see their role in improving and developing these communities, serving
as change agents.
5. Mature work orientation
 develop pride in what they do
 raise standard of excellence in the quality of their work.

6. Personal responsibility
 be fully responsible for their own decisions and actions by owning
them.
 become aware of the consequences of their decisions and own the
results.

7. Positive attitude towards work

“Work is love made visible.”
- Kahlil Gibran
 developing a healthy and positive attitude toward work means that we
see work as an expression of our love for people who are important to
us, including ourselves.

Additional list of Developmental Tasks a Filipino Adolescent should

acquire:
1. Being courageous in standing up and being different from your friends.
2. Developing self-esteem
3. Being true yourself and avoiding the tendency to please others.
4. Learning how media and advertising are trying to influence your thinking and feeling.
5. Becoming aware, critical, and being involved with social issues.
6. Embracing a healthy lifestyle
7. Developing your spirituality
Lesson 4 - The Challenges of Middle and Late
Adolescence (Week 7)
"We don’t grow when things are easy, we grow when we face challenges."

 There are special challenges faced by adolescents which result from the
changes that are happening to them.
 These challenges are also related to the crisis during the adolescence
phase as theorized by Erik Erikson concerning identity and role
confusion.
 If this crisis is not resolved, it will continue to persist and may continue
even into adulthood.

 Attitude plays an important role in facing these challenges.

 If these challenges are taken as necessary stepping stones toward
greater maturity, the adolescent can then transition more smoothly to
adulthood with more confidence and self-esteem.

Challenges During Adolescence

1. Attitudes and behavior toward sexuality and sexual relationships

 Puberty drives the adolescents to experience surges of sexual
desires which often lead to experimentation and exploration.
  Adolescents exploring sexuality should be responsible: limiting
sexual expressions, seeing the future results or consequences of
their behaviors.
 Attitude: BE RESPONSIBLE
2. Academic Concerns
 The role of a student is the primary role of an
adolescent who is still in school.
 Attitudes a learner should have: responsible,
disciplined, open-minded, persevering, diligent,
excellent, curious, thinks analytically and critically.
 Shows good memory and understanding, cooperation
and team work, respecting other people’s opinion and
beliefs, social interactions, leaderships and
followership.

3. Group belongingness
 An adolescent wants to belong.
 Choose your social groupings wisely.
 Healthy and wholesome organizations whose objectives
aim to help individuals develop themselves are better
choices. They respect the individuality of each person
and would not lure them into doing something that goes
against time-honored human values.

4. Health and Nutrition

 A healthy mind and a healthy body are what every
adolescent should strive for.

5. Developing or Regaining Self-esteem

 You should be objective and balanced when viewing
yourself; see your strengths and weaknesses.
 Accept your body type.
 Proper grooming and self-care can help improve one’s
feeling and attitude about oneself.

6. Roles
  Adolescents must learn to integrate all their roles and it should be clear that these
roles are related to the tasks expected of them.
 Discipline and time management can help in balancing the different roles an
adolescent has.
Example: Who is Malala?
7. Material Poverty
 Some adolescents struggle hard to be able to have education.
Example: Efren Penaflorida; pushcart classroom
Dynamic Teen Company

8. Parents working abroad

 React in a positive way.
 Identify you support system.

9. Career Choice
 In pursuing a career, look at what you love to do and are
passionate about.

10. Relationships
 Maintaining a healthy relationship require a certain level of
maturity.

11.Values and Beliefs

 Ask: What will I fight against?
What can I not afford to lose?
What can I not live without?

12. Other Challenges

 depression, peer pressure

 PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT (Finals)
Lesson 5 - COPING WITH STRESS IN MIDDLE
AND LATE ADOLESCENCE (Week 8-9)
"A diamond is just a piece of charcoal that handled stress exceptionally well."
- Unknown
What is Stress?
 body’s way of responding to any kind of demand or threat.
 can also help you rise to meet challenges
 is what keeps you on your toes during a presentation at work.
Stress
A reaction of the mind and body to a stimulus that disturbs the well-being, state of calm,
or equilibrium of a person.
As a stimulus, stress is caused by situations that may be life threatening or life-changing.
These situations or events are called stressors.
e.g. Separation; moving into a new home or school; having a new job
As a response, stress is the way the body reacts to challenging situations
 involves the interactions between the hormones, glands, and nervous system
where the adrenal gland drives the productions of cortisol or better known as
“stress hormone”
 An adolescent’s physical response to stress is faster than that of an adult because
their prefrontal cortex is not yet fully developed.
As relational, stress is when a person experiencing stress takes a step bac to look at the
situation causing the less and assesses it.
 assessing by reason the relevance or irrelevance of the situation, whether it is
positive or negative.
 positive relevance = see stressor in a positive light
  negative relevance = stressor will produce negative emotion leading to

stress.

Common Stress Indicators

 Cognitive symptoms  Constant worrying
 Memory problems  Emotional symptoms
 Inability to concentrate  Moodiness
 Poor judgement  Irritability or short temper
 Seeing only the negative  Agitation, inability to relax
 Anxious or racing thoughts
 Feeling overwhelmed  Dizziness
 Sense of loneliness and isolation  Behavioral symptoms
 Depressions or general unhappiness  Eating more or less
 Physical symptoms  Sleeping too much or too little
 Headaches  Isolating oneself
 Back pains  Procrastinating
 Diarrhea or constipation  Forgetting or neglecting obligation
 Frequent heartbeat

Causes of Stress
 The situations and pressures that causes stress are known as stressors.
  We usually think of stressors as being negative, such as an exhausting work schedule or a
rocky relationship.
 However, anything that puts high demands on you or forces you to adjust can be
stressful. This includes positive events such as getting married, buying a house, going to
college, or receiving a promotion.

Two Sources of Stressors

1. External stressors - are those that come outside of the individual or person like situations,
people, and experiences.
2. Internal stressors - are those that come from within the individuals or person like thoughts,
uncertainties, lack of control and even personal beliefs.

Common external causes of stress

 Major life changes
 Work or school
 Relationship difficulties
 Financial problems
 Being too busy
 Children and Family

Common external causes of stress

 Chronic worry
 Pessimism
 Negative self-talk
 Unrealistic expectations/Perfectionism
 Rigid thinking, lack of flexibility
 All-or-nothing attitude

Possible Stressors for an Adolescent:

1. School demands and expectations
e.g.: quizzes/tests, home works, projects, oral recitations, quarterly and final exams,
grades
2. Selecting a school, college course, or career
e.g.: entrance exams; deciding what course to take
3. Separation anxiety
- separation with friends
4. College Life
 unfamiliarity of a new environment can bring stress
 5. Romantic relationship or the lack of it
 has the tendency to feel awkward when they are not in a relationship (seeing this
as status symbol)
6. Family demands and expectations
 family ties or parents not ready to relinquish control; rebellion; parents who think
they know better; parental expectations
7. Health concerns
 health problems; unhealthy lifestyle
8. Demands of social life
 social groupings pose challenges to belong
9. Bullying
 being bullied in school can be very stressful and may cause emotional and
psychological trauma to the individual experiencing it.

How do you respond to Stress?

 Social engagement - is our most evolved strategy for keeping ourselves feeling calm and
safe.
 Mobilization - otherwise known as the fight-or-flight response. When social engagement
isn’t an appreciate response and we need (or think we need) to either defend ourselves or
run away from danger, the body prepares for mobilization.
 Immobilization - this is the least evolved response to stress and used by the body only
when social engagement and mobilization have failed.
Coping with stress
 Coping is a very important mechanism in dealing with stress.
 Can help in avoiding the damages that may be brought about by severe or
chronic stress to your health and well-being.

Coping may be:

1. Problem-focused: when remedies or solutions are thought of to
change the situation to lessen the stress.
e.g.: study/review for a perceived difficult exam
2. Emotion-focused: when the objective is to lessen the emotional
impact caused by the stressful situation.
e.g.: smile or laugh when someone criticizes you; breath in and out when
faced with a stressor

Suggested coping mechanisms for adolescents:

1. Conduct creative imagery of the problem
 look at the stressor as a relational situation
 2. Seek group or social support
 talk to people you know and trust
3. Get into relaxation activities
 yoga, breathing exercises, meditation, reading a book, listening to relaxing music.
4. Create a situation where you can feel more relaxed like a quiet environment or a
comfortable position.
5. Learn to manage your time.
6. Eat properly by selecting nutritious healthy food.
 eat regularly, avoid skipping meals
7. Seek spiritual growth through prayer and meditation.
8. Have a worthwhile hobby.
 cross-stitching, singing, dancing, drawing
9. Watch a movie with friends.
10. Take nice quiet walks with a member of your family after dinner.
11. If the stressor is one of your expectations, assess it and see if it is doable and realistic or
not.
12. Believe in yourself that you are strong and courageous, that you are capable of
overcoming challenges.

Suggested coping mechanisms for adolescents:

 We’re all different. Some people seem to be able to roll with life’s punches, while others
tend to crumble in the face of far smaller obstacles or frustrations. Some people even
seem to thrive on the excitement and challenge of a high-stress lifestyle.
 Your ability to tolerate stress depends on many factors, including the quality of your
relationships and support network, your life experiences, your emotional intelligence, and
genetics.

Factors that influence your stress tolerance:

 Your support networks
 Your exercise levels
 Your diet
 Your sense of control
 Your attitude and outlook
 Your ability to deal with your emotions
 Your knowledge and preparation

Factors that influence your stress tolerance:

  Engage socially - the simple act of talking face to face with another
human being can release hormones that reduce stress even if you’re
still unable to alter the stressful situation.
 Get moving - physical activity plays a key role in managing stress.
Activities that require moving both your arms and your legs are
particularly effective.

Lifestyle changes to deal with the symptoms of stress

1. Set aside relaxation time.

2. Eat a healthy diet.
3. Get plenty of sleep.

Lesson 6a - THE POWERS OF THE MIND

Brain Theories and Learners (Week 11)
"Your mind is your greatest power. Use it well."
- Aneta Cruz

Left Brain VS. Right Brain

 The human brain is made up of two halves.

 These halves are commonly called the right brain and left brain, but
should more correctly be termed ‘hemispheres’

For some reason, our right and left hemispheres control the
‘opposite’ side of our bodies, so the right hemisphere controls our left
side and processes what we see in our left eye while the left hemisphere
controls the right side and processes what our right eye sees.
Whole Brain Theory

 In 1861, Paul Broca conducted a study on the language and left-

brain specialization on a patient who had problems with language.
 theorized that some language functions reside on the left side of the
brain.

Split Brain Theory

Dr. Roger Sperry

 an American psychobiologist
 Conducted a study for epilepsy, which gave him the 1981 Nobel Peace
Prize for Physiology or Medicine
 known for the “Split-Brain Theory”
 explained that the brain has two hemispheres that perform tasks
differently from each other

Left Brain VS. Right Brain

 The concept of right brain and left brain thinking developed from Roger Sperry’s
research in the late 1960’s.
 He discovered that the human brain has two very different ways of thinking.
 The right brain is visual and processes information in an intuitive and simultaneous way,
looking first at the whole picture then the details.
 The left brain is verbal and processes information in an analytical and sequential way,
looking first at the pieces then putting them together to get the whole.

 right hemisphere of the brain was performing tasks that were:

intuitive, creative, and synthesizing
 left hemisphere of the brain was more adept with:
analytical, logical, reasoning, and critical thinking
 Left Brain VS. Right Brain
 Have similar shapes  Right brain is referred to as the
 But differences have been gradually analog brain.
found in their functions.  Controls three-dimensional sense,
 Left brain is also referred to as the creativity, and artistic senses.
digital brain; controls reading and  Left and right brain work together, to
writing, calculation, and logical allow us to function as humans
thinking.

The Triune Brain Theory

 proposed by neuroscientist Dr. Paul MacLean.
 The theory identified three distinct parts of the brain:
a. neocortex
b. limbic system
c. reptilian complex

1. Neocortex (rational brain)

 responsible for intellectual tasks like language, planning,
abstraction, perception.
2. Limbic system (intermediate brain)
  responsible for the motivation and emotion involved in feeding, reproductive
behavior, parental behavior.
3. Reptilian complex (primitive brain)
 controls the self-preservation and aggressive behavior similar to the survival instincts
of animals.

Brain Dominance Theory

 Theorized by Ned Herrmann, an engineer in GE.
 drawn from the studies of Sperry, stared that the human body although
symmetrical do not function equally; people normally have a more
dominant part of their body which they often prefer to use.
 Herrmann extended this theory to the brain and concluded that the brain
has four parts or four quadrants.
 He is regarded as the Father of Brain Dominance Technology

Herrmann’s Four Dominant Quadrants

  Based on this model, Herrmann developed the Herrmann Brain
Dominance Instruments (HBDI), a 120-question survey instrument
that measured the preference strengths of the four quadrants.
 HBDI is very useful in identifying occupational profiles.

How does the Whole Brain Theory enhance the learning process?
 It has been observed that brain dominance leads to thinking preferences
that influence and improve learning styles.
 Each quadrant has a set of preferences in terms of learning.
Lesson 6b - THE POWERS OF THE MIND
Mind Mapping (Week 12)
"Your mind is your greatest power. Use it well."
- Aneta Cruz

Mind Mapping
  Your short-term memory can only hold 7 bits of information at a
time-revision helps reinforce your learning to help you prepare for
your exams.
 Within 30 days, we only remember 20% of the information learnt.
 Without revision you will have wasted 2 years of your entire life.
 Research shows that active revision techniques such as making mind
maps, revision notes or practicing past papers is the most effective way
of preparing for an examination.

What are Mind Maps?

 Mind maps are not spider diagrams.
 A mind map is a diagram used to represent themes of understanding
linked a central key word or idea.
 Mind maps are, by definition, a graphical method of taking notes.
 Their visual helps one to distinguish words or ideas, often with colors and
symbols.
 They generally take a hierarchical or tree branch format, with ideas
branching into their subsections.
Key Features of Mind Maps
 The process starts around a central idea or picture.
 Key themes are established through branches with sub
branches.
 Key terminology is used.
 Single words or phrases
 Themes are connected through colors
  Images reinforce meaning
 Allows you to freely associate and link ideas

Kinds of Mind Maps

1. Reference Mind Maps:
 A reference mind map is a map that contains information
organized so that you can find it again easily.
 Use this mind map type for:
o Assembling documents or reports
o Collecting resources
o Learning about a subject
o Keeping lists

2. Presentation Mind Maps:

 Used when one needs to tell a story or make a point with a call to
action.
 Use this mind map type for:
o Presentations where a decision or action is needed
o Training sessions
 o Presentation handout

3. Planning Mind Maps:

 When planning something, focus on the outcome and
put that at the center of your mind map.
 Use this mind map type for:
o Agreeing draft project plans
o Working out the order in which things need to be
done
o Analyzing the root causes of a problem or issue

Why use Mind Maps?

 More brain friendly.
 The brain is capable of processing hundreds of images a second.
 The organization reflects how the brain remembers, linking
facts/memories
 Easy to review
 The process of creating a mind map deepens learning

Lesson 6a - THE POWERS OF THE MIND

Brain Theories and Learners (Week 11)
"Your mind is your greatest power. Use it well."
 - Aneta Cruz

Mind Mapping

Mind Mapping
 Your short-term memory can only hold 7 bits of information at a
time-revision helps reinforce your learning to help you prepare
for your exams.
 Within 30 days, we only remember 20% of the information
learnt.
 Without revision you will have wasted 2 years of your entire
life.
  Research shows that active revision techniques such as making mind maps, revision notes
or practicing past papers is the most effective way of preparing for an examination.

What are Mind Maps?

Mind maps are not spider diagrams.
A mind map is a diagram used to represent themes of
understanding linked a central key word or idea.
Mind maps are, by definition, a graphical method of taking notes.
Their visual basis helps one to distinguish words or ideas, often with
colors and symbols.
They generally take a hierarchical or tree branch format, with ideas
branching into their subsections.

Key features of mind maps

 The process starts around a central idea or picture
 Key themes are established through branches with sub
branches
 Key terminology is used
 Single words or phrases
 Themes are connected through colors.
 Images reinforce meaning
 Allows you to freely associate and link ideas

Kinds of Mind Maps

1. Reference Mind Maps:
 A reference mind map is map that contains information
organized so that you can find it again easily.
 Use this mind map type for:
 Assembling documents or reports
 Collecting resources
 Learning about a subject
 Keeping lists

2. Presentation Mind Maps:

 Used when one needs to tell a story or make a point with a
call to action.
 Use this mind map type for:
 Presentations where a decision or action is needed
 Training sessions
 Presentation handout
 3. Planning Mind Maps:
 When planning something, focus on the outcome and
put that at the center of your mind map.
 Use this mind map type for:
 Agreeing draft project plans
 Working out the order in which things need to be done
 Analyzing the root causes of a problem or issue
Why use mind maps?
 More brain friendly.
 The brain is capable of processing hundreds of images a
second.
 The organization reflects how the brain remembers, linking
facts/memories
 Easy to review
 The process of creating a mind map deepens learning

Mind maps are useful during:

1. Brainstorming sessions
2. Making decisions
3. Organizing information
4. Simplifying complex ideas
5. Note-taking
6. Personal use

Steps in creating mind maps:

1. Write the title of the subject you are exploring in the
center of the page.
2. Draws lines out of the center circle to label major subject
matters.
3. Draw additional lines that will connect to the lines for
the major topics.
4. Then, for individual facts or ideas, draw lines out from
the appropriate heading line and label them.
5. As you come across new information, link it to the mind
map appropriately.

Using Mind Maps Effectively

Use single or simple phrases
Use color to separate different ideas
 Use symbols and images: they act as mnemonics i.e. A method or system for improving
the memory.
Print words & ensure that various chunks of information are placed neatly.
A good Mind Map shows the “shape” of the subject, the relative importance of
individual points, and the way in which facts relate to one another.

Lesson 7 - Mental Health and Well-Being in

Middle and Late Adolescence (Week 13-14)
"Mental health…is not a destination but a process. It’s about how you drive, not where you’re
going."
- Noam Shpancer, The Good Psychologist: A Novel

Mental Health
 includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. (According to National
Institute of Health)
 Successful performance of metal function resulting in productive activities, fulfilling
relationships with other people, and the ability to change and to cope with adversity
(According to 1999 US Surgeon General Report on Mental Health)

Concept of Mental Health (WHO)

1. Subject well- being

 one’s personal thoughts and feelings about one’s overall state of
being.
 denotes positive and healthy interpretations of a person’s self-concept
 a positive warm regard for oneself serves as a foundation of meatal
health
2. Perceived Self-Efficiently
 one’s perception of one’s value and worth, effectiveness, and
ability in performing a task or activity.
 A person with a healthy self-concept will move toward self-
fulfillment and self-actualization, have healthy relationships,
and live happier and fulfilling lives.
 A person with low-self-esteem may exhibit behaviors that are
self-destructive or self-sabotaging.

3. Autonomy
 deals with one’s capacity to separate one’s identity form other significant
persons like parents, lovers, and special friends.
 the capacity for self-direction and having a clearly defined role identity
 lack of autonomy can lead to co-dependence and relational conflicts

4. Competence
 the perception of one’s capacity to effectively perform a function
or activity using specific skills and knowledge, achieving the
desired results at a given time
 responsibility is a major underlying factor for competence
 a competent individual produces trust with those he deals with;
accepts changes and is resilient.

5. Intergenerational Independence
 refers to the relationships between individuals who belong to different
generations but may be living separately as independent, autonomous
persons during a specific period of time
 E.g.: relationships between parent and their grow-up children, bridging
the gap created by the “empty nest” phenomenon.

6. Self-Actualization of one’s Intellectual and Emotional

Potential
 Maslow’s pyramid of human hierarchy of needs places self-actualization at the peak
 Self-actualization is about fulfilling one’s perceived potentials, becoming the person that
one has always aspired for.

Characteristics of self-actualized persons (Maslow):

1. Have acceptance of their reality.

2. Have compassion to help solve problems of other people and society in general.
3. Spontaneous with their thoughts and behavior.
4. Open to change
5. Have strong need for privacy and solitude
6. Highly appreciative of events and people and maintain their awe and wonder of the things
around them.
7. Often experience peak experiences of intense joy and happiness which generate
inspiration and strength.
 In addition to the life tasks and sub tasks, maintaining good mental
health and well-being requires two important skills that need to be
developed particularly in adolescents.
1. RESILIENCY - is the capacity to establish and maintain
one’s balance and well-being in the face of adversity.
2. ADAPTABILITY - is the capacity to adjust to changes
necessary for one’s survival and balance.

 A healthy self-concept plus a healthy mind and body are one’s

guarantee to good mental health.
 Well-being is a taste of wellness where every aspect of a persons
is in balance.
 Developing one’s good mental health and well-being is very
important to the adolescent because this serves as a strong
foundation toward a happy and healthy adulthood.

Challenges to Mental Health and Well-Being

 A mental health problem is a short term and temporary change in

a person’s thought, feelings, or behavior that upsets one’s well-
being, interpersonal relationships, and productivity.
 Mental illness - refers to diagnosable mental disorders
characterized by changes in one’s thinking, feeling, and behavior,
as well as in one’s relationships and productivity. There is usually
distress or impaired functioning during mental illness.
  Many adolescents are more prone to mental health concerns than adults primarily due to
their underdeveloped brains and continuing changes in their bodies.
 The adolescent is also going through tough times in resolving their identity crisis and role
confusion.

Challenges to Mental Health and Well-Being

1. Anxiety disorders
 cause people to respond to certain objects or situations with fear
and panic.
 some anxiety disorders come in the form of phobias like
agoraphobia, acrophobia, claustrophobia
List of Phobias: https://www.healthline.com/health/list-of-phobias#treatment

2. Mood disorders
 one of the more problematic forms of mental health issues has to
do with a person’s mood, particularly depression is more likely
who suffer depression are more likely to commit suicide.
 WHO estimates that 1 million lives are lost to suicide every year

3. Eating disorders
 due to regarding being thin as the standard of beauty
a. anorexia (extreme fear of gaining weight)
b. bulimia (purging or vomiting the food that a person eats in
order to remain thin)

4. Impulse Control and Addiction

 is one’s inability to control impulses and urges
 comes in different forms like alcoholism, drug addiction to
kleptomania and compulsive gambling
 people who develop addiction endanger their relationships because
of their behavior
5. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
 refer to an elevated degree of being perfectionist to the last detail
 people with OCD are plagued with certain fears which cause them
to perform rituals or routines that may be thought of as highly
unnecessary.

6. Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

 when people experience traumatic situation, they need to hold on
to negative emotions and memories about that said event; they
become afraid of anything that reminds them of the said event.
 PTSD is common among those in the military after they came
back from war.
 Lesson 8 - Emotional Intelligence (Week 15-
16)
"Emotional intelligence, more than any other factor, more than I.Q or expertise, accounts for
85% to 90% of success at work… I.Q. is a threshold competence. You need it, but it doesn’t
make you a star. Emotional intelligence can."
- Warren G. Bennis

Emotions
 Impulses to act, the instant plan for handling life that evolution has instilled for us.
 Parts of the brain involved in the creation of emotions: the amygdala the neocortex, and
the frontal lobes.
https://gostrengths.com/what-is-an-amygdala-hijack/
Lesson 9 - Personal Relationships (Week 17-
18)
"Personal relationships are the fertile soil from which all advancement, all success, all
achievement in real life grows."
- Ben Stein