LESSON 5:

The Challenges of
Middle and Late
Adolescence
 What do you think are
the chllenges faced by
Filipino middle and
late adolescents today?
Learning Objectives:

1. I can discuss that facing the challenges

during adolescence may clarify and
manage the demands of teen years
Learning Objectives:
2. I can express his or her feelings on the
expectations of the significant people
around him or her (parents, siblings,
friends, teachers, community, leaders)
Learning Objectives:

3. I can make affirmations that help one

become more lovable and capable as an
adolescent
Challenges
During
Adolescence
What are your common problems as
teenagers?
Recall the worst problem that you have
encountered. What did you do to
overcome that problem?
 1. Attitudes and Behavior Toward Sexuality and
Sexual Relationship
• Puberty drives the adolescent to experiences surges of
sexual desires, which often leads them to experimentation
and exploration.
• Adolescents should know their limits in terms of sexual
expressions, and should know the consequences of their
behaviors.
• Sexual relationship is healthy when the adolescent sees this
part as a loving relationship and not as something that is for
exploration or pleasure.
 1. Attitudes and Behavior Toward Sexuality and
Sexual Relationship
What is the proper and healthy attitude toward
sexuality and sexual relationship?
• Responsibility implies dealing with one’s sexuality
as part of establishing a healthy self-concept or
self-identity.
• Entering into relationships is all about genuine love
and care for the other person.
 1. Attitudes and Behavior Toward Sexuality and
Sexual Relationship
What is the proper and healthy attitude toward
sexuality and sexual relationship?
• Love is genuine when the intent is to help the other
person develop his or her talents and potentials
according to personal values, and encouraging to
become a better person.
• Love is also based on respect for the other
person’s uniqueness.
2. Academic Concerns

• The role of being a student takes primary

importance.
• Many adolescents become problematic with their
academic studies, the most important is the
attitude that they need to embrace when studying.
2. Academic Concerns

What is the proper attitude a learner should have?

• Be responsible
• Be aware that grades are not the only indicators
of learning.
• Memorization and comprehension are necessary
elements in obtaining knowledge.
2. Academic Concerns
What is the proper attitude a learner should have?

• Discipline, openness, perseverance, diligence, excellence,

curiosity, analytical and critical thinking, memory,
understanding, cooperation and teamwork, respecting
other people’s opinion and beliefs, social interactions,
leadership and followership are some of the important
skills and values that an adolescent student can learn in
school.
• Critical thinking and reasoning are equally important and
these are tested and graded.
3. Group Belongingness

• An adolescent wants to belong.

• An adolescent with a low self-esteem might join an
organizations which promise ‘walang iwanan’, do or
die, or one-for-all-and-all-for-one kind of social
support.
• When joining informal groups or organizations, be
very aware of peer pressure that says “Do this or you
cannot join our group because you are not like us”.
 3. Group Belongingness

• An adolescent should not be lured by organizations

that promise “exclusivity” or “superiority”, often touting
false courage through strength in their members.
• Avoid organizations that adhere to violence and other
anti-social behaviors.
• When joining informal groups or organizations, be
very aware of peer pressure that says “Do this or you
cannot join our group because you are not like us”.
4. Health and Nutrition

• A healthy mind and body is what every

adolescent should strive for.
• Adolescents are gifted with so much energy
that seems inexhaustible.
• Lack of sleep and poor eating habits often
result in disaster. Learn to listen to your body.
4. Health and Nutrition

• Embrace a healthy lifestyle for yourself.

• Long exposures to television and screen gadgets
are also unhealthy.
• Start a hobby to serve as an expression or outlet
for your creative impulses.
5. Developing and Regaining Self-esteem
• Adolescents who are creating their self-
identity should be objective and balanced
when viewing themselves.
• Individuals who often encounter criticism
at home and in school often develop low
self-esteem.
• Related to self-esteem is one’s
perception of one’s body type.
5. Developing and Regaining Self-esteem
• Proper grooming and self-care can help
improve one’s feeling and attitude about
oneself.
• Skin problems and hair problems often occur
during adolescence, and these can be
addressed if adolescent is aware of the roots of
the problems and the solutions or remedies
available.
• It is always suggested to consult a medical
practitioner on what to do.
6. Roles
• All human beings have roles to play in their
lives.
• When there is a disparity between one’s self-
identity and the roles one play, then confusion
arises.
• Although roles seem separate and different
from each other, adolescents must learn to
integrate all these roles and it should be clear
that these roles are related to the tasks
expected of them by others.
6. Roles

• Healthy adolescents will recognize the roles but

the values being expected from him or her, such
as personal and family responsibilities, love for
family, and basic survival.
• Balancing time and energy in addressing
responsibilities can be achieved through
discipline and time management.
7. Material Poverty
• Shortage or insufficiency of
material aspects needed by
individuals in order to
survive.
• Material poverty affects
individual emotionally,
mentally, and socially.
8. Parents Working Abroad

• Studies are showing the social costs of this labor

Migration that leaves young, vulnerable children
behind:
- making them long for parental care
- get confused over gender roles
- be vulnerable to abuse
- develop consumerist attitudes.
8. Parents Working Abroad

• Adolescents with parents working abroad often

experience sadness, loneliness, and thoughts
of being abandoned.
• Adolescents often resort to emotional
blackmail just to get what they want.
• Those who react in more positive way will see
their situation as a consequence of the
socioeconomic needs of their family to survive
and have better lives.
8. Parents Working Abroad

• Support systems are necessary for growing

persons; therefore, an adolescent with parents
working abroad should be able to identify people
he can trust and lean on for support whenever
he needs it.
9. Career Choice
• The adolescent who is creating identity
is faced with an urgent need to identify
what course to take in college.
• When finding the right career, it is
important to know what are your
interests, what you find exciting and
challenging, and what are your skills.
• Remember, always be ready to make
sacrifices before you can attain the
kind of wealth and fame that may come
in doing what you love to do.
10. Relationships
• Maintaining a healthy relationship require
a certain level of maturity.
• At home, a female adolescent who
desires autonomy and independence will
encounter more parental objections.
• Among friends, adolescents can be more
relaxed.
• Healthy friendships are necessary for
adolescent’s social development, but the
challenge in maintaining them are also
equally challenging.
10. Relationships
• Envy due to comparison is also a
major cause of breakdowns in
relationships.
• Non-acceptance of differences is
another cause of “unfriending”.
• Romantic relationships are inevitable
and equally challenging to an
adolescent.
11. Values and Beliefs
• The challenge of knowing
what is important and of
great value to an adolescent
is linked to one’s self-
concept and identity.
• An adolescent who puts
great value in life will
preserve life in all instances.
12. Other Challenges

• There are many other

challenges facing
adolescents, and some
may not even be aware
that they are experiencing
them, such as depression.
You Made It!