Middle adolescence: characteristics and changes that occur in it

Middle adolescence is one of the substages we go through humans after childhood and before adulthood. This is a stage that is crucial for the development of complex psychological processes such as identity, and it is itself a period in which significant changes occur at the biological level And social.

We will see below what are the phases of adolescence and how middle adolescence is characterized.

Related article: "The 9 stages of human life"

What is adolescence?

Adolescence is one of the stages of the human life cycle. It is characterized by important psychological, biological and social changes, and it is considered as the stage that follows childhood and precedes adulthood, which is why it is one of the broadest and most crucial moments for any person.

The psychologist and International Consultant in Programs and Policies for Adolescence and Youth, Dina Krauskopof (1999) tells us that adolescence is the period between 10 and 20 years of age. old. More than a transition process, it is a stage that marks different differential aspects in the human development, manifesting as important transformations at the psychosocial level and in the development sexual.

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In addition, one of the processes that takes place in this period is individuation, since it contributes to the personal and social definition, as well as to the exploration, the differentiation of the family environment, the search for belonging and the construction of a meaning of life.

We will now follow the analyzes carried out by the same researcher to describe the main characteristics of middle adolescence, as well as the differences with the other substages of this period.

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Phases of this stage of development

In an attempt to make it easier to understand, adolescence has been divided into different substages, including early adolescence, which is also the pubertal phase or puberty; middle adolescence and finally, late adolescence or final phase of the adolescent period. Each corresponds to the following ages:

Early adolescence, from 10 to 13 years old.
Middle adolescence, from 14 to 16 years old.
Final phase, from 17 to 19 years old.

The first of these stages is characterized by a bodily differentiation with caregivers and peers, which requires a readjustment of the body schema and an important concern about the same.

Instead, the second stage involves a social differentiation of the family group and peers, which requires a major reaffirmation. Said reaffirmation occurs at the individual level but in close connection with external recognition.

Finally, in the third stage it is based on the development of projects, exploration of social alternatives, and the search for similar groups.

Middle adolescence: general characteristics

As we mentioned before, middle adolescence is characterized by a preoccupation with reconcile both personal and external recognition. While the first stage, recognition is based on physical or body examination, in the second there is a special psychological concern, which manifests itself in the search for affective bonds and in the acceptance of the group of peers.

Due to the foregoing, the main reference group and even psychological security, ceases to be the nuclear family and begins to focus on friendly or affective bonds with peers.

This is a process that is essential for the development of autonomy, individual responsibility and identity, as well as in the development of complex cognitive processes such as symbolization, generalization and abstraction, which allow establishing broader visions of the world.

Likewise, it constitutes the basis of a good part of the concerns during this stage, in fact, sentimental relationships usually begin to consolidate during this stage, around shared experiences and interests.

Finally, intergenerational relationships are a key element, since they allow the identification process to be strengthened through establish complementary or antagonistic differences between themselves and members of different groups.

Some psychosocial elements

We summarize below some of the specific elements that surround middle adolescence, especially on a psychosocial scale. According to Krauskopof (1999), middle adolescence is mainly characterized by a concern for the personal-social affirmation, which includes some elements that we will see below continuation:

Differentiation of the family group.
Parental mourning for the loss of a desired child.
Desire to affirm sexual and social attractiveness.
Emergence of sexual impulses.
Exploration of personal skills.
Concern for the social and for new activities.
Questioning of previous positions.

Characteristics of neural, cognitive and psychological maturation

As we have said, adolescence is characterized by the manifestation of changes at a biological, psychological and social level. According to the World Health Organization (2010), some changes that take place during the middle adolescence, especially related to neurological, cognitive and psychological development are the following:

growth of the prefrontal cortex, which is related to influencing social problems and the development of problem-solving skills.
Cognitive abilities such as the development of abstract thought (although there is a concrete thought under stress situations); and a better understanding of the consequences of actions, along with a special concern for himself.
body image development.
Development of impractical or unlikely projects.
Important feeling of empowerment.

Social factors associated with this phase of life

Added to all of the above is the fact that, although adolescence can be considered a period that all people go through, its specific development and its concrete characteristics may vary according to the cultural elements that surround it.

Thus, there are historical and social factors that can affect adolescence being experienced in one way by some people, and very different ways by other people.

These elements can be, for example, the social changes produced by globalization, in where there is a demand for cultural exchange while accentuating polarities socioeconomic.

Another element is the modernization and rapid technological development that social relations and the very identity construction of adolescents; an issue to which is added the increase in life expectancy and, therefore, a possible prolongation of this stage of development.

Finally, due to the gap in knowledge and practices between generations, the aspirations of adolescence tend to be different from family expectations and even from the educational system, which in turn generates new communication needs of links.

Bibliographic references:

Stages of Adolescent Development (2010). World Health Organization. Retrieved August 28, 2018. Available in http://apps.who.int/adolescent/second-decade/section/section_2/level2_2.php
Krauskopoff, D. (1999). Psychological development in adolescence: transformations in a time of change. Adolescence and Health, 1(2): Online Version. Retrieved August 28, 2018. Available in http://www.scielo.sa.cr/scielo.php? script=sci_arttext&pid=S1409-41851999000200004