Poverty and the Development of Adolescence Research Paper

Poverty and the Development of Adolescence - Research Paper Example The current study examines the previous research studies on four domains of adolescence development namely, physical, cognitive, social and emotional with special emphasis on household poverty. The specific objectives of the current study are to identify the concepts which are useful for measuring poverty and adolescent development and their association to investigate the impact of poverty on four domains of adolescent development. The paper is organized as follows. The first chapter presents the models, indicators and statistical concepts useful for measuring the household poverty level, adolescence development processes and the factors which influence the adolescence development. Second chapter on literature review describes the physical, cognitive, social and emotional development of the adolescents in poor families by reviewing the literature. Finally the conclusions are drawn relevant to adolescent development and poverty. Concepts The distinguished physical developmental charac teristics such as development of breasts for girls and the deepened voices and broadened shoulders for boys are probably the most prominent characteristics of the adolescent development. ... In the proceeding chapter, these domains are discussed in detail with reference to relevant research literature. Literature Review Physical Development The lower socio economic status in the family can result in impaired development and poorer health of children and increased mortality and morbidity of adults (Emerson et al., 2005). Purchasing power of the poor families is low. Limited access to foods and nutrients is a common problem faced by the third world countries. It is also well established that social support and health beliefs play an important role in physical activity level of the adolescence. These have been recorded as inadequate even among the poor youth in the USA (Debbie et al. 2008). In the US more than 25 percentage proportion of the adolescents are also overweight. More than 11 percentage proportion of the adolescents are obese which cause long term physical and mental health consequences in individuals. Wickrama et al. 2006, revealed that poverty, single parenthoo d and most of the racial minority statuses (African American, Hispanic American, and Native American racial/ethnic groups) are positively associated with obesity and overweight among adolescents in the USA. Asian American status however was found negatively correlated with these health problems. Emerson et al. 2005, used the statistics of National Statistics survey of the mental health of children and adolescents in Great Britain to study the health status of the adolescents and household income. Sample consisted of 10,438 children between the ages of 5 and 15. In the above study the physical development of the adolescents were measured in terms of nine categories namely, current

Abrasive Consultant Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Abrasive Consultant - Essay Example Peter Drucker was of the opinion that â€Å"We know nothing about motivation. All we can do is write books about it.† (Spillane and Martin, 2005, pg. 46). Although Drucker had a rather hopeless view on the subject, from a psychological perspective it is possible to conjecture about an individual’s agendas. To consider the possible reasons for Julia’s behavior, we must first analyze her personality type. An abrasive personality is one that annoys others and causes hostility as a result. The dictionary meaning also lists synonyms that include ‘overly aggressive’. Abrasive behavior that is erratic, resulting in heightened conflict, the blame game, ambiguity, overt contempt, and defensiveness is typically seen as an outward symptom of hidden feelings of inadequacy and fear. In addition, there is a self-generated environment which, according to theorists, is another complex layer in the relationship between human behavior and environment. The concept post ulates a particular type of behavior produces conditions that affect future behavior. For instance, individuals who have abrasive personalities, contribute to the creation of a social environment that is hostile, leading to further aggression from them. This is a self-perpetuating cycle sustained by the aggressive individual. Granted the state of a parent’s health can be an emotional issue, but Julia could easily have made a few calls herself to verify her mother’s health. This lapse and her subsequent rant at Cathy at the office indicate a tendency toward manipulative behavior, either conscious or subconscious. Cathy’s feelings of guilt are a direct result of her being emotionally blackmailed by Julia into feeling guilty. This manipulation results in a role reversal, where Julia, who in actuality has a subordinate position, assumes a dominant role, forcing Cathy into a subservient one. Indeed, Julia may derive a secret pleasure from this short-lived but repeate d forced reversal and dominance. It also results in the vital issue of client dissatisfaction not being addressed, again, due to the manipulative tactics Julia may have adopted to avoid being warned.