Moodiness in Adolescence Marie Grano

2. My inquiry question is, “what sparks moodiness among adolescents?” There are psychological, biological, and social factors that affect moodiness in adolescents. I chose to observe at Kenwood Mall to explore teenagers interactions and behaviors. I noticed tension between teenagers, and between parents and teenagers. I also referenced the “Lifespan and Development” textbook to explore the multiple factors that go into adolescent moodiness. Professional Implications Recognizing the factors and changes that go into developing adolescents moodiness. Factors may include hormones, higher peeks and lows of emotional experience, and pubertal timing. Moodiness in Adolescence Marie Grano Methods “Negative events increased steadily from childhood to adolescence, and teenagers also seemed o react to them with greater emotion than children.” (289) “Low points of adolescents’ days tended to occur in adult-structured settings- class, job, and religious services. High points were times spent with peers and coincided with Friday and Saturday evenings.” (289) “Children and adolescents subjected to psychological control exhibit adjustment problems involving anxious, moody, withdrawn, and aggressive behaviors”(216). Background Literature Moodiness in adolescents is largely correlated with body image. Kid's who are not as comfortable with how they look are going to have a negative outlook of themselves which triggers impulsive behavior and moodiness. The way kid's are raised, their parents, gender, and when they reach puberty all contribute to the amount of anxiety and moodiness an adolescent will experience. It is also more likely for girls to experience a negative body image than boys. After puberty is seems that suddenly adolescents are constantly being dealing with conflicts surrounding body-image and their perception of themselves. Why I Chose This Topic I am interested in adolescent moodiness because I experience it in my everyday life. I think it is interesting to learn about the different factors that contribute to moodiness and may eventually lead to more severe disorders such as eating disorders, or depression. Results At Kenwood all I observed interactions between adolescents and parents. At a women’s clothing store I observed authoritarian parenting, a mother picking out clothes for her daughter to try on and yelling across the store at her daughter. She made several blunt comments as to what clothing she believed her daughter would look best in, and her daughter seemed embarrassed. I noticed that girls who were shopping together in groups often times dressed and walked in similar ways. The text also references several factors that can contribute to moodiness, teens tend to experience major high points and low points everyday. Also, higher pubertal hormones contribute to a greater amount of moodiness. References Pletsch, P. K., Johnson, M. K., Tosi, C. B., Thurston, C. A., & Riesch, S. K. (1991). Self-Image Among Early Adolescents: Revisited. Journal Of Community Health Nursing, 8(4), 215. Beck, L. E. (2010). Lifespan Development. Boston, MA: Pearson Education