UNIT 7 – Young Adulthood Chapter - 10

UNIT 7 – Young AdulthoodChapter - 10 Michelle Fischer, ACSW, LSW, MSWHN144

GOOD NEWS!! • No quiz this week! • Let’s take a quick look at the directions for your project this week.

Eco-Map Project Details • An eco-map is a graphic visual that illustrates the systems in a person’s life that influence their behavior. • There are sample eco-maps on pages 623-624 of your text.

Take a look at the example in your book • Create an eco-map for Luis Perez. • Be sure to include all systems and influences that affect his behavior. • In addition to filling in the circles, be sure to add lines that signify the strength of the relationship between Luis and each system (see example on page 623)

A few tips: • I don’t care what shapes, colors, etc. you use. PLEASE make sure to include a key so that I know what everything means! • Remember, the only thing you write in each circle is the name of the person, place, or thing that affects Luis’ behavior. You will have the opportunity to explain those systems in your final project (Unit 9).

Young Adulthood (22-34 years old): • Theories of adulthood • Transition involves reaching maturity, leaving home, new responsibilities, and other major life changes • Focus on intimate and social relationships with others

Erikson’s stage: Intimacy vs. Isolation • What does that mean????

Intimacy refers to the ability to share one’s true self (good and bad) • Involves taking risks, sharing things about yourself • Those who cannot effectively resolve the tasks of intimacy are often left to isolation

Developmental Tasks: • Two critical developmental tasks: • economic independence & independent decision-making • How does the economy impact this stage?

Is young adulthood defined by age or by social and economic factors? • Young adults are getting married an average of 4 yrs later than 30 yrs ago (25 for women, 27-men) • Many young adults are living at home with parents • Have they entered adulthood or are they in an extended period of adolescence? • What does/did your young adulthood look like?

Emerging adulthood (Arnett 2000, 2004): • A distinct stage of development that is neither adolescence nor young adulthood • Characterized by a period of transition into adult roles, but constitutes a distinct period of the life course that emphasizes change & exploration of possibilities • Those emerging into adulthood do not see themselves as adolescents or entirely as adults but as somewhere in between

Daniel Levinson’s theory of adult development • Young adulthood (ages 17-33 years old) • Focus on choices of love, occupation, friendship, values and lifestyle • Novice phase of development – primary task is to move into adult world and build stable life structure

Levinson’s eight stages of adult development • 17-22: Leave adolescence; make preliminary choices for adult life • 22-28: Initial choices in love, occupation, friendship, values, lifestyle • 28-33: Change in life structure, either a moderate change or, more often, a severe & stressful crisis • 33-40: Establish a niche in society; progress on a timetable, both in family & career accomplishments

Levinson… • 40-45: Life structure comes into question; usually a time of crisis in the meaning, direction and value of each person’s life; neglected parts of the self (talents, desires, aspirations) seek expression; mid-life crisis? • 45-50: Choices must be made & new life structure formed; the person must commit to new tasks • 50-55: Further questioning & modification of the life structure; men who did not have a crisis at age 40 are likely to have one now • 55-60: Build a new life structure; can be a time of great fulfillment

Biophysical strengths • Physical performance is usually the strongest during early 20’s • Young adulthood is a good time for individuals to develop health-conscious behavior patterns • This stage is the best period for a woman to become pregnant • Biophysical hazards • Poor men of color have worst health, especially African American men (e.g., stress and smoking) • One of the strongest determinants of health is socioeconomic status (SES) • Cultural beliefs, such as masculinity, can impact on health

Styles of Communication • True or false? • Women have much greater level of intimate communication with each other than men do • True or false? • Studies have found that most of the women and few of the men report lack of communication as a major reason for divorce

Communication… • True or false? • Men are socialized to see the social world as hierarchical, and thus approach conversations as negotiations for achieving the upper hand • True or false? • Women are socialized to see the social world as a community and to focus on their connections with other people, and thus approach conversations as negotiations for closeness and to reach consensus

Communication. . . • Boys’ and girls’ sports behaviors-boys search for 1 or 2 leaders; girls play in leaderless manner • Boys committed to looking good; girls search for common ground • Boys refuse to say, “I’m sorry”, but girls say, “I’m sorry as an expression of empathy • Preschool-boys fought to pursue own interests; girls balance their interests with others-verbal negotiation

Miscommunication… Deborah Tannen believed that gender differences in communication are often the source of much frustration and anger between men and women. What happens? Men and women often don’t understand each other. Many people believe that men and women speak different languages – but they don’t! It is mostly a matter of misunderstanding that emerge from HOW we learn to communicate throughout life.

Psychological Hazards • Young adult years are one of the most difficult periods in a person’s life. Their decisions have a great impact on their life’s trajectory • Growing and major responsibilities can create stress and problems • Many become frustrated when inadequately prepared for the life challenges they now face • Such frustrations & immense responsibilities often cause psychological problems, such as mental illness

Parenting • Gay and Lesbian Parents • Stay-at-home fathers • Voluntary Childlessness • Infertility • Adoption • Parenting a physically or mentally challenged child • Divorce-1/4 of American children come from divorced households

Depression in Young Adulthood • Depression is a common psychological hazard among young people • A growing number of college students are suffering from depression – from 7% in 1992 to 18% in 2001 (Kluger, 2003) • Many students rely on medical solutions, such as antidepressants, which may hinder their ability to develop critical coping skills • Women experience high rates of depression – 70% of all reported cases

Serious Mental Illness (SMI) • Many major mental illnesses become evident in late adolescence and early adulthood • Schizophrenia is a prominent thought disorder that includes delusions, inappropriate affect, and disorganized speech • Heredity is major factor in developing disorder • 45% chance for identical twin or offspring of two persons with disorder; 15% for fraternal twin or offspring of one person with disorder; 10% for a sibling; 4% for nephew or niece

Schizophrenia • People who suffer from schizophrenia can be grouped into three broad categories • Those treated successfully with a full recovery • Those in partial recovery leading a reasonably normal life • Those with little or no recovery having repeated hospitalizations • Four factors that promise for recovery • Sudden rather than gradual onset • Onset that occurs at a later age • Good social and work environment before onset • Informal support system within the patient’s family

Managed Care Systems • Cost-containing system of health care administration • Leaves the most vulnerable of populations-poor, elderly, people of color, women and children at risk; these populations often selected out of managed care due to their high risk status (poor nutrition, inadequate income, lack of prenatal care, substandard housing, minimal preventative care) • What can human service workers do?

Managed Care, Cont. • Physicians could make better use of their time by referring clients to social workers (issues related to family, resources, mental health, behavioral problems, medical non-compliance, children, older adults, and those diagnosed with mental retardation • Human service workers can provide assessments and screenings, case management, counseling, and refer to services

Multicultural Considerations • Native Americans: Many of their unique problems stem from a history of discrimination, broken treaties & prejudice. Poor academic attainments (only 57% are high school graduates). Extremely high unemployment rates. Language problems have affected progress. Stereotypes promoted by television and movies • African Americans: Dialect differences have challenged them. The stereotype of the “violent black” is influencing their social progress. Poor academic progress and lack of social progress. Social conditions that are detrimental to self-improvement like discrimination, racism and lack of opportunities.

Multicultural Considerations • Asian Americans: Language problems have been a challenge. The “model minority” stereotype. With acculturation, family roles & expectations can conflict with the white American culture. Value changes in family relationships can lead to a schism between younger and older generations. • Hispanic Americans Language problems are critical because many Hispanics speak only Spanish. Poor academic progress and lack of social progress. Improvement in middle-paying & high-paying jobs. Lack of appropriate skills for coping in the dominant white society & with discrimination & prejudice.

Multicultural Considerations • What prejudices do you see in your own communities? • What can human service professionals do to improve the quality of life for ethnic groups?

There is a lot more to this chapter but we don’t have enough time to cover all of it. • Any thoughts, questions, comments on what we went over today? • Don’t forget that your project is due at the end of this unit.

UNIT 7 – Young Adulthood Chapter - 10