2. Auntie Somuah has been
giving her daughter Titi cold
shoulder. Of late Titi has
refused to listen to her and
proving stubborn.
Adolescent Health and Development Series Understanding adolescents’ new thinking skills
COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT IN ADOLESCENCE
Titi, leave me
alone, I am
very busy
Ooh!
Mummy,
I just want
to talk to
you
3. Titi is worried that her mum is
giving her silent treatment and
has confided in you to
intervene. She wants you to
speak to her mum on her behalf
Adolescent Health and Development Series Understanding adolescents’ new thinking skills
COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT IN ADOLESCENCE
Calm down
everything
will be fine.
Take a seat
Please auntie,
help me
My mum won’t
talk to me
4. • Before you engage Auntie
Somuah you should note
some basic things about
cognitive development in
adolescents which
underscores Titi’s recent
behaviour.
• You should be able to explain
the areas of cognitive
development in the
adolescent and
• Arm yourself with knowledge
on how to help Auntie
Somuah and Titi to
understand each other
Adolescent Health and Development Series Understanding adolescents’ new thinking skills
COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT IN ADOLESCENCE
Don’t worry
I will see her
this evening
for a
discussion
I need you to
speak to my
mum on my
behalf
5. • In adolescence, cognitive
development occurs in three main
areas.
• First, young people strengthen their
advanced reasoning skills, which
includes thinking about various
alternatives and possibilities.
• This implies that young people
develop the ability to examine the
choices they are confronted with
and they select the preferred choice
based on the information they have
received.
• Providing accurate information to
them will enable them make the right
choices regarding their health and
behaviour.
Adolescent Health and Development Series Understanding adolescents’ new thinking skills
COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT IN ADOLESCENCE
Wow this is
tempting,
but I’ve been
advised against
drinking alcohol
6. • Second, adolescents start to
develop abstract thinking skills,
meaning they think about things that
cannot be seen, heard, or touched.
• Abstract thought allows one to think
about faith, love, trust, beliefs and
spirituality, as well as higher
mathematics.
Adolescent Health and Development Series Understanding adolescents’ new thinking skills
COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT IN ADOLESCENCE
What is love?
Does doing good
have any
reward?
7. Adolescent Health and Development Series
• Thirdly, adolescents become aware and understand their
own thought process. This is known as metacognition or
introspection which is the ability to reflect on our own
thoughts and behaviours.
• It also involves being able to think about how one is
perceived by others
• Metacognitive abilities during early adolescence drives
independent decision making, in that it allows
adolescents to ignore misleading advice but take on
helpful advice from others.
METACOGNITION
INTROSPECTION
INDEPENDENT
DECISION MAKING
Understanding adolescents’ new thinking skills
8. • It also means that adolescents
want to be trusted to make good
decisions with helpful guidance
from us
Adolescent Health and Development Series Understanding adolescents’ new thinking skills
COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT IN ADOLESCENCE
Don’t worry dad,
I’m wiser now I
know what to do
Stay away
from girls.
Study Hard
9. Before we move on to help Auntie
Somuah and Titi let’s recap some of
the things we have learnt so far by
answering the following questions
Adolescent Health and Development Series
10. 1. In adolescence, cognitive development occurs in …main
areas.
a. One
b. Two
c. Three
d. Four
2. The three areas of cognitive development include:
a. Advanced reasoning skills, sensitivity, consciousness
b. Advanced reasoning, psych-consciousness,
metacognition
c. Metacognition, advanced reasoning skills, abstract
thinking
d. Introspection, abstract thinking, psych-
consciousness
Adolescent Health and Development Series Understanding adolescents’ new thinking skills
Multiple choice
• ….skills allow adolescents to think about the
unseen
a. Metacognition
b. Abstract thinking
c. Advanced reasoning
• ….skills gives the ability to examine
alternatives and make a choice
a. Metacognition
b. Abstract thinking
c. Advanced reasoning
• ….drives independent decision making
a. Metacognition
b. Abstract thinking
c. Advanced reasoning
