Puberty is one of the important stages of development.

1. Dr. Purshottam
Assistant Professor (Guest Faculty)
Department of Social Work,
KUK

2.  Puberty is the period in the developmental
span when the child changes from an
asexual to a sexual being.
 Aristotle wrote:- for the most part males
begin to produce sperm when 14 years have
been completed. At the same time pubic hair
begins to appear.. At the same time in
females a swelling of breasts begins and
menses begins to flow…

3.  Puberty is an overlapping period because
it includes the closing years of childhood and
the beginning years of adolescence.
 Puberty is a short period, lasting from 2 to
4 years. Girls, as a group, tend to mature
more rapidly than boys.
 Puberty is divided into stages, the
prepubescent stage, pubescent stage and
post pubescent stage..

4.  Puberty is a time of rapid growth and
change. The rapid changes that take place
during puberty lead to confusion, to feelings
of inadequacy and insecurity, and in many
cases to unfavorable behavior. During this
period child experiences changes in body,
changes attitude toward sex and the
opposite sex, changed parent- child
relationship..etc..
 Puberty is negative phase
 Puberty occurs at a variable age

5.  Changes in body size, in terms of height
and weight.
 Changes in body proportions, particularly
appears in nose, feet and hands. Broadness
of hips and shoulder.
 Primary sex characteristics, development
of sex organs
 Secondary sex characteristics, physical
features, hair, muscles, hips , breasts, voice,
skin etc…

6.  Effects on physical well- being, (girls)
headaches, backaches, cramps and
abdominal pain, depression, vomiting,
discomfort with looks..
 Effects on attitude and behavior, desire for
isolation, social antagonism, anger,
moodiness, loss of self confidence.

7.  Physical hazards: imbalanced hormonal
growth,
 Psychological hazards: unfavorable
conditions, lack of preparation for puberty
changes, acceptance of changed bodies,
acceptance for approved sex roles…

9.  The term adolescence has a broader
meaning. It includes mental, emotional,
and social maturity as well as physical
maturity.
 Beginning when children become sexually
mature and ending when they reach the
age of legal maturity.

10.  Adolescence literally means ‘to grow to
maturity’.
 It is an intermediary stage between
childhood and adulthood characteristically
possessing qualities of both stages, although
not fully either of them.
 The age range is from 13-19 years.
 It is the threshold to adulthood.

11.  There are rapid physical changes taking
place including sexual maturity which is
attained during adolescence.
 Adolescence is a crucial stage for the person
and it encounters problems of different kinds.
 Adolescents are very sensitive.
 Adolescence is the period of change.
 Adolescence is a time of search for identity.

12.  Coming to terms with ones own body and
accepting the changes.
 Achieving new and more mature relations
with age mates of both sexes.
 Selecting and training for career.
 Desiring, accepting and achieving socially
responsible behaviour.
 Achieving emotional and economic
independence.
 Gaining self identity.

13.  Recreational interests- games and sports,
relaxing, traveling, dancing, movies, television &
radio, day dreaming..
 Social interests- parties, drinking, drugs,
conversations, helping others, world affairs,
criticism and reform…
 Personal interests- interest in appearance,
interest in clothes, interest in achievements,
interest in independence, interest in money…
 Educational interests, religious interests,

14.  Physical hazards: While illness rates may be
low, accidents and conflicts leading to suicide
are high..
 The major psychological hazards of
adolescence center around the failure to make
the psychological transitions to maturity that
constitute the important developmental tasks of
adolescence.
 Sexual behavior; premarital pregnancy,
rejection of the socially approved sex role..
 Family relationships, moral behaivor..