Puberty is characterized by both physical and cognitive development of the adolescent. These changes may have a significant impact on the teen’s relationships and sexuality. Consider the case of Lucas, a young male in his teen years. Since his childhood, Lucas has developed a secure emotional attachment to his parents. Also, Lucas is dependent on his parents to provide his necessities and has never been hesitant to make known his needs to them. His relationships have been limited to other male peers for as long as his parents can recall. However, the parents are concerned that in the past couple of months, Lucas behavior seems to be changing, and he is now emotionally distanced from them. He is more focused on social interactions with a particular interest in heterosexual friends. The reorganization of friendships and the increased interest in the opposite sex can be explained by Lucas physical development.
Lucas is in his adolescence years, which are characterized by both physical and cognitive development. Some of the physical changes in Lucas' body include an increase in body size, deepening of the voice, and the enlargement of the scrotum and the penis. Also, Lucas may realize that there is a growth of hair in his private parts and probable his chin. Eventually, the sexual organs become fully developed, and he starts to have erections and nocturnal while sleeping. These physical developments are brought about by hormonal changes that occur in the body during puberty.
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Lucas may tend to fantasize about sexual things and this may impact his sexuality. His interest in heterosexual friendships is to give him a chance to explore his sexuality and probably engage in sexual activities such as kissing and intercourse to satisfy his sexual urges. Lucas gets into love relationships and impulsive sexual behavior, which may lead to risky sexual activities (Baams, Dubas, Overbeek, & Van Aken, 2015). The physical development may also make Lucas explore a level of dependence where he feels he can make decisions and face responsibilities on his own. This results in the emotional distance with his parents, and he may spend more time with his peers, unlike in the past. Lucas may tend to get into arguments with his mother more often than with his father. He feels more masculine and in the capacity to act as his father around the house.
The culture in which Lucas was brought up upholds independence, especially for men. Men are considered to be the family leaders and breadwinners; thus, they must show high levels of responsibility and commitment to their families. Also, the culture allows teens to take up duties such as part-time jobs while still in school, which makes the young people independent at an early age. This could be the reason why Lucas seeks to be independent at an early age and feels that he is a man enough to take up masculine responsibilities.
Culture can have a significant impact on the development of an adolescent. The cultural setup in which a teen is brought up may influence among other their self-esteem, their moral behavior, and also their sexuality (Seiffge-Krenke, Persike, et al., 2018). For instance, Hispanic culture upholds self-esteem, and children are trained to stand up for themselves when the need arises. This makes the adolescents strong-willed and arrogant and may often lead to the prevalence of their risk-taking behavior. Culture also determines how parents shape the thinking and behavior patterns of their children. This has a significant impact on the social behavior of the child as he or she approaches puberty.
References
Baams, L., Dubas, J. S., Overbeek, G., & Van Aken, M. A. (2015). Transitions in body and behavior: A meta-analytic study on the relationship between pubertal development and adolescent sexual behavior. Journal of Adolescent Health, 56(6), 586-598.
Seiffge-Krenke, I., Persike, M., Besevegis, E., Chau, C., Karaman, N. G., Lannegrand-Willems, L., ... & Rohail, I. (2018). Culture beats gender? The importance of controlling for identity-and parenting-related risk factors in adolescent psychopathology. Journal of adolescence, 63, 194-208.
