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AdolescencevsAdolescent

BriannaBallardSchlichte

Backgroundinformation
ChildsAge:18
ChildsFakeName:Bailee
Location:TractorSupplyCo.breakroom
BriefDescription:Thisisaconclusionessaywrittenafteraninterview
observationwithBaileewhileonherbreakatherjob.Thequestions
andanswersarebasedonheradolescentbiological,cognitiveand
psychosocialdevelopment.Thepurposeofthisinterviewandessayisto
getalookintothepresentlifeofanadolescentandconnectitbackto
whatIhavelearnedinthecorrespondingchaptersinmyFamilyand
HumanStudiescoursetextbook.

Biological:
AftergettingtoknowBaileealittlemorefromthefirst
partoftheinterview(cognitiveandpsychosocialquestions)Ifelt
comfortableaskingheraboutherbiologicaldevelopment.Shewasvery
opentoansweringmyquestions.IlearnedthatBaileewasanearly
bloomerShehadearlybreastdevelopmentcomparedtoherfriendsand
peers.Shedevelopedquicklythesummerbeforeherfirstperiod.Her
periodbeganthefollowingwinter.Shesaidshewasteasedacouple
timesaboutbeingflatbutwasoneofthefirsttogetboobs.Ifollowedup
withaskingherhowdevelopingbreastsearlierthanothersaffectedher.
Shesaidthatthiswarrantedheralotofunwantedattention,mostlyfrom
boys.Shealsorodethebus,Itputmeonawholenewlevelof
vulnerabilityBaileesaid.Baileeendedupgettingabreastreductionin
highschool.Herearlybreastdevelopmentaffectedhersports
tremendously.Itcausedheralotofbackpain,shesawachiropractor
twiceaweek,andhatedthewaytheylooked.
ThefollowingwinterBaileebeganhermenstrualcycle,in
7thgrade.Shedescribedtheeventasarelief.Shefeltpreparedwhenit
finallystarted.Ifigureditouteasy.Ihappenedtobeintheteacher
bathroomandfoundthepads.Iwassupercalm,infactIfeltgrownup,
explainedBailee.FromwhatIhavelearnedfromthecoursetextbook,
Baileeisphysicallydevelopingverynormallyevenifatthetimeshefelt
liketheonlyonegoingthroughthosechangesbroughtonbypuberty.
Atthispointinourinterviewwegottotalkingabouthow
herperiodhadbecomeirregularinhighschoolandshegavecausetothe
factthatshehad/hasaneatingdisorderthatshehasgivenmepermission
toshareaboutbecauseweagreedwewouldkeepheridentityasecret.
About3timesascommonasanorexiaisbulimianervosa(Berger,
2016,pg.325).Bingingandpurgingisverycommonamong
adolescents.In2013,6.6%ofhighschoolgirlsvomitedortooklaxatives
toloseweight(Berger,2016,Pg.325).Shebeganhereatingdisorderher
junioryearofhighschool.Shehadafriendwhoshowedherwhatshe
didtobethinner.Baileegotcurious.Herparentshadbeengoingthrough
lotsofproblems.So,Baileesaidsheusedthatasawaytogetridofher
problems.Theirproblems.Itbecamehercoppingmechanism.Thiswent
onforabouttwoyears.Onandoff.IDefinitelyhadbodyimageissues,
butithadmoretodowithmyparentsproblems.Thenitjustbecamea
badhabit.Didnteventhinkaboutituntilitwasover,saidBailee.This
lastyear,asshebegancollegeshegotaroommatewhocalledherouton
herdisorder.IalreadywantedhelpsoIfoundasupportgroupthanksto
myroommateexplainedBailee.Shehasnowbecomeamentoriwithin
hersupportgroup.Baileesaysshestillstruggleswithittothisday.

Cognitive:
Baileesroleinhighschoolwasbasedsolelyoffof
whatherfriendsdidfromhermanydifferentfriendgroups.Also,she
admittedtoalmostalwaysgivingintopeerpressure.evenwhenthey
areanalytical,teenagersmightanalyzeasituationandreacha
conclusionotherthantheonetheirparentswould.Teenagersarepeer
acceptingseekers(Berger,2016,PG.337).Baileesaid,Ididntwantto
makepeoplefeellikeIwasjudgingthemorlikeIwaslookingdownon
them,soIgaveintopeerpressure.IthoughtIwasmatureformyage.A
peoplepleaser.Iavoidedawkwardsituationsbygivinginorbeing
neutral.Baileeexplainedthatsheknewwhereshewouldendup,which
wouldbeontheendofsuccess.EventhoughBaileewasveryimpulsive
withherfriendsshemanagedtoalwaysactuallygetalongwithher
friendsparentsbetterthanheractualfriends.
Ifollowedupbyaskingifsheregrettedalotof
things,becauseofherimpulsivenessandpermissiveness.Shesaidno,
exceptonething.Iregretdistancingmyselffrommyfamily.Irelied
100%onmyfriends.IrememberspendingChristmasatfriendshouses
simplybecausemyfamilywasntapriority.Iamstilllearninghowto
makefamilyapriority.Thatleadtomewantingtoknowwhather
greatesttriumphsare.Baileeisveryproudofherathleticandacademic
achievementsfromhighschool.Evenwithallthatwenton,Istilldid
reallywellinschool,sportsandIalwaysstaydrivenBaileeexclaimed!

Psychosocial:
FromtheverybeginningofourconversationBaileewasvery
openwithlettingmeknowthatshewaswillingtoshareallher
adolescentexperienceswithme.So,Iwantedtoknowwhoshe
identifiedwithinhighschool,becausethatisamajorpartofa
teenagerslife.BaileehappenstobewhatIwoulddescribeaswell
roundedandsociallyactive.Sheidentifiedwithseveraldifferentgroups.
Jockstogothstonerds,toteachers.Herreasonforbeingpartofsomany
groupsoffriendswasthatshewasafraidofmissingsomething,ornot
beingapartofsomething.Shedidntmissadayofschool.Bailee
attendedeveryparty,becauseshewantedtomakeeveryonehappyand
tomakesuretheyknewthatshelikedthem.
Hangingoutwithsomanydifferentkindsoffriendswould
requiremanydifferentstandards,soIaskedherwhatherstandardswere.
Baileethenshared,IdidntdothingsonSundays.IknewIwantedto
endupinmychurch.IknewIwouldgrowupandmaturemore.
Chastity.Modest.Buthonestlynoonehadanystandardsondrugsand
alcoholincludingme.ButIalwaysknewitwasntalongtermthing.I
haveanonaddictivepersonality.Mostteenagerstrypsychoactive
drugs,thatis,drugsthatactivatethebrain.Cigarettes,alcoholandmany
prescriptionmedicines(Berger,2016,Pg.376.
IobservedthatfromwhatIknewaboutBaileeIcouldtellshewas
morematurethanmostherage,especiallyduringhighschool.Bailee
sawherselfprettyclearlyandfoundawaytogetalongwithanyone,
ThatswhatIlikedaboutmyself,Icouldmakeandhelpfriends
anywhereIwent.

WorksCited:
Berger,KathleenStassen.InvitationtotheLifeSpan.Thirded.,New
York,NY,Worth,Publishers,2016.

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