2- Perspectives of Adolescence

Two interviews were conducted with major age differences (male of the age 28 and a female of the age 18).
1. You must compare and contrast the perspectives and experiences of the interviewees (an adult and an adolescent).

2. The next part requires you to discuss the similarities and differences between your (write in a female’s perspective but feel free to truly reflect on your adolescent years) experience and those of the individuals that were interviewed.

3. And lastly discuss what you have learned from these interviews overall. Were there any answers that surprised you? Do you notice any trends? Do you think there are major generational differences in the adolescent experience? How do the experiences from those interviewed compare with your own experiences? How do these tie in with or confirm the things you have learned about in this course? The paper must be in APA 7th style and in first-person language.Perspectives of Adolescence Paper Instructions and Guidelines
Adolescence is a time of discovery and challenges, friendships, and strong emotions. Every teen’s experience during these exciting years is unique. The more we reflect on our own experiences the more we will learn about ourselves and others. To meet the requirements of this assignment you are to write a comprehensive paper that explores and applies various aspects and perspectives of the adolescent experience. You must follow the steps below:
Step 1:
Use the interview forms below as guides to:
1. (a) Interview a parent/guardian of a teenager (aged 13-19)
OR
(b) Interview an adult (aged 25 or older)
2. Interview a teenager (aged 13-19) Note: If under 18, you must get their parent’s permission
3. Self-reflect by considering your own experience as a teenager
Step 2:
A. After looking at your two interviews, write a paper that compares and contrasts the perspectives and experiences of the parent/adult and teenager you interview with your own
B. Within your paper, please discuss:
1. The similarities and differences between your experience and those of the individuals you interview
2. What you have learned from these interviews overall. Were there any answers that surprised you? Do you notice any trends? Do you think there are major generational differences in the adolescent experience? How do the experiences from those interviewed compare with your own experiences? How do these tie in with or confirm the things you have learned about in this course?
Paper Guidelines:
• Maximum 8 pages (NOTE: this is a maximum expectation, there is no minimum, however, you must address each of the required components
➢ Title page is not required: write the title of the paper and your name on the top of the first page
• 11- or 12-pt font
• Double-spaced
• Times New Roman or Arial font
• 1” margins on all sides
• Use first-person language and appropriate pronouns (e.g., I, me, my, he/she, they, etc.)
• It is not required, BUT if you use any outside materials, you must appropriately cite using APA 7th style and formatting (see course syllabus for more information)
➢ If you cite sources, you MUST include a References page
Parent Interview

STEP 1: Interview an adult, at least above age 25, about an adolescent. Ask this person to reflect on their adolescent years and to describe a typical day in detail. What did they do? Who were they with? Was there something else they wished they could be doing? What was expected of them? What were their dreams for the future? Prompt the person to describe what is/was going on in their culture around the time of their adolescence.

Parent Interviewee’s pseudonym (fake name): Mike
Age: 28 Sex/Gender: Male Date Interviewed:

Answer yes or no to the following questions:

Adolescents should spend more time in school. ☐ Yes ☐ No
Additional notes, if any: Not necessarily unless its afterschool extracurricular activities. I feel like school trains people for work, but activities keep teens from doing questionable things that’ll lead them to trouble.

Yes
Adolescents should have to work for their extra money. ☐ Yes ☐ No
Additional notes, if any: Yes, adolescents should work for extra money.

Yes
Adolescents should be required to do volunteer community service. ☐ Yes ☐ No
Additional notes, if any: Yes, teens should do community service. You get to experience giving back to the community and the reaction is rewarding (knowing you made a difference in someone who’s less fortunate life).

Yes
Adolescents should spend two years in the military before they go to college or begin working. ☐ Yes ☐ No
Additional notes, if any: Not at all unless it’s their choice

No
Most adolescents are sexually active. ☐ Yes ☐ No
Additional notes, if any: Yes, during my time there were teens that were pregnant, and some were even in prostitution. The motive behind “moving fast” was because of peer pressure (whether their friends would encourage others to engage in sexual activities and even drugs).

Yes
Adolescents should be given birth control to prevent unwanted pregnancies. ☐ Yes ☐ No
Additional notes, if any: Yes, even in middle school teens were pregnant so definitely.

Yes
Adolescents account for most of the crime in my community. ☐ Yes ☐ No
Additional notes, if any: Yes, as a teen in order to build your “reputation” you have to start young. So, adolescents often indulge in crimes to make a name for themselves.

Yes
Most adolescents waste a lot of time. ☐ Yes ☐ No
Additional notes, if any: Some do, but my friends and I were more focused on playing sports like football, basketball, and track. I feel like those who were more involved into extracurricular activities avoided a lot trouble than those who did not.

No
Most adolescents are careless drivers. ☐ Yes ☐ No
Additional notes, if any: Yes
Most teens tend to do a lot of reckless things while driving (texting, drinking, etc.) and lose their attention.

I remember adolescence as the best time of my life. ☐ Yes ☐ No
Additional notes, if any:

Many adolescents use drugs. ☐ Yes ☐ No
Additional notes, if any: Definitely, they have open access to drugs. Some grew up with their family members using drugs,

Yes
Adolescents just delay growing up by going to college. ☐ Yes ☐ No
Additional notes, if any: I graduated from college and don’t believe college delay any growth. For anything college was filled with many experiences that changed my life.

No

Ask the following questions:

At what age do you think adolescents should be allowed to drink alcoholic beverages? Why?
I believe 18 should be the age for adolescents should be allowed to drink alcoholic beverages. If you can be old enough to serve your country you should be old enough to drink.

Do you think that adolescence is harder or easier than when you were that age?
Much more easier, teens don’t have to pay bills or work as hard as I did growing up in my day. I was pretty much on my own growing up. I had to work for pretty much everything and be the man of the household (I grew up in a single parent household, my father lived in another state).

What advice would you give to your 16-year old self?
I would of told myself to focus more on the future and to actually set a goal for my profession and plan towards that goal (instead of living day by day).

STEP 2: Interview an adolescent or teenager between the ages of 13-19, with permission from them (and their parent/guardian if younger than 18).

Adolescent Interviewee’s pseudonym (fake name): Rajon
Age: 18 Sex/Gender: Female Grade/education level: Highschool/college
Date Interviewed:

Answer yes or no to the following questions:

Should teens have to work for the things they want? ☐ Yes ☐ No
Additional notes, if any: Teens should work for what they want. Nothing in life is given to you for free you must earn it or you’ll not value the time/ work it took to achieve what you want.

Yes
Should teens be required to do volunteer community service? ☐ Yes ☐ No
Additional notes, if any: I don’t think teens should be required to do community service but be heavily influenced to volunteer. For instance, be surrounded by those who volunteer to encourage them to ‘want’ to devote their time and volunteer. Yes/no

Have you ever been bullied? ☐ Yes ☐ No
Additional notes, if any: In elementary school, I was bullied not physically but mentally. There was a popular group at my school and at the time I was more of a follower and cared about others’ opinions. I was only trying to “fit in”.

Yes
Adolescents should spend two years in the military before they go to college or begin working. ☐ Yes ☐ No
Additional notes, if any: I have a friend in the military and hear what all they go through (which makes me have so much respect for them). However, spending time in the military should be a choice.

No
What is an appropriate age to become sexually active? ☐ Yes ☐ No
Additional notes, if any: Not in the teen age, the consequence of becoming sexually active is priceless. And I believe no teen especially at a young age should have to “grow up” and risk not enjoying their teen life. I had my child last year and although I don’t regret it, I do wish I wasn’t so careless and should have been more careful.

When the person is stable (not in teen years)
Should teens have free access to birth control? ☐ Yes ☐ No
Additional notes, if any: Teens should have free access to birth control. Especially if they feel like its needed (everyone knows themselves more than anyone else).

Yes
Adolescents account for most of the crime in my community. ☐ Yes ☐ No
Additional notes, if any: I’m not completely sure.

Do you think that teens account for most of the crime in your community? ☐ Yes ☐ No
Additional notes, if any: I don’t believe most of the crimes committed in my community are done by adolescents.

No
Do you think most teens are careless drivers? ☐ Yes ☐ No
Additional notes, if any: When alcohol is involved, yes, teens can become careless drivers.

Yes
Do you feel this is the best time of your life? ☐ Yes ☐ No
Additional notes, if any: Of course, this is the best time of my life.

Yes
Have you ever skipped class? ☐ Yes ☐ No
Additional notes, if any: Yes but for the classes that didn’t matter. In our school 2nd period was the only class for attendance to be counted for the day, but my assignments were always completed (but that was before Covid).

Yes
Have you ever snuck out of the house? ☐ Yes ☐ No
Additional notes, if any: A couple of times whenever my mom wouldn’t let me go to a party with my friends. Or after an argument with my mom I would go stay with a friend until things got better.

Yes

Ask the following questions:

Whom do you turn to for advice?
For advice, I’m very close with my mother and sister, but sometimes I would turn to my aunt if I need some advice (only if I don’t feel like talking to my mother and sister).

What law is your peer group most likely to break?
Honestly, underage drinking and smoking. I know some who don’t even have their license and still allowed to drive.

What goals do you have for your education?
I would like to continue with my education and go to a university. Right now, I’ve decided to go to a community college and then transfer to a college of my choice simply because it’s less expensive and I’m currently working.

At what age do you think people should be allowed to drink alcoholic beverages? Why?
I feel like 20 should be the legal age for people to drink. I know the mind is still developing and all even around the age 18 but it’s still out of the teenage years.

Do you think that adolescence is harder or easier than when your parents were your age? Why?
I feel like its much easier. I heard a lot of stories about how my parents grew up with much more responsibilities teens during this time “have it easy” from my parents.

HLT 3304 | Child and Adolescent Health Issues | 6
Perspectives of Adolescence Paper Grading Rubric

Criteria Needs Improvement
[1] Fair [2] Strong
[3] Excellent
[4] FOCUS
The single controlling Point made with an awareness of task about a specific topic Little or no synthesis or reflection on learning, no or few details to support
reflection Does not go deeply into the reflection of learning; generalizations and limited insight; uses some detail Relates learning with personal and general reflections; uses concrete language Shows great depth of knowledge and learning, reveals feelings and thoughts, abstract ideas reflected through use of specific details
CONTENT
The presence of ideas developed through facts, examples, anecdotes, details, opinions, statistics, reasons, and/or explanations Superficial and/or minimal content Limited content with inadequate elaboration or explanation Sufficiently developed content with adequate
elaboration or explanation Substantial, specific, and/or illustrative content demonstrating strong development and sophisticated ideas
ORGANIZATION
The order developed and sustained within and across paragraphs using transitional devices and including introduction and conclusion Minimal control of content arrangement Confused or inconsistent arrangement of content with or without attempts at transition Functional arrangement of content that sustains a logical order with some evidence of transitions Sophisticated arrangement of content with evident and/or subtle transitions
STYLE
The choice, use, and arrangement of words and sentence structure that create tone and voice Minimal variety in word choice and minimal control of sentence structures Limited word choice and control of sentence structures that inhibit voice and tone Generic use of a variety of words and sentence structures that may or may not create writer’s voice and tone appropriate to audience Precise, illustrative use of a variety of words and sentence structures to create consistent writer’s voice and tone appropriate to audience
CONVENTIONS
Grammar, mechanics, spelling, usage, and sentence formation Minimal control of grammar, mechanics, spelling, usage, and sentence formation Limited control of grammar, mechanics, spelling, usage, and sentence formation Sufficient control of grammar, mechanics, spelling, usage, and sentence formation Evident control of grammar, mechanics, spelling, usage, and sentence formation