CHILD AND ADOLESCENT
DEVELOPMENT

Child and Adolescent
Development
I. Basic Concepts and Issues
of Human Development
II. Developmental Theories
and other relevant
Theories
III. Development of the
Learner at Various Stages

I. Basic Concepts and Issues of
Human Development
Definition:
Human Development is the
pattern of movement or
change that begins at
conception and continues
through the life span. It
includes growth and decline.

1. Development is relatively
orderly.
a. Proximodistal
b. Cephalocaudal
Some major principles of human
development

Cephalo-Caudal
Development
Proximo-distal
Development

2. While pattern of
development is likely to be
similar, the outcomes of
developmental processes
and the rate of development
are likely to vary among
individuals.

3. Development
takes place
gradually.

4. Development as a
process is complex
because it is the product
of biological, cognitive
and socioemotional
processes.

a. Biological
b. Cognitive
c. Socio-emotional

Two approaches to Human
Development
1.Traditional
Approach
2. Life-span
Approach

Stages of Development
1. Pre-natal (conception to birth)
2. Infancy (from birth to two years)
3. Early childhood (3 to 5 years)
4. Middle and Late Childhood ( 9-12 years)
5. Adolescence (13-18 years)
6. Early Adulthood (19-29 years)
7. Middle Adulthood (30-60 yrs)
8. Late Adulthood (61 yrs above)

Developmental Task define
- One that arise at a certain period
in our life, the successful
achievement of which leads to
happiness and success with later
tasks while failure leads to
unhappiness, social disapproval,
and difficulty with later tasks.

Developmental Tasks
(Santrock,2002)
1. Pre-natal- It involves
tremendous growth from
a single cell to an
organism complete with
brain and behavioral
capabilities.

2. Infancy- A time of
extreme dependence on
adults.
3. Early childhood- Children
learn to become more self
sufficient.

4. Middle and late
childhood- The
fundamental skills in
reading, writing and
arithmetic are mastered.

5. Adolescence- Begins
with rapid physical
changes. Pursuit of
independence and
identity are prominent.

6. Early adulthood- It is a
time of establishing
personal economic
independence.

7. Middle Adulthood- It
is a time of expanding
personal and social
involvement and
responsibility.

8. Late Adulthood- It is a
time for adjustment to
decreasing strength and
health, life review,
retirement and
adjustment to new social
roles.

Activity
Answer this question:
What are the implications of these
developmental tasks to your role
as a facilitator of learning?
1. Preschool
2. Middle and Late Childhood
3. Adolescence

Issues on Human Development
1. Nature vs Nurture
2. Continutiy vs
Discontinuity
3. Stability vs Change

Factors Affecting Development
1. Maternal Nutrition
2. Child Nutrition
3. Early Sensory
Stimulation

Factors that Affect growth
1. Genetic History
2. Nutrition
3. Medical Conditions
4. Exercise
5. Sleep
6. Emotional Well-Being

II. Developmental Theories
1. Sigmund Freud’s
Psychosexual Theory
Stages of Psychosexual
Development

2. Piaget’s Cognitive Development
Theory
Activity:
Situation 1. It’s Christmas and Uncle Boboy is
giving “aguinaldo” to the children. Three year
old Allen did not want to receive the five
hundred peso bill. And instead he prefer to
receive five 20 peso bills. His ten year-old
cousins were telling him its better to get the
one five hundred peso bill, but they failed to
convice him.

Situation 2. Sibling, Harvey 10, Harold 8 and
Hannah, 4 were sorting out their stuffed
animals. They had 7 bears, 3 dogs, 2 cows and
1 dolphin. Mommy, a Psychology teacher,
enters and says, “Good thing you’re sorting
those. Do you have more stuffed animals or
more bears?” Harvey and Harold says, “stuffed
animals.” Hannah says “Bears.”

Situation 3. While eating on her high
chair, seven-month old Liza
accidentally dropped her spoon on
the floor. She saw mommy pick it up.
Liza again drops her new spoon and
she does this several times more on
purpose. Mommy didn’t like it at all
but Liza appeared to enjoy dropping
the spoon the whole time.

Analysis
1. Why do you think did Allen prefer the
20 peso bill?
2. Why do you think Hannah
answered “Bears”? What does this
say about how she thought to
answer the question?
3. Why do you think baby Liza
appeared to enjoy dropping the
spoons?

Piaget’s Cognitive Development
Theory

Piaget’s Cognitive Development

4.Kohlberg’s Stages of Moral
Development

Activity:
Read the moral dilemma below.
 Ryan, 17, has been saving up money to buy a ticket for
this concert of rock band. His parents have discouraged him
from going as the concert will surely be with a rowdy crowd.
The band is notoriuos for having out-of-contyrol audience
who somehow manages to get drunk and stoned during the
concert. Ryan agreed not to watch anymore. But a day before
the concert, Nic, 15 year old brother of Ryan, saw a corner of
what appeared to be a concert ticket showing in the pocket of
Ryan’s bag. Nic examined it and confirmed it was indeed a
ticket. Looking at Ryan’s bag, Nic also found an extra shirty
and 2 sticks of marijuana. So he figured ryan will go to the
concert after all. That night, Ryan told his parents that he will
be spending tomorrow nioght at a classmate’s house for a
school requirement. Then later that evening, he told Nic of his
plan to go to the concert. Nic didn’t say anything, but he
found it difficult to sleep that night, thinking whether to tell
their parents or not.


Questions:
1. If you were Nic, what would you
do?
2. Why would you choose to do
that? What were the things you
considered in deciding what to do?

5. Vygotsky’s Socio-Cultural
Theory

6. Brofenbrenner Bio ecological
Theory

7. Mutiple Intelligences

Development of the Learners at
Various Stages