Social Issues and Development

Reflection on Social Issues and Development

During adolescence, individuals undergo rapid development and experience major changes in their physical and psychological areas. Puberty can cause complicated relationships with the opposite sex as the individuals try to understand themselves. As a result, inappropriate sexual relationships are common, which lead to teenage pregnancies. Angela’s case is an example of the many teen mothers struggling with developing attachment with babies born during a time when they are developing and demanding parental support.

Review

Piaget’s idea of adolescent egocentrism and Bowlby’s attachment theories are relevant to Angela’s case study. Piaget suggested that adolescents experience “adolescent’s egocentrism,” which is a conflict within them. They have a feeling that they are the only ones going through certain feelings and events in life (Alberts et al., 2007). The feelings have unique experiences that lead them to premarital sex and the risk of getting pregnant. As a result, they bear children, such as Sarah in the case study, who lack the necessary attachment to their parents. According to Bowlby (1980), the psychological attachment to a significant other (especially parents) helps children become secure as they grow. As a result, they bear children, such as Sarah in the case study, who lack the necessary attachment to their parents.

Application

As more teenagers, such as Angela, become sexually active, they risk getting pregnant and raising children at a very tender age. Their children lack necessary attachment since teenage mothers raise them, and most of the time, their fathers are absent. Due to the lack of attachment, the children become troubled teenagers and at a high risk of repeating the same mistakes as their parents, most likely repeating the cycle of teen pregnancy.

Connection

Teenage pregnancy has a close correlation with poverty. Besides, parents from low-income families spend most of their time feeding their families that they neglect their teenagers, leading to the risk of premarital sex. As a result, the risk of teen pregnancies is higher in families from low socioeconomic statuses than from high socioeconomic statuses.

Reflection

My parents were strict regarding opposite-sex relationships. As a result, I was able to navigate through adolescence without having inappropriate sexual encounters. However, I still had a relationship during my teenage, but in a well-guided environment. My parents always discussed sexual issues with us, and we understood the dangers of sex, including pregnancy and STIs. Somehow, the situation appeared unfair because many of our peers appeared to have sex-related instances to tell while we had none.

Conclusion

Adolescence is a very complicated stage in any individual and can cause problems, including teenage pregnancies if not carefully guided. Piaget’s idea of adolescent egocentrism explains the reason why teens become sexually active oblivious of the dangers. While sex seems exciting during teenage years, many girls become pregnant at the risk of bringing forth children with attachment issues. The two theories explain how the cycle of intergenerational pregnancy continues from one generation to another.