Factors of Development in Adolescent Males

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There are many factors that contribute to determining how a young person will develop into a mature adult. This research paper will discuss three of those factors and how they can negatively affect the development of an adolescent male - sexual or physical abuse, self-esteem, and pubertal timing. By the end it will be clear what influences an adolescent’s mental, emotional and physical health, and what makes a male feel capable of being secure in their own skin.

The world we live in focuses primarily on females who have been physically, emotionally or sexually abused as children. However, young males are often overlooked as being victims of sexual abuse. Jozef Wawrzyniec Spychala Spiegel states in the International Journal of Sexual Health that an estimated “16% of males –or approximately 1 out of every 6-are sexually abused prior to the age of 18” (Spiegel, 2008, pp. 147). Research shows several patterns of abuse that adolescent males experience, as well as the devastating effects commonly displayed later in the victims’ lives.

First it is important to establish the definition of abuse. In Spiegel’s study childhood sexual abuse is defined “as (1) any sexualized contact (2) imposed on a male child under the age of 18 (3) that occurred within a relationship where it was viewed as abusive by the boy (4) because of age difference, power differential and/or physical, social or developmental differences (5) and that occurred as a result of perceived threat or force” (Spiegel, 2008, pp. 150).

Spiegel and his team studied 459 male participants, of which 38% had a history of sexual abuse. Using the Sexual Self Concept Scale, participants were asked a series of questions regarding their masculinity, self-esteem and sexual health. The re...

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.... Sexual abuse, early or late pubertal maturity and self-esteem and how it’s affected by mental health. Young males who are sexually assaulted show their inability to grow into mentally stable men. Boys who go through puberty early can get into trouble because they are not mature enough cognitively to make good decisions. And those with low self-esteem show a greater rate of depression in their mental health.

Young men need guidance, structure, and a safe environment in order to progress in a healthy and natural way into adulthood. These components should come from not only their parents and teachers, but especially their peers. Their social networks will play a significant role in who they become as a person. This is especially important to recognize in the field of counseling as we seek to establish healthy parameters in the lives of the clients we work with.

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