Life Span Development II School Age and Adolescence

Life Span Development II: School age and Adolescence 3 (2+1)

Lesson 23 : Problems in Identity Development

Preventive strategies

1. Identifying children/youth who may be pre disposed to getting in trouble.

Possible danger signs: almost any sustained deviation from the normal pattern of behavior should be taken seriously and evaluated further. The danger signs need to watch to prevent identity problems in children or adolescents are

1. Exaggerated or extended apathy, inactivity or boredom
2. Subtle signs of self-destructive behaviour such as carelessness and accident proneness
3. Loss of appetite or excessive eating
4. Decrease in verbal communication
5. Withdrawal from peer activities and from previously enjoyed activities
6. Sleep disturbances (nightmares, difficulty falling asleep, early morning awakening)
7. Academic decline
8. Substance abuse (alchohol, drugs)
9. Tearfulness
10. Depressive feelings such as sadness or discouragement
11. Recent hostile behaviour (arguments with parents, truly behaviour in school)
12. Recent increase in interpersonal conflict with significant others
13. A decrease in or inability to tolerate frustration.


2. Focusing on their family relationships.
3. Assisting parents in learning more effective parenting skills.