Course Instructor: Peter Myers, Psy. D.

Office: S-307H

Phone: (312) 440-1203 daytime

(773) 975-7910 evenings (Until 10:30 PM)

Email: Pmyers@juvenile.org

Office Hours: By Appointment
 
 
 

Goal of the Course
 

This course will provide students with a survey of the field of adolescent psychology. Students will develop an understanding of the major issues regarding adolescent development as it is viewed within the context of human life course development.
 

Objectives
 

By the end of the course, the student will be able to:
 

Identify and describe the main theories, both historical and contemporary, of adolescent psychology.
 

Compare and contrast the opposing views of adolescence as either a period of necessary turmoil and disruption or a period of necessary healthy differentiation and autonomy.
 

Utilize theories of adolescent development to examine and explain intrapsychic, interpersonal, and social experiences of adolescents today.
 

Means
 

To achieve the stated objectives, the student will complete the following:
 

Complete all assigned reading in the required text and selected readings on reserved.
 

Attend all classes and actively participate in class discussions.
 

Prepare a summary, including an outline to be distributed to the class, of one week's course readings and three question to facilitate class discussion.
 
 
 

Write 2 papers, one which describes an observation of an adolescent experience and another which uses course readings and discussions to explain and illuminate the developmental issues at hand during the observation.
 

Present a description of the observation and theoretical understanding to the class.
 

Complete two in class exams on the theoretical material presented in lecture and the readings.
 
 
 

Text and Materials
 

Muuss, Rolf, E. (1996). Theories of adolescence. MacGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., New York.
 

Selected readings on Reserve in the library, including:
 

Tolan, Patrick, H., and Cohler, Bertram, J. (1993). Handbook of clinical research & practice with adolescents. John Wiley & Sons, Inc.: New York.
 

Brooks-Gunn, J., & Petersen, A. C. (1984). Problems in studying and defining pubertal events. Journal of youth and adolescence, 13, (3), pp. 181- 195.

McClintock, M. K., & Herdt, G. (1996). Rethinking puberty: The development of sexual attraction. Current directions in psychological science, 5,(6), pp. 178 ­ 183.
 

Mirel, J. (1991). Twentieth-century america, adolescence in. In R. M. Lerner, A. C. Petersen, & J. Brooks-Gunn (Eds.), Encyclopedia of Adolescence: Volume II. Garland Publishing: New York.
 

Steinberg, L. (1988). The abc's of transformations in the family at adolescence: Changes in affect, behavior, and cognition. In E. M. Hetherington, & R. D. Parke (Eds.), Contemporary readings in child psychology, third edition. McGraw-Hill Book Company: New York.
 
 
 

Requirements
 

Students are expected to attend all class meetings.
 

Students are expected to have completed all the weeks assigned readings prior to that week's class meeting. Each student will be assigned one week for which they are required to outline one of that week's reading and prepare 3 questions to facilitate class discussion.
 

Students will complete two test. The first test will be an in-class exam with an emphasis placed on the theoretical constructs and concepts presented in the first half of the course. The second test will be a take home exam with an emphasis placed on integrating earlier theoretical concepts with contemporary social issues pertaining to adolescence.
 

Students will write two papers using APA format. The first will be a descriptive paper of an "adolescent event or experience." The second paper will be a theoretical discussion of the observation incorporating concepts and theories discussed in class.
 

Students will give a 10 minute oral presentation on their two papers.
 

Grading System
 

All assignments are expected to be completed and turned in on the assigned due date. All late work will be penalized. Only in those instances in which the course instructor authorized an extension prior to the due date will a late assignment be accepted.
 

Items and point value

Participation (Summary and Questions Included) 50 pts.

Paper 1 50 pts.

Paper 2 125 pts

Test 1 100 pts.

Test 2 125 pts.

Presentation 50 pts.

Total 500 pts
 

Determination of grades

500 ­ 450 = A

449 ­ 400 = B

399 ­ 350 = C

349 ­ 300 = D

299 ­ Below = F
 
 
 

Class Schedule
 

Week 1 Introduction

9/1/99 Historical Overview
 

Readings: Mirel
 

Week 2 Nature of Adolescent Development

9/8/99
 

Readings: Muuss: Chapter 1

Tolan & Cohler: Chapter 1
 

Week 3 Psychobiology of Adolescence

9/15/99
 

Readings: Tolan & Cohler: Chapter 2

Brooks-Gunn & Peterson
 

Week 4 Cognitive Development

9/22/99
 

Readings: Muuss: Chapter 8, & 12

Tolan & Cohler: Chapter 3
 
 
 

Week 5 Self and Emotional Development

9/29/99
 

Readings: Muuss: Chapters 3 & 5

Tolan & Cohler: Chapter 4
 
 
 

Week 6 Family Context of Adolescence

10/6/99
 

Readings: Tolan & Cohler: Chapter 7

Steinberg
 

Assignment: Paper 1 Due
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Week 7 Peer Context of Adolescence

10/13/99 Review for Test 1
 

Readings: Muuss: Chapter 14

Tolan & Cohler: Chapter 9
 

Week 8 Test 1- In Class

10/20/99
 

Week 9 Cultural Context of Adolescence

10/27/99
 

Readings: Muuss: Chapter 6

Tolan and Cohler: Chapter 10
 

Week 10 Gender and Sexuality

11/3/99
 

Readings: Muuss: Chapter 6 & 10

Tolan & Cohler: 10

McClintock & Herdt
 

Week 11 Moral Reasoning and Antisocial Behavior

11/10/99
 

Readings: Muuss: Chapter: 9

Tolan & Cohler: 13
 

Week 12 Adolescent Experiences Good and Bad

11/17/99
 

Readings: Muuss: Chapter 13

Tolan & Cohler: Chapter 6
 

Week 13 No Class Happy Thanksgiving

11/24/99
 

Week 14 Paper 2 Due

12/1/99 Presentations
 

Week 15 Presentations

12/8/99 Hand Out Test 2 ­ Take Home
 

Week 16 Test 2 Due- Take Home

12/16/99 Presentation (if needed)

6:00- 7:50 PM