NEEDS AND PROBLEMS OF ADOLESCENCE
An individual’s needs and problems influence his
development to a great extent. Adolescence is a crucial period in the life
of an individual with its characteristic needs and problems of
adjustment.
Every adolescent has certain needs, the
satisfaction of which is essential to his continued physical and others aspects
of development.
A need is a tension within an
organism which must be satisfied for the well being of the organism. When a need
is satisfied the tension is released and the individual experiences
satisfaction.
There are certain basic needs which are functioning
in every individual. They are broadly classified into Physiological needs.
Primary or
Physiological Needs:
The fulfillment of physiological needs is inevitable
because they are concerned with the very existence of the individual.
The need for oxygen, need for water and food, need
for rest and sleep, need for sex gratification etc. are the
important physiological needs.
Secondary or
Socio-Psychological Needs:
Needs that are associated with socio-cultural
environment of an individual are called secondary needs.
They are acquired through social learning and their
satisfaction is necessary for the psychological well being of the individual.
The important socio-psychological needs are as follows:
Needs
for security:
In addition
to physical security, the adolescent needs emotional, social and economic
security.
The person
who lacks the feeling of security may become maladjusted.
The need for social
security is associated with man’s desire for gregariousness.
Need for Love: Affection or love is one of the most basic psychological needs
of the adolescents. Adolescents have
a strong desire to love and to be loved.
The individual who is not
loved will not deep proper attitudes and concepts concerning his own worth.
Proper love will strengthen the individuals feeling of security.
Need for
approval:
There is a carving
for recognition in adolescents. His ego gets satisfaction when he is
recognized and approved.
The adolescent desire that he should be a center of attraction for the opposite sex and his abilities, intelligence and
capacities should be recognized by others.
The teachers should find out the field in
which the pupil can shine very well and which help him to earn admiration from
others.
Need
for freedom and independence:
Adolescence is a time when the
individual is striving to wean himself away from the control of parents
and elders.
He wants the right to give expression to
his feelings, emotions and ideas. He feels annoyed and unpleasant when
restriction is imposed on him.
Need for self-expression and achievement:
Every adolescent has an inherent desire for
the expression of his potentialities. He may have a poet, musician, painter
etc., hidden within him and he want to get adequate opportunities for the
expression of his potentialities.
He experiences satisfaction when he
succeeded in them and failure makes him depressed and disappointed. Hence the
curriculum should be appropriate for every pupil so as to permit achievement
for him.
The End