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will stifle growth and the development of potential. The thwarting of love needs is considered as a prime cause of maladjustment. Love hunger is a deficiency
disease. The esteem needs has two categories, they are self-esteem and respect
from other people. Self-esteem comprises such needs as desires for confidence, competence, mastery, adequacy, achievement, independence, and freedom.
Respect encloses such concepts as prestige, recognition, acceptance, attention, status, reputation, and appreciation.
The self-actualization needs are described as the desire to become more and more what one is, to become everything that one is capable of
becoming. These needs are the identification of the psychological needs for growth, development, and utilization of potential. These needs also appear after
reasonable satisfaction of love and esteem needs.
c. Adolescent Development
Muuss, as quoted in Kimmel’s book, pointed out that the word adolescence
comes from a Latin word that means “to grow up”, “to grow into maturity” 2. According to Lefrancois, adolescence is defined as a general term
for the period from the onset of puberty to adulthood and typically including the teenage years. Adolescents have a multiplicity of selves 454-455:
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1 The psychological self is composed of the adolescent’s concerns, feelings, wishes, and fantasies. This self reflects adolescents’ emotions, their
conceptions of their bodies, their ability to control impulses. 2 The social self consists of adolescents’ perceptions of their relationship with
others, their morals, their goals and aspirations. 3 The sexual self reflects attitudes and feelings about sexual experiences and
behavior. 4 The familial self consists of adolescents’ feelings and attitudes toward parents
and other members of their family. 5 The coping self mirrors psychological adjustment and emotional well-being,
and also taps how effectively the adolescent functions in the outside world. Parsons also stated that adolescence is a dramatic stage in human
development. It is a period of development which places special demands on all involved in the nurturing of these youths.
… even though adolescence is a period of turmoil, a time of storm and stress, it is also a period of excitement, a time of “rebirth”. The
adolescence is filled with new ideas, sensations, feelings, talents, and visions of self and others. Adolescence is a time which, with the
proper support and nurturance, can signify one’s new start 5.
Adolescents are experiencing intense guilt and depression because of the conflicts they experience between their “values” and their sexual urges, for
example, need to be guided, counseled and touched by a message of forgiveness. Adolescence is viewed as a time when internal drives and desires
attempt to find expression within the confines, constraints and external requirements of society. It is a time of testing and learning. It is a time
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of uncertain change and frustration. It is a time of experimentation, discovery and growth. It is a time when the adolescent attempts to
answer the questions “Who am I?” and “Who am I to be?” Parsons 24
An important characteristic of adolescence is the development of the ability to choose. In his book, Conger stated that adolescent is confronted with a
wider range of conflicting pressures in the adoption or modification of personal values than the average younger child 523. A central problem of the adolescent
period is the development of one’s own identity as a person, or which is so called ego identity.
Based on a recent series of studies toward several West Virginia adolescents ages 13 to 18, the result showed that males emerged throughout as
significantly more extroverted, more tough-minded and assertive, more individualistic and independent, less emotionally labile and apprehensive, more
aggressive and lacking in humility, and more concerned with achievement striving.
…the adolescent has had many years in which to develop an elaborate set of learned needs or motives-for social approval, friendship, love
from parents and others including opposite-sex peers, independence or dependence, nurturance of others, achievement, a sense of self-
esteem, and a sense of identity 64.
d. Self-Esteem
Self-esteem, according to Lefrancois, is a personal judgment of worthiness that is expressed in attitudes the individual holds toward himself.
