Physical Development
This life stage is important because adolescents go through puberty, a natural biological process of rapid physical growth. Adolescents experience hormonal changes that cause rapid physical changes in the body and sexual maturation. Timing of changes will vary from person to person but physical changes for boys includes production of the male sex hormone, testosterone, facial hair, pubic hair, Adam’s apple and a deeper voice, increased height and muscle, shoulders broaden, and the genital organs mature. The physical change for girls includes the production of estrogen and progesterone, genital organs mature, pubic hair, increased height and muscle, hips broaden, breasts develop, and they experience their first period (Paris, J. et al. n.d.)