Contemporary Adolescence

Chapter 13: Work

History of adolescent workBefore 1900

Pre-industrialized Boys farmed in preparation to take over as adults Girls worked in the home and with domesticated

animalsIndustrialization

Factories, mines, and processing plants Higher amounts of injuries for adolescents

20th centuryMore focus on reducing child laborParticularly after WW II, focus was on keeping

adolescents in school

Work and adolescent developmentPsychological functioning

Adolescents that work >10 hrs/wk:

Work is not necessarily a bad thing:

Work and adolescent developmentProblem behavior

Adolescents who work long hours may already be prone to substance abuse and the more hours they work, the more substances they are at risk of using

Occupational deviance: acts committed in relations to the workplace, like stealing supplies

Pros and Cons of workGirls (%) Boys (%)

Benefits

Responsibility 90 80

Money management 66 57

Learned social skills 88 78

Work experience/skill develop

43 42

Work ethics 73 68

Independence 75 78

Time management 79 75

Learned about life 26 29

Problems

Less leisure time 49 49

Lower grades 28 25

Less time for homework 48 49

Think about work during class

78 11

Fatigue 51 45

Occupational choiceDevelopment of occupational goals

Crystallization (14-18 yrs): Specification (18-21):Implementation (21-24):Stabilization (25-35):Consolidation (35- ):

Occupational choiceCompromise with Reality Therapy

Fantasy stageTentative stageRealistic stage

Influences on occupational goalsPersonality characteristics (John Holland)

RealisticIntellectualSocialConventionalEnterprisingArtistic

Other influences on occupational choiceIntelligenceAptitudes and special abilitiesInterestsJob opportunitiesSalaryPrestige

Federal limits on 14 & 15 yr oldsCannot work in manufacturing, processing, miningCannot work in transportation, construction, warehouseCannot use power-driven machineryDuring school:

Cannot work during school hoursCannot work more than 18 hours/wkCannot work more than 3 hours/dayHours restricted to 7 am to 7 pm

During summer:Cannot work more than 40 hrs/wkCannot work more than 8 hrs/dayHours restricted to 7 am to 9 pm

Federal limits on 16 & 17 yr oldsCannot work with hazardous materialsCannot operate motor vehiclesCannot work in most excavating or

demolition jobsCannot work in minesCannot work in slaughterhouses

Volunteer workAdolescents who volunteer:

Motivation can be individualistic as well as collectivistic

Generally, there is a positive effect both current and longitudinally for adolescents who volunteer