Understand the adolescent's concern about body image and physical attractiveness in view of the attitudes prevalent in our culture. Chapter 15 introduces the most important glands associated with these feelings. They are the pituitary, adrenal, endocrine, and gonads. Students should focus attention on the readings associated with the function of these glands in order to better understand how they are correlated with adolescent maturation, heredity, nutrition, and subsequent behavior. In a slightly different light, Living Issues provides a contemporary example of the use of steroids by athletes in order to increase performance strength.
Issues also shares the serious side-effects caused by the usage of anabolic steroids.
Sexual maturation also includes the development of secondary sexual characteristics. Secondary sexual characteristics include the development of mature female and male body contours, voice changes, the appearance of body hair, and other minor changes. Maria suffered from an imbalance of hormones that produce premature puberty. Adolescents are also subject to feeling they must adhere to an obsession of beauty. Because of this perception adolescents often develop anorexia nervosa and bulimia.