Adolescent Stress: Sources and Solutions (330-0-20)
Instructors
Emma K Adam
Meeting Info
Annenberg Hall G02: Thurs 9:30AM - 12:20PM
Overview of class
As early as 1904, psychologists studying adolescent development referred to it as "a period of storm and stress" (Hall, 1904). There has since been considerable critique of stress as the defining feature of adolescence, and recently researchers have focused on the many assets of adolescents and the opportunities of this developmental period (National Academies of Sciences & Medicine, 2019). The experience and consequences of stress do, however, represent important features of adolescence, as well as early adulthood. While complete coverage of the extensive literature on adolescent and young adult stress is not possible, in this course, we begin to explore some central questions. Why are adolescence and early adulthood stressful periods of life? Are they more stressful now than in the past? How do we best define and measure adolescent and young adult stress? What are some key sources of stress during these developmental periods? What are the major biological stress response systems of the body, and how are they impacted by stress and normative developmental change? What are the implications of stress, and biological stress responses, for adolescent and young adult health and developmental outcomes? What factors reduce adolescent stress and its impact on youth outcomes? How might this knowledge be leveraged to develop and implement interventions to improve the wellbeing of adolescents and young adults?
This course is an advanced, interactive, undergraduate class in which the instructor, TA, and students will explore the set of above questions together, through readings, discussions, and through quantitative and qualitative coding and analysis of datasets on adolescent stress. Students will have the opportunity to pose questions and hypotheses regarding adolescent stress and examine these hypotheses empirically as part of a group final project (based on available data). Ultimately, the class goals are to a) teach students about the science of and current knowledge on adolescent stress and b) have students begin to get comfortable posing and answering questions using data analysis and c) to help reduce student stress through increased understanding of stress and factors which contribute to and reduce stress.
Registration Requirements
Prerequisites: (SESP 201-0) and (SESP 210-0 or any 200-level Statistics Equivalent).
Teaching Method
Assignments, no tests
Class Materials (Required)
SPSS statistical software, approximately $50. All other materials will be online.
Class Attributes
Prerequisites apply, see description
Enrollment Requirements
Enrollment Requirements: Students must not have taken HDC 351 Adolescent Stress: Sources and Solutions in order to enroll in this course.