Learn about the forms of emotional development in adolescence

Adolescence can be a confusing time for anyone. It is an especially fraught period for those who are transgender or gender non-conforming. The feeling of not belonging to one’s birth sex, the fear of coming out to loved ones, and the need to express oneself in a way that society deems unacceptable, will often lead to depression. Today, we are going to explore emotional development in adolescence by examining how it differs between trans youth and cisgender youth. We will also discuss how this emotional development impacts LGBTQ+ youth in different ways than cisgender kids.

The Importance of Emotional Development

Emotional development is the physical, psychological, and social changes that happen during the course of one’s childhood. Development of emotional development is very important, since this is how we learn about our world and the people in it. As our emotional maturity grows, our capacity to cope with complex situations improves, and we become better able to negotiate interpersonal relationships. The key question to ask is whether emotional development is happening in both trans and cis kids. Unfortunately, some studies seem to suggest that emotional development in trans youth is often delayed. We will explore why this might be the case. In addition, it is important to understand what factors impact emotional development in cis youth and the emotional development of trans youth.

The Forms of Emotional Development in Adolescence

All adolescents experience different stages of emotional development. It is extremely important to recognize that not all stages are the same, as they all impact LGBTQ+ youth in different ways. You can see this in The Form of Emotional Development in Adolescence, below, as each section has been replaced with a description of a specific stage of development. Acquaintance stage This is typically marked by loneliness, shame, anxiety, and fear. In this stage, LGBTQ+ teens experience the first social interaction they have had with an adult who is not LGBTQ+ related. This can often be frightening. They may not know who to trust and become preoccupied with worrying about what might happen if they tell their parents.

The Impact of Gender on Emotional Development in Adolescence

There are two genders and only two genders. Despite what some might tell you, there are really only two genders, male and female, and even though people will say that there are only two, that is because gender is a very complicated social construct. Gender is about making the choices we make about how we present our gender to others, how we present our gender internally to ourselves, and what is expected of us by others. Gender is what sex is. Adolescence, as a time of critical growth for young people, is a time of great emotional development. This time is defined as the stages of identity development: Masculinity (feeling uncomfortable in one’s own skin), Femininity (feeling uncomfortable in one’s own skin), and Self Identity (feeling complete in who you are).

How Parents, Teachers, and Friends Can Help a Trans Teen

Preventing Depression and Suicide In a high-risk situation, the heart pumps blood through the body quickly and forcefully. This compresses the main arteries, triggering them to constrict. This prevents arteries from rupturing and reduces the risk of a heart attack. A teen who experiences dysphoria when the brain is still developing may feel this sensation acutely. They may even feel the growing pressure of their bodies through their clothes, causing a physical sensation of being trapped. A person can recover from this experience, but it will take a long time and often with some form of medical intervention. The body can go through a number of physical changes throughout adolescence, but it takes about 10 years for every person to reach sexual maturity.

Conclusion

The research that we’ve reviewed and highlighted throughout this paper shows a startling range of emotional development in cisgender people, and to some extent, between transgender people and cisgender people. Understanding these differences, and some of the ways in which they may be exacerbated, will help LGBTQ+ kids make sense of themselves and their lives, no matter which gender identity they identify with.