Adolescence is a stage of growth between childhood and adulthood. The World Health
Organization defines adolescence as the age between 10 and 19, often referred to as a group of
young people (WHO, n.d). During adolescence, individuals experience behavioral, social,
emotional, and mental changes. The adolescence period poses serious challenges to youngsters in
modern times. One of the challenges faced by young people in adolescence is parenting at an
early age. According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2018), approximately
194,377 babies were born to women between the age of 15 and 19 years in 2017. This was,
however, a decrease of about 7 percent from the previous year’s statistics. The United States is
the world’s leading country in teenage pregnancies at 57 in every 1,000 adolescents aged 15 to 19
(CDC, 2018). New Zealand closely follows the United States at 51 and Wales at 47. Adolescent, Single Parenting, Technology & Culture;

Another challenge that has been on the rise among teenage is substance abuse disorders.
The commonly abused substance in the United States by minors is marijuana. Studies reveal that
half of the adolescents in America abuse substances at least once by the time they get to grade
12. A study conducted in 2027 revealed that about 4 percent of all adolescents in America aged
12 to 17 or 992,000 teens suffered from substance abuse disorder (AAC, 2018). About 443,000
of them had alcohol use disorder (AAC, 2018). The increasing abuse of substances among the
youngsters in modern times can be blamed on lousy company, technological influence, and poor
parenting. Read more
The third challenge facing adolescents in modern times is legal consequences. On
approximate, 60,000 adolescents aged below 18 years in the United States are incarcerated in
juvenile jails and prisons on any given day (Pratt, 2018). Most of the arrested teens are either
accused of rape, attempted suicide, substance abuse, or theft. Adolescent, Single Parenting, Technology & Culture;

Part B
Single parenting is a situation where a child or children are raised by one of their parents
due to either divorce or death. It is estimated that a quarter of children under 18 years only live
with one parent. Between 1970 and 2019, it is estimated that 15.76 million children were living
with a single mother in the United States, and about 3.23 children were living with a single father
(Statista, n.d). In my opinion, children brought by single parents are, in some ways,
disadvantaged compared to their counterparts raised by both parents. This is because such
children are more likely to abuse substances and drop out of school (Stephen & Udisi, 2016).
Children raised by a single father may also have less quality time with the parent due to work
commitments. Lastly, children raised by a single parent are more likely to have difficulties
handling relationships (Stephen & Udisi, 2016).
Part C
Technology has had both positive and negative influence on the psychosocial
development of the young generation. For, instance the social, moral, and emotional aspects of
growth and development at risk of being negatively influenced. Similarly, technology may
jeopardize the relationship of children with other family members as they grow, which may, in
turn, affect the closeness that ought to be there between children and their family members
(Gottschalk, 2019). In my opinion, caregivers should set a limit for the young generation. For
instance, when reading online or interacting with friends through social media platforms, a child
should be supervised. It is dangerous to give youngsters the freedom to do whatever they feel
like with technology. This is because much freedom may lead to addiction as well as engaging in
vices such as pornography. Adolescent, Single Parenting, Technology & Culture;

Part D
Studies show that Asia has about 60 percent of the world's population. The number of
individuals aged 65 and above is projected to crease by 314 percent from 207 million in the year
2000 to about 857 million in 2050 (Mason, Lee, & Park, 2020). The elderly in Asian countries
are loved, celebrated, and revered. The elderly in Asian countries are treated with dignity more
than all other groups. I feel that it is unacceptable to out the elderly in a retirement home as an
Asian. I would care for the elderly in my own home because they require special attention and
regular checkups. Additionally, the elderly cannot manage to do a lot of things by themselves.
In conclusion, the adolescent stage is one of the most challenging in life. Adolescents in
America face challenges such as parenting at an early age, substance abuse disorders and facing
legal consequences. The issue of early parenting can be best handled by giving young people sex
education and talking to them about the dangers of engaging in pre-marital sex. To minimize the
prevalence of substance abuse among adolescents, parents should make time to be with their
children and understand their issues. Teaching the adolescent group morals and values can
prevent them from engaging in activities that attract legal consequences. Children raised by a
single parent are disadvantaged compared to children raised by both parents. Children raised by a
single parent are more likely to abuse drugs, have financial hurdles, and problems relating to
others. Teens should interact with technology under strict supervision to prevent them from
addictions and engaging in vices. The elderly in Asia are respected, celebrated, and revered. Adolescent, Single Parenting, Technology & Culture;