Section 4.1 Psychological and behavioural challenges

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Course:	CD60143: Human Developmental Psychology
Book:	Section 4.1 Psychological and behavioural challenges

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Date:	Friday, 19 December 2025, 7:14 AM

Description

Adolescent learners are characterized by significant social, emotional, and psychological changes. Many mental health issues, such as anxiety and depression, often appear at first but may go unnoticed or unaddressed. They commonly experience mood swings, emotional outbursts, and confusion about their identity, largely due to hormonal fluctuations associated with puberty. These emotional ups and downs contribute to the intense selfquestioning typical of adolescence, as young people grapple with questions like “Who am I?” and “Where do I belong?” This process can cause stress and lower self-esteem.

As adolescents, strive for independence, they may show rebellious behavior, challenge authority figures, or take part in risky activities. This behavior is a normal part of their development, reflecting their efforts to establish autonomy and define their personal identity. However, these actions can sometimes result in conflicts within the family or at school and, in some cases, lead to harmful or dangerous habits. Understanding these challenges is essential for providing support that helps adolescent learners navigate their complex stages in a healthy and constructive way.

Below is a summary of the psychological challenges faced by adolescent learners in school.

1. Descriptions of adolescents' behavioural challenges
2. Summary of psychological challenges faced by adolescent people
3. Studies conducted in Rwanda on juvenile delinquency
4. Characteristics of delinquents

1. Descriptions of adolescents' behavioural challenges

Adolescent learners are characterized by significant social, emotional, and psychological changes. Many mental health issues, such as anxiety and depression, often appear at first but may go unnoticed or unaddressed. They commonly experience mood swings, emotional outbursts, and confusion about their identity, largely due to hormonal fluctuations associated with puberty. These emotional ups and downs contribute to the intense self questioning typical of adolescence, as young people grapple with questions like “Who am I?” and “Where do I belong?” This process can cause stress and lower self-esteem.

2. Summary of psychological challenges faced by adolescent people

Psychological Challenge	Description
Identity formation	Struggle with self-identity, self-esteem, and belonging may lead to confusion and low confidence.
Peer pressure	Pressure to fit in, leading to risky behaviors or low self-worth due to comparison with others.
Academic stress	Anxiety from high expectations, fear of failure, difficulty managing workload and responsibilities.
Juvenile delinquency	Juvenile delinquency is the habitual committing criminal acts or offences by a young person, especially one below the age at which ordinary criminal prosecution is possible. A delinquent can be defined as a child or youth between ages 6-18 years who breaks laws enacted by authorities.
Mental health issues	Emergence of depression, anxiety, eating disorders, or other mental health concerns.
Low motivation & attention problems	Struggles with focus, impulse control, and sustained effort in learning.
Conflicts with authority	Resistance to rules and questioning of adult authority may result in disciplinary issues.
Substance use and abuse	Teenagers are particularly vulnerable to experimenting with substances like alcohol, tobacco, and drugs. Peer pressure, curiosity, low self-esteem, and exposure to substance use at home can all contribute to this behavior. What may begin as experimentation can quickly become dependent if not addressed early.
Aggression and Violence	Some adolescents, especially boys, may exhibit aggressive behavior due to hormonal changes, peer influence, or exposure to violence. This can manifest bullying, physical fights, or even criminal behavior.

3. Studies conducted in Rwanda on juvenile delinquency

Studies conducted in Rwanda on juvenile delinquency, came to similar conclusions and evidences portraying a steady and drastic increased rate of juvenile crime and delinquency in recent decades (Nsanzimana, 2019). By extrapolating the number of juvenile delinquents reported from study conducted by the UNICEF in 1974 (350 cases) to MIGEPROF reports of 2005 (8,000 cases) it is well established that the number of juvenile delinquents multiplied countrywide approximately 23 times in 2005. A study conducted in 2012 by the NCC on situation of street children in 11 Districts of Rwanda in 2019, reached to the same conclusion that the juvenile delinquency in Rwanda remains an issue of concern (Nsanzimana, 2019).

In Rwandan schools (Nsanzimana, 2019), juvenile delinquency among adolescent learners is a significant and growing concern. The main contributing factors include low educational attainment, poverty, unemployment, dysfunctional family situations, as well as substance abuse and exposure to violence...” A report by National Rehabilitation Service has summarized a list of 8 major causes often inducing the youth in antisocial behavior and/or juvenile delinquency. These are drug and substance abuse, poverty, unemployment, low levels of education, dysfunctional families, violence and peer influence (National Rehabilitation Service: NRS, 2019).

As it was highlighted in those studies, some adolescents engage in undesirable activities to escape boredom and frustration, seeking excitement or distraction from their daily lives. Additionally, adolescent learners naturally have strong needs for recognition, independence, and affection; when these needs are unmet or misunderstood, some may resort to antisocial behaviors to cope with emotional tension or to gain attention.

Concerning the issue of substance abuse, the above studies found that some adolescent learners become involved in delinquent acts to obtain money to support drug or alcohol addictions, which further fuels their risky behaviors. Family conflicts also play a critical role: rejection or lack of support, particularly from fathers, harsh or overly permissive parenting styles, and unresolved disputes within the home can create an unstable environment that increases the risk of delinquency.

Moreover, inconsistent discipline at home, where rules and consequences are unclear or unevenly enforced, can leave children without the structure and guidance they need to develop self-control and responsibility. Addressing these causes requires a comprehensive approach that includes family support, counseling, and community engagement to help adolescents navigate these challenges positively.

For Nsanzimana (2019) the key risk factors for juvenile delinquency in Rwanda which was found in his study include the lower level of education, poverty/unemployment, and dysfunctional families (together rated at about 79.99% of respondents). Substance abuse and violence were also significant, accounting for 20.1% of responses.